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Spam Conversations
In the world of cyberspace (does anybody even say that anymore?), we define “spam” typically as unsolicited communication whose intent is to trigger us to take some kind of action, usually involving financial transactions.
But I’ve been wondering, how much of your day-to-day life is also continually “spammed”? I’m not talking about you watching tv or reading magazines or seeing ads on buses - although perhaps we could make a case that these too are spam. But I am talking about small conversations and interactions you’ll have with people - they could be strangers or even friends. How many of your conversations are essentially “spammy” or have a significant spam-factor?
In order to answer that question, we’d probably need to refine our definition of what constitutes real-world spam. We could look at it as something which is (1) unsolicited communication, and (2) which attempts to get you to take some kind of action. The action could be anything though: even simply a response to the initial unsolicited communication.
My real question, though, builds on this: let’s say you have x% of spam interactions on a daily basis. If you could, would you set up a hypothetical real world spam filter which would shield you from having to deal with those interactions? This way, old people wouldn’t talk to you on the bus; bikers wouldn’t ride straight towards you on the sidewalk and expect you to move; your boss wouldn’t hang over your shoulder to make sure you’re continually working.
My guess is that an overwhelming number of people would go ahead very happily and institute such a filter from spammy interactions in their everyday lives. What would be the cost (not financial) to one’s life though, were we to take such a hardline approach against spam conversations in real life as we expect to maintain over our email accounts?
[Semi-related: The Evolution of Spam-Consciousness]
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October 5th, 2006 at 11:07 am
I guess Buddha lived a life of happy splendor for a while. He was in a bubble and protected. Being in a bubble and protected can be fun, but it does not tell you much about the outside world.
All the pathos/tragedy is a hard thing to take. People are constantly lobbying for things that don`t always make sense.
One reality is this. People always do what they want to do. If someone veers at you on a bike on the sidewalk you do not have to get out of the way. If someone tells you to do something and has a gun to your head, you can always say no, go ahead and pull the trigger.
October 6th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
I don’t see that as being the case at all. I see people not being able to do what they want to do and not even knowing what they want as being a great deal more common.
Peaknickster, speaking of spam conversations, I am going to delete your comments on this thread because they are not apropos to this conversation (hence, meet my definition of spam - ironically enough, considering the contents of this post). I don’t mind you bringing such subjects up in threads related to primitivism, but they don’t work outside that context. They prevent us from being able to adequately address other unrelated topics. When I encouraged you to participate in other conversations, it was with the hope that you would add things to *these* conversations, not simply continue over other ones outside of their original context.
Please read my commenting guidelines for more info.
http://www.timboucher.com/journal/posting-guidelines/
October 6th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
People always do what they want to do. Think about that. Don`t they, ? I didn`t say they are happy about it, or can understand it themselves sometimes. Just the reality that they are free agents, they have a will, it is always their choice.
Free will, you could say, means, every one is always free. It doesn`t matter what kind of knots they are tied up in by themselves. It is always their choice.
When Jesus said , leave your stuff behind and follow me , do you think he was kidding.? It is always a choice.
People are afraid of freedom , so they prefer to live behind the bars they build around themselves.
October 6th, 2006 at 11:32 pm
I think spam’s definition should definitely have the word “automated” in there, and perhaps something about mass distribution…
October 6th, 2006 at 11:35 pm
And by your definition, some good daily real-life spam filters are:
“look unapproachable”: look scary or threatening in some way, wear sunglasses, do something weird, look busy, pretend you’re on the phone, and pretend you’re sleeping.
but see, then who becomes the annoying one?
October 8th, 2006 at 12:49 am
wow mostly i scare people unless they need me to fix their computer
verbal spam is not an issue in my life