It’s not that I’m whining. I was just thinking about it and decided to create a post about it. I just hate being incommunicated with people from back home, not because communication is impossible, but because it doesn’t cross people’s minds to do so.
Of course I’m generalizing here, but to a great extent, and if I were to show you my ‘Personal’ and my ‘Deleted Items’ folders you’d believe me.
This is the not-so-broad scope of utility people from Ciudad Victoria find for internet communications:
eMail
To most people, it is the most delightful, the most compelling and the most rewarding (and, sadly, their only use for eMail) experience in the world upon finding themselves with a Hotmail account, to be forwarding utter shit. From their innermost belief that Bill Gates is indeed giving out millions of dollars to whoever forwards a fucking eMail, to stupid optimistic/religious/philosophical ponderings and life lessons created (rather shittily, I might add) with Microsoft PowerPoint, to the insanely absurd “chain letter” style shit that begs of me to send it to everyone on my contact list, lest a pox fall on me.
No, they hardly ever bother to drop a line, you know, to actually communicate with me. Like a fucking “hey, what’s up!”.
Of course, I stopped doing the same a long while ago. Why bother? When I did it, people were too busy planning their retirement with the millions they’d get from Microsoft.
MSN
I already ranted a lot about MSN a few weeks back. I deleted a whole bunch of shitbags that were only taking up space, and to be honest, I feel like deleting even more.
If people lack the basic etiquette of responding to a simple “hello”, or pretend they’re busy every waking moment (oh yeah? are you on the brink of ending world hunger, you glorified clerk?), or if the simple fact that they have tits makes them be “choosy” about who to talk with, fuck’em.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that at times people are too busy. But, all the fucking time? Like, on a fucking sunday night? Then why bother to log on?
Phone
Yes, we all grew up afraid of the telephone. No, dummy, we didn’t cower in fear at the sight of one, what I mean is that since children, it was ingrained in our minds that long distance calls were expensive.
But times, they do change. For example, I used to buy long distance cards to call Mexico. One of the better deals was a little card called “Good Call” (and I mean a better deal, rate-wise. The service was shittier than, well, shit). Then I bought my new cell, and signed up for a LD savings plan. For 7 bucks a month, I can call Mexico for I think 5 cents a minute.
And the same thing happens from Mexico to Canada. Both of the leading cell phone companies in Mexico (Telcel and Movistar) have nifty little LD calling plans. For example, Telcel offers you the possibility of making a 20-minute call to anywhere in the US or Canada, for the equivalent of two dollars. Movistar has the same thingie, but 30 minutes, and 13 pesos. Shittier signal, but still.
On occasion, I’ve felt like calling up my buddies, but judging by how eternally occupied they make themselves out to be, I’d hate to interrupt their World Peace Summit.
A few exceptions
I guess all it takes to become communications-literate is to leave the aforementioned Ciudad Victoria.
My ex-wife suddenly became an expert in what eMails are supposed to be for: Personal communication. Sadly, all of her eMails are a carbon copy of eachother, and on a monthly basis: “Send me money”.
The two friends I talk to the most (via MSN) are not in that city anymore. Of course, one of them is of the variety that prefers to ‘impress’ me by saying he’ll be back later, he has an important call. On sunday night, at 2 AM. Oh, sorry to bother you, dipshit, who is it, TOKYO?
On a side note, what’s with people’s obsession with fucking cell phones? Despite being too cheap/”busy” to actually use them, every time I go back home I see everyone carrying around at least 3 different phones. I guess they think it gives them “status”. I agree. It gives them the “status” of “idiots”. Especially those clowns with three cellphones and a Nextel walkie-talkie thingie.
I can understand some exceptions. But generally speaking, fuck, I thought I felt stupid by having a home phone and a cell.
In closing, I repeat I’m not whining if people believe they have “moved on” and have no use for an ex-acquaintance who now lives far, far away. But hey, just do the decent thing and delete me from your account. It saves me from creating comical thoughts about just how busy you are.
The Iceberg.
