Elementary, My Dear

[littlegirltoast]

This evening I was doing a study (SURVEY we are not allowed to say survey but we think we can trick people if we say "study" because doesn't it sound official) for Ontario Lottery & Gaming Corporation. You're not allowed to say what it's about up front, which means even fewer people want to do it than usual, because you reasonably sound like a

Comments

[hyperallergina]

I used to distract myself from the rage hurled at me and the resulting self hatred by drawing sketches of what I thought they looked like based on their voice.

[c_drive]

hahaha this idea cracks me up!

[c_drive]

One of my favourite experiences with a telemarketer:

Him: Hi, we're doing a survey and were wondering if there were any females 18-30 available in the household?

Me: No, sorry.

Him: None available, or none in the household?

Me: None in the household... but if you happen to get a hold of any, feel free to send them this way.

Him: [laughs] Thank you, sir.

Me: No problem!

[pedersencato]

I work at an inbound call centre, so it's a bit different, but the abuse is still rampant.

I won't get into details, but the best/worst I've ever gotten was that by actively not helping a woman fix her computer for free, I was murdering puppies.

That was just an excellent start to my second week on the job.

[kira_lynn]

THE GREATEST THING ABOUT THIS POST IS THAT YOU QUIT

[anonymous]

You were invasive. He was minding his own business, and you interrupted him. He took it out on you because you did it. Yes it was your job, but you took someone's money voluntarily to interrupt people. You were the asshole in the conversation. The only way to stop being an asshole is to admit... "Yes, I was an asshole." Say it out loud to yourself now. Nobody ever believes they're ever doing something wrong when they're doing it... otherwise they wouldn't do it. Every right wing politician that got under your skin... every car that cut you off in traffic... every piece of junk mail that ended up on your porch... all happened because they needed the money, needed to get there on time, or whatever. Say it again, "I was an asshole." Good, now be quicker to admit it in the future when imperfect you imposes unasked on someone else's life... just like I'm doing right now on your post... I too can be an asshole, just like everybody else.

[littlegirltoast]

Well, one distinct difference in this case is that you're most likely volunteering your time to the cause. Unless you have landed the sweet, sweet gig of being a paid twerp on the Internet, your hobbyist status affords you less understanding than someone else might get.

Also, the anonymous post. It can be argued that occasionally there's something that MUST be said, but that a person can't comfortably say in public, as themselves, but that sort of thing never comes wrapped in this kind of smug antagonism.

So you can go and stick your head in a bucket, thanks very much.