On the Detrimental impact of Chain Letters on Social Networks
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On the Detrimental impact of Chain Letters on Social Networks

Byrichard

In the 90s, people found it fun to share chain letters. At the time, this was something new to many of us, so we found them fun. We received and then passed them on, but over the volume of chain letters become a torrent of spam. The letter is fun the first time you see it. If twenty people forwarded it to 20 more, then we’re speaking about four hundred e-mails. We’re speaking about thousands of letters that have no productive effect on society.


After a while people grew bored with chain letters, so they blocked them, or they told off the people sending those messages. In 2007 or so, when Facebook was still young and moral people started to share chain letters through this network, and at first they’re fun, and we fill them in, and we share that info with friends, and we look forward to them doing the same.


There are two issues with chain letters. The first of these is privacy. By filling in and sharing chain letters, we are providing a lot of personal information that we may not want others to know about us. Polls and other tools were used to gather information to influence elections in a variety of countries.


The second reason for which chain letters are unpleasant is that they produce noise. Social networks easily become very noisy, and it takes constant care and attention to ensure that they do not become too noisy. If you tolerate chain letters once, be assured that you will get twenty more within a few weeks. If you put a stop to them immediately, then you avoid noise.


My reason for using social media is to establish direct connections with individuals, not to fill in silly chain letters. I want to have an exchange of questions of answers. Without questions and answers, I could be reading a book, or a blog. If I devote time to being “as live” I want to interact as if we were conversing.


“If it’s not hurting anyone, then don’t comment on someone else’s conversation.” In the grand scheme of things I used a retweet, which means that I was speaking to my own community, not that person’s. Second, chain letters do harm someone. Me. Social media is not my toilet break from family life. Twitter is my family life, especially during a pandemic.


My message is simple. Don’t spam twitter or other social networks with chain letters. It may look harmless, but it isn’t.

The Noise of Towns

Byrichard

When you live in town you have a lot of noise. You have the noise of cars, of construction, of buses, trucks and road sweeps. You also have the occasional people shouting, beeping and more. Logically this should make sleeping in town harder. It’s so constant that it’s like the sound of the sea or of a river. It becomes invisible because there are no really quiet moments. These noises are okay in town.


Another noise is the sound of people in hallways. You hear keys in doors, doors opening and closing, shopping bags and more.


In the countryside, any form of noise, whether leaf blowers, construction, road sweeping, moving of bins or other noises are disruptive because the base level of noise is so much lower. Although the countryside and town construction levels may be at the same level the difference is noticeable.


That’s why silence is so much more appreciated in the countryside and why people who rent in villages and small settlements should be attentive.


Can you hear cars? No, then avoid driving too much or revving the engine. Turn it off if you’re waiting.


Can you hear music? No, then use headphones or keep it low and close the windows.


Can you hear goats, chickens, cows, cowbells or church bells? Yes, then enjoy it. The sound is centuries old.


I started this feeling inspired, but I ran out of inspiration.

A Stream of Conscience on Noise and Flat Hunting.

Byrichard

As the title indicates I’ve upgraded to the new version of WordPress and I’m trying it now. I’ll have to see what the great features are in this version. I know that they were having some last-minute problems with tags but we’ll see whether they resolved those.

Aside from changing browser today I also started looking for an apartment as I am so tired of the noise made by drink fueled students. I’m not against drinking but I am against the noise they make every single day that they are at home. Why not have a bottle of wine between friends and chat for hours.

Why does everyone have to lose grip on reality? Is life that terrible for them?

Back to the upbeat stuff.

Flat hunting as a solitary person is great for a number of reasons, firstly complete freedom. You have the freedom to live anywhere that interests you, without taking other people into consideration. Of course, I do look at everything according to tube lines and distance. The closer to the center I can be better. Another consideration, of course, is to find people whose company I enjoy living with.

A good home is a perfect place from which to cope with the struggle that job hunting will be in the next few weeks and months, as they flow by.

There are three flats that I am already scheduled to visit and I may look for a few more during the day tomorrow. The more I visit the more informed the decision.

The first phone call is always the hardest. I was struggling so much in fact that I forgot about one flat and started sending out two or three e-mails in the hope that through the writing of applications I would clarify within my mind what it is I wanted to communicate.

That served me well. Within three phone calls, I had already summoned far more courage and I’ll keep looking whilst I have the time.

I need to draw up a list of the things that are important to me for when I get to the flat, to make sure not to forget something that would influence my enjoyment of this new phase in my life.

I’ve got till the second but if I’ve got an agreement by the second of June I’ll be much happier.

–I wrote this post whilst listening to Chopin. Second time in as many days that I listen to this. A change in personality or expectations? Time will decide.