I really hate corporations. Which is ironic, since I'm in business management school, and sit around learning how to be one of those non factor suits you see driving their taurus to work each morning, eating their McDonalds breakfast.
See, today I finally stuck it to the man. Slightly. Well, not really; it just made me feel better. Today I got several more pieces of trash in the mail today. Which, goes without saying. Remember later on after you finish reading this schpiel when I say, "it's the thought that counts." So this morning I checked my mail, and what do you know. There's two nicely packaged envelopes from Equus magazine, and Practical Horseman magazine.
...Wait, what???
No I do not ride horses. Ever. Never once. Anyways, heres the story. About 8 months ago, I noticed a package on my doorstep. I brought it inside, and looked at the yellow manilla envelope, with the address from Practical Horseman Magazine. The receiver was some some chick who used to live in this apartment before me (so had the same address). Well, I feel the package for a moment, and immediately realize it is a saddle. Just feels exactly like a saddle. If you don't know what a saddle feels like, it feels like you think it would - like a saddle.
So, me being the NICE GUY that I am, I call up Practical Horse magazine, and ask them to send me a return envelope, because that original receiver does not live at this address anymore. They sound happy to oblige, and a couple weeks later, the return envelope arrives (I'm not paying that postage, it ain't my mail).
Flash forward to now. Eight months later I'm on four different horse magazine mailing lists, and get random spam snail mail from them. Now get this - I've called each magazine individually about FIVE times now. Literally called these random personal information scamming/selling/trading bastards multiple times to request being removed from their mailing lists which I should not be on to begin with. So, today, I finally snapped. I got so pissed that I called each company in a row, followed by the owner of all the magazines, and gave them a piece of my mind. I feel bad for customer service representatives (sorry, Kyle).
"Hello, how may I help you?"
"YEAH, YOU CAN HELP ME BY TAKING ME OFF THE GOD DAMN MAILING LIST. AND THIS TIME, ACTUALLY DO IT. YOU GUYS ARE PIECES OF GARBAGE AND I WOULD SPIT IN YOUR FACE IF I SAW ANY OF YOU SLUGS WALKING DOWN THE STREET. THATS HOW MUCH YOUR DISRESPECT FOR MY THOUGHTFULNESS DISGUSTS ME. GO F YOURSELF. Oh, by the way, my last name is spelled H-A-R-T..."
It felt really nice. By the time I called the corporate public relations number of the company that runs all these magazines, they seemed happy to take me off their lists for real. I don't have a problem with spam mail, real life or on the internet. But, I do have a problem with spam mail, that is sent to you only because you bothered to help out someone.
Never help a company. Only help people. Shoes and suits only want your money... and will step on your toes while they pilfer your pockets. Keep fighting the good fight...