There have been a lot of headlines appearing in the newsfeed on my phone and on Facebook about cancel culture. While I don’t think these headlines are about what I think they’re about, I have to say I’m all for developing a culture in which some things are canceled. Let’s start with the following three irritants.
First, let’s cancel all the junk mail I get every day. This will not only improve my mood greatly, but also save about ten million trees. I don’t need flyers for every furniture store sale, jewelry sale, or bouncy house event. If I want or need those things, I want to be able to sign up to get them, but otherwise, I do not want to sort through five to ten pieces of stiff paper every day in the mail to find the one invoice or important letter that’s mixed in there.
The same is true for those magazines of “coupons” and discounts for everything from gutter toppers (that cost a lot and don’t prevent blockages at all) to new flooring. Again, if I want or need those magazines, let me sign up for them. Don’t just put them in my mail. This is especially true for the ones that are loose-leaf, so that on cold, windy days, they won’t blow all over my yard forcing me to chase them around like a chicken with my head cut off.
Cancel that.
Here’s another idea. Cancel the phone calls we get every day (EVERY DAY) from banks who apparently are monitoring my credit cards, warranty companies who apparently monitor my car warranty, and apologies from my power company. If I want your services, I can find you. I am especially weary of “Kevin” and “Donna” who call me to tell me they are my “health care advocate.” No, they aren’t. They also are not from “social security” or “Medicare.” And absolutely cancel that recorded voice that tells me I’ve been recommended by “one of my health care providers” for a medical alert bracelet. Give me the name of that provider, please. We need to chat.
Meanwhile, also require that if I request to be placed on a do-not-call list, that I’m actually placed on that list. I shouldn’t have to repeat that request every time they call from a different number. Yeah, they do that. In fact, every call that’s recorded (that isn’t an appointment reminder) should be cancelled.
And speaking of those appointment reminders – I really do not need a text reminder, email reminder, US Mail reminder, and recorded voice reminder. I’ve never missed a doctor, dental, vision, or any other medical appointment in my entire life. NEVER! So why the four reminders? I even get four reminders for a haircut appointment! (well, I used to – haven’t had my hair cut in 8 months, so there’s that). But again, if I’m forgetful and we all know it, then sure remind me a dozen times. Otherwise?
Cancel that.
Finally, I’ve started to notice emails popping up that I didn’t ask for and do not need. They have subject lines like “you’ve won” and “we have an insurance quote for you.” These aren’t going to spam because they aren’t spam. These are real companies. Some allow me to “unsubscribe” (which is amusing only in that I never subscribed in the first place). But some allow you to click on “unsubscribe” and then tell you the message is “undeliverable.”
I started getting these types of emails when I purchased something on line from a new company. Clearly, this company shares my email with “affiliates,” so that’s the first and last time I’ll buy from them. Sharing email without permission? Getting junk email to sort through every day? You guessed it –
Cancel that.
love this one – question is – how much TIME do we lose doing these attention grabbers – could be dong better things with those HOURS each week – more time for calling family and friends to check in on them and bless them in the process!