[conspire] Seen on NextDoor

[Rick Moen]

Someone in Menlo Park posted:

  Texting and messaging VS a phone call.  I need to vent this and maybe
  someone can explain.  I have been selling a lot of things in here at
  incredibly low prices.  I've also been giving stuff away for free.  Right
  off the bat I'll get a reply, and I tell them to call me about what I'm
  selling or giving away.  9 times out of 10, they'll send me another text.
  I ask again to call me.  Sometimes, this goes on and on, until I just stop
  responding. 

  Why are so many people afraid of picking up the phone and
  calling?  It's bad enough when I'm trying to sell something, but I lose
  patience when I'm just giving things away.  I don't live in a situation
  where I can just leave things out, and I don't have set hours of when I'm
  home.  Please, if you see an ad of mine and I give you my phone
  number......call me!  We can cover a lot more ground in a phone
  conversation.  Thank you.


I just now replied:

  A very large percentage of people blanket-disregard instructions, on
  an apparent theory that their convenience and habits outweigh other
  people's requirements.

  On Saturday, May 8th, the day all members of my household had fully
  ramped-up vaccine immunity, I hosted an outdoor BBQ party at my house --
  resuming after a year's gap a gathering I hold every 2nd Saturday.  In
  the e-mail announcement, I said attendees were required to
  voice-telephone me, to say they would be coming.

  About 20 people showed up.  Two had told me via SMS text message they
  wished to come.  Two had sent that via return e-mail.  About 16 just
  wandered in without prior communication.  Zero had followed those
  ultra-simple instructions.

  "To summarize the summary of the summary:  People are a problem."  
  -- Douglas Adams