[conspire] Also handy for weeding out ... Re: Seen on NextDoor

[Michael Paoli]

Also handy for weeding out ...

E.g. job applicants that can't be bothered to follow
clearly written explicit instructions.
You really didn't want a jr. sysadmin who was just gonna
randomly wing it when documentation quite said otherwise, right?

So ... double-edged sword?  ;-)

> From: "Rick Moen" <rick at linuxmafia.com>
> Subject: [conspire] Seen on NextDoor
> Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2021 13:39:04 -0700

> 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