Come New Year time, my Mail Inbox is flooded with E-Greetings, either in the form of E-Cards or in the form of Mail Greetings.
I have reservations regarding both. The E-Cards are sent through E-Card sites, that offer them free. What the sender doesn't understand that nothing comes free in life. The E-Card sites makes a living out of selling our E-Mail ID's, both the Sender's and the Receiver's to Marketing Companies. This results in these companies sending unsolicited promotional offers to us, which adds to SPAM. Thus, by sending E-Greetings, the sender is condemning himself and the intended receiver with an year of SPAM.
My main grouse with the New Year Greetings send as a mail, is that the sender does not take the trouble of sending a Personal Mail, but rather drafts a one liner like "Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year" AND THEN SENDS IT TO ALL IN HIS ADDRESS BOOK as a single mail. Thus my e-mail ID, which is personal and given to the sender in confidence is revealed to all in his address book, which is incorrect. It also adds to SPAM, as many in this address list sends a one liner reply greeting to the sender, using the reply all option, which means my ID automatically gets registered in his address book. Come another occassion, this guy starts sending bulk e-mails. Leave this aspect. The idea of sending a greeting, is to indicate to the receiver that he is remembered on a joyous occassion, and the sender wishes him from the heart. But I cant understand how wishing 100 people from the address list, without even knowing who is in the address list, gives an impression that the sender remembers me!!!. I have nearly 700 plus people on my gmail contacts!!.
The greetings have to be personal, and marked only to the intended recipient. Can't we spare one hour in an year to remember our friends and to send personal greetings?
Anything other than this is in poor taste.
