4 ms·

Intellectually, I recognize that the people making telemarketing calls by and large are in a precarious financial position, with all of the risks to health and

Intellectually, I recognize that the people making telemarketing calls by and large are in a precarious financial position, with all of the risks to health and happiness that come with that. I think we need to treat them better (even if that's just tersely hanging up, rather than stringing them on). But viscerally, I can understand why we do this; my impulse, when on the receiving end of an unsolicited inbound call, would be to do the same.

vijayr 11y ago
Sometimes it is really hard to feel bad for them. I got a call from this woman selling some vacation package. I asked her to tell me more, and after about a minute or so, I told her I am not interested. She went mad, accusing me of wasting her precious time and that time is money for her etc etc. How am I supposed to make a decision without even knowing what she is selling? I wasn't even trying to mess with her, was genuinely interested in what she was selling. And this was an unsolicited call too. This definitely works - https://www.donotcall.gov/ https://www.donotcall.gov/ not always though
- billyhoffman 11y ago
  > This definitely works - https://www.donotcall.gov/ https://www.donotcall.gov/ not always though ... so... it doesn't work? "They've done studies you know. 60% of the time, it works every time" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjvQFtlNQ-M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjvQFtlNQ-M
  - Coincoin 11y ago
    Well, at least here in Canada, it works for those who follow the laws. It definetly lowered the amount of calls I get everyday day. The one that go through are either legitimate businesse I have relations with or scammers. The latter case you can just confidently hang up.
  - vijayr 11y ago
    What I meant to say was - when I added my number at donotcall, the calls dropped by like 80%. I still get these calls sometimes, but it is much better now. So yeah, it works, but not 100%, but I am very glad something like donotcall.gov exists
Lawtonfogle 11y ago
>Intellectually, I recognize that the people making telemarketing calls by and large are in a precarious financial position, with all of the risks to health and happiness that come with that. I think we need to treat them better (even if that's just tersely hanging up, rather than stringing them on). Those who steal are often not in the best of financial straights. Yet we still punish them. Those who commit even worse crimes are often meeting some unmet need or desire, one which may only exist because they are mentally ill, and yet this means we see them as a danger to society. We may pity them, but we will still punish them. So, shouldn't the same logic apply even when the wrong being committed is much milder? The punishment will be milder (get yelled at, have time wasted) since the wrong is milder, but they still deserve the social repercussion of their actions.
- morninj 11y ago
  Telemarketing is annoying but generally not illegal.
  - Lawtonfogle 11y ago
    Laws are not the only rules, they just have the strongest punishments if broken. Their are social mores and folkways which have weaker punishments if broken; punishments which are dealt out by many other members of society other than the legal system. To put it another way, being extreme mean, rude, and condescending to and wasting the time of telemarketers isn't illegal either. Yet some are trying to say doing such is wrong, to which I say that the telemarketers have already committed a greater wrong of the same nature.
  - actsasbuffoon 11y ago
    Many telemarketers are engaged in outright scams. I've listened to many of the recordings referenced by the article, and they're overwhelmingly the same kind of scam. The basic idea is that they call you up and offer you something for free or at a steep discount. They explain that they need a small holding fee which will be returned to you, then they run off with your money and you never hear from them again. Free solar panels, vacation cruises, driveway sealing, and discount home repairs/weatherization seem to be the common flavors.

vijayr 11y ago

Sometimes it is really hard to feel bad for them. I got a call from this woman selling some vacation package. I asked her to tell me more, and after about a minute or so, I told her I am not interested. She went mad, accusing me of wasting her precious time and that time is money for her etc etc. How am I supposed to make a decision without even knowing what she is selling? I wasn't even trying to mess with her, was genuinely interested in what she was selling. And this was an unsolicited call too. This definitely works - https://www.donotcall.gov/ https://www.donotcall.gov/ not always though

billyhoffman 11y ago
> This definitely works - https://www.donotcall.gov/ https://www.donotcall.gov/ not always though ... so... it doesn't work? "They've done studies you know. 60% of the time, it works every time" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjvQFtlNQ-M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjvQFtlNQ-M
- Coincoin 11y ago
  Well, at least here in Canada, it works for those who follow the laws. It definetly lowered the amount of calls I get everyday day. The one that go through are either legitimate businesse I have relations with or scammers. The latter case you can just confidently hang up.
- vijayr 11y ago
  What I meant to say was - when I added my number at donotcall, the calls dropped by like 80%. I still get these calls sometimes, but it is much better now. So yeah, it works, but not 100%, but I am very glad something like donotcall.gov exists

Lawtonfogle 11y ago

>Intellectually, I recognize that the people making telemarketing calls by and large are in a precarious financial position, with all of the risks to health and happiness that come with that. I think we need to treat them better (even if that's just tersely hanging up, rather than stringing them on). Those who steal are often not in the best of financial straights. Yet we still punish them. Those who commit even worse crimes are often meeting some unmet need or desire, one which may only exist because they are mentally ill, and yet this means we see them as a danger to society. We may pity them, but we will still punish them. So, shouldn't the same logic apply even when the wrong being committed is much milder? The punishment will be milder (get yelled at, have time wasted) since the wrong is milder, but they still deserve the social repercussion of their actions.

morninj 11y ago
Telemarketing is annoying but generally not illegal.
- Lawtonfogle 11y ago
  Laws are not the only rules, they just have the strongest punishments if broken. Their are social mores and folkways which have weaker punishments if broken; punishments which are dealt out by many other members of society other than the legal system. To put it another way, being extreme mean, rude, and condescending to and wasting the time of telemarketers isn't illegal either. Yet some are trying to say doing such is wrong, to which I say that the telemarketers have already committed a greater wrong of the same nature.
- actsasbuffoon 11y ago
  Many telemarketers are engaged in outright scams. I've listened to many of the recordings referenced by the article, and they're overwhelmingly the same kind of scam. The basic idea is that they call you up and offer you something for free or at a steep discount. They explain that they need a small holding fee which will be returned to you, then they run off with your money and you never hear from them again. Free solar panels, vacation cruises, driveway sealing, and discount home repairs/weatherization seem to be the common flavors.