Do Not Call List

[dazzleman]

I support the Do Not Call list because I got sick of all the phone calls from people selling things.

Nini, what are your economic reasons for not supporting it?  Do you work in telemarketing?

[dazzleman]

Nini, what are your economic reasons for not supporting it?  Do you work in telemarketing?

No, but telemarketing does create job opprotunities and it (occasionally) works and actually sells prodcuts.

Maybe I also oppose it because I've been relatively lucky and often don't get telemarketing calls even thoug I'm not on the list.

You probably don't get calls because you haven't spent a lot of money, or gotten onto a list indicating that you have money to spend.  If you were getting 15 calls a day from these people, as I was, you would support it, believe me.

[dazzleman]

The Do Not Call list is actually a good thing for telemarketers.  Anyone who would put themselves on the Do Not Call list is likely to be like me, who hangs up the moment he gets an inkling that the caller is a telemarketer.  The people left over for the telemarketers are those who might actually be interested in buying something from telemarketers.  Hence, those who wish not to be bothered can stop being bothered and telemarketers can stop wasting their time with these people.

I strongly support the Do Not Call list.

I agree.  I have caller ID and either don't answer telemarketers, or hang up the minute I realize I am talking to one.

[dazzleman]

The telephone in general is a horrible thing. It rings and you're supposed to drop whatever you're doing to talk to someone. Very invasive technology.

I once saw a great line about the telephone on, of all things, the TV show "The Waltons."

It was in the later episodes, when the family finally got some money and got a phone.  They were eating dinner and the phone rang, and one of the girls ran to get it.  The father made her sit down, and when she protested, he answered, "Do you own the telephone, or does it own you?"

For too many people today, the answer is the latter.  And it applies not only to telephones, but many of our possessions.  It is the fatal achilles heel of materialism.  And if you're working to pay off debt incurred in order to gain these possessions, they do own you to some extent.

[dazzleman]

This is not a matter of free speech.  No one has an inalienable right to be able to reach me on my telephone.  So I absolutely support it.

Absolutely right.  Free speech does not mean being able to badger people at all hours of the day or night.

[dazzleman]

I disagree.  The ability for me to enter someone's home at 1am with megaphone and sing Norweigan folk songs in their face is my 1st Amendment right!

Try doing it here and see what happens to you, buddy.