Telemarketing Trick

[Jazzman]

I just see telemarketing as a rude enterprise in and of itself, and usually react to it as such. I do, of course, treat the caller with kindness and courtesy if I had signed up for or requested the call, as Morrigoon's clients do. But “cold calls” are different. I see my telephone as my own private means of communication. I bought the phone, pay for the service, pay a lot of fees and taxes for the service, etc. Therefore, I honestly believe that I have a right to have my phone kept private, for my own use and the use of those whom I give my number to. When an unsolicited caller uses it to try and bring their business into my home, I consider it a violation of my privacy, albeit a relatively minor one, and treat it as such. I do have sympathy for the people working the job and trying to pay their own bills, but I'm not going to justify their company's actions because of it. I usually, aside from the one ornery instance I cited, just say, "No thank you," and hang up. But I honestly do not feel any need to be overly tolerant of it.