I’m the first to admit it is just a job. I certainly do not feel some sort of ‘higher’ calling…**
Sorry, but your first post in this thread **does** come off (to me, at least) as defending the practice as, if not noble, at least a valued and necessary thing. I don’t see it that way. You mention that there’s no need to be rude to a cold-caller, and yet I state that the act in and of itself is highly rude and intrusive. If I somehow got your home phone number and started calling you 8-10 times a month, offering my services as a computer consultant, gardener, interior decorater, etc. etc. would you consider me rude? After the third or fourth month in a row of this?
(And yeah, you’re in the South Pacific, and I’m in North America, so the odds of either of us doing this to the other are remote in the extreme, but do ya get what I’m saying?)
You said:
> [@](#):
>
> **I just find rudeness, from anyone and under any circumstances absolutely uncouth, especially when a ‘No Thanks’ would suffice.**
And I say, calling someone out of the blue, when they’ve never asked you to do so, for something they neither want nor need, is extremely rude. I just see a double-standard at work here.
Perhaps if you stopped calling people (being rude and invasive) you don’t know, in their own homes, they’d stop being rude back to you?
---
### Author:  [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/47 "2002-09-15T06:12:18Z")
**Ice Wolf** , my bile was directed at **kambuckta** primarily for her attitude in her first post in this thread. But you’re right about what’s more effective when it comes to bitching about telemarketing in general.
**kambuckta** , I’m sorry for coming off so harshly. I’m sure you’re a nice woman barring this thread, just as I think I’m a nice guy barring this thread.
---
### Author:  [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/48 "2002-09-15T06:12:48Z")
**Doc** , I guess our ‘telemarketing’ industry is still in it’s relative infancy compared to yours in the US. I have only ever worked on charity-based campaigning, and commercial marketing is less common here, at this stage anyway. I’m sure it won’t be too far away though.
And **Mayflower** , while I cannot vouch for every single telemarketer, I personally (and certainly those I work/have worked with) IMMEDIATELY say, “Sorry to bother you then” or “Thanks for your time”, or whatever as soon as the person has indicated they are not interested. I’m not ‘selling’ anything, I am requesting the help of the person I am speaking to, so to try to force the issue is not only going to be a complete waste of time, it reflects badly upon the organisation I happen to be representing.
You guys must have a different system over there. But I still maintain there is no justification for blatant rudeness.
---
### Author:  [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/49 "2002-09-15T06:18:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by **Mayflower** _:
> **And the day I say, “No thank you” to a telemarketer and they reply, “Thanks anyway, goodbye” is the day Big Bird will be elected president. IT’S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!!! I’ve tried, believe you me. Short of being rude, I have found no effective way of getting off the phone quickly. And as a very non-confrontational person, I find it difficult to be out-and-out rude to someone, which makes it hard to get a telemarketer to take NO for an answer.**
Sadly, this **is** the way most phone solicitations go. Without trying to compare one evil to another, I always feel compelled to borrow the phrase, “No means no!”
As one o’ the folks who quickly highjacked this thread, let me comment on this, also by **Mayflower** :
> [@](#):
>
> **And finally, it wasn’t YOU who had to stay up for two more hours trying to get a baby back to sleep, trying not to cry (and not very successfully) because you were so damnably exhausted that you could hardly bear it. I believe that was ME, and if I want to blow off a little steam over it, well, that’s what this forum is for!!**
My dear, all I can say is I’m sorry. Deep down, from the bottom of my heart, I apologize on behalf of the human race in its entirety.
No, I’m not a telemarketer, nor have I ever been one. However, you’re never likely gonna get an apology from one. As someone who’s been there (damn, those nights never seem like they’re gonna end, do they?) I feel you are owed an apology by _someone_, so I’ll do it. Rant, rave, enforce the law of Godwin if you feel the need, just do it with the keyboard, and not your voice. 😉
As you’ve got older children, I won’t tell you something you already know, ie: that it **does** get better, and eventually the kid’ll go back to sleep on their own.
But I’ll remind you of it, as it’s easy to forget when you’re sleep deprived, pissed off, and a hormonal/emotional trainwreck in the making. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/50 "2002-09-15T06:26:55Z")
OK, I think you may have missed something in my OP, **kambuckta**. I never even picked up the phone, so how was I rude to the caller? And as I stated in a later post, being rude is difficult for me to do, so I’ve been hung up with telemarketers plenty trying to say a polite NO. Yes, I did say I wish I’d told them to kiss my ass. Truth is, I wish I could do that–but it ain’t likely ever to happen. Doesn’t mean that I didn’t want to do it though, so I vented here, because I couldn’t do so on the phone.
BTW, when I have managed to make someone understand fairly quickly that I am NOT interested, I tend to get this tone from them that says I must be a real fucking idiot if I don’t want to take advantage of their incredible offer. So don’t tell ME about gratuitous rudeness. I’ve seen plenty of it and I was on the receiving end. So be glad that I can get it off my chest here and that you’ll not likely hear it from me personally if you were ever to call my home!
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### Author:  [@Chanteuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chanteuse)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/51 "2002-09-15T06:32:26Z")
And **Skeezix** , thanks! Yes, I know it’ll get better with time–just seems like bedtime has been a rodeo lately, and for ONCE it seemed like everything was going smoothly…until the phone rang!
An encouraging word is always appreciated!
---
### Author:  [@Doc\_Nickel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doc_Nickel)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/52 "2002-09-15T09:59:30Z")
> [@](#):
>
> You guys must have a different system over there. But I still maintain there is no justification for blatant rudeness.
And what _possible_ justification can there be to call me up at eight pm and offer to refinance my mortgage or pump my septic tank, when I have neither mortgage nor tank?
Such calls are a _complete_ waste of my time, and being wholly unsolicited, unwanted and unneeded, are _extremely_ rude. Thank you for acknowledging that.
---
### Author:  [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/53 "2002-09-15T14:42:31Z")
Am I the only one upset by the unfair maligning of prostitutes and others in the sex-for-hire industry? Below telemarketers, indeed!
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### Author:  [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/54 "2002-09-15T14:50:11Z")
You know, I’ll never understand the don’t answer the phone/get an unlisted number/get caller ID arguments.
I want to be able to answer my own phone. The vast majority of the time, it is a friend, family member, or someone that I legitimately do business with. If it is late, I want to be available to them because I can assume that if they’re calling me late because the call is urgent.
I want to have a listed number. If someone that I know wants to or needs to get in touch with me but doesn’t have their address book on them, I want them to be able to find me by calling information. I also want to be available to people who know me but don’t have my number if they should have a reason to want to talk to me. I’m not avoiding anyone.
I don’t want caller ID. I don’t have any reason to use it, other than avoiding telemarketers. And I doubt I’d check it before I answer every call anyway. Plus, as in the doctor example above, there are some “anonymous” people that I might want to hear from.
What I do want is no more calls from telemarketers.
Telling each and every one to “put me on your do not call list” seems to have been somewhat effective. We get fewer calls than before.
If it is a charity calling, I tell them that I do not respond to telephone solicitations, to put me on their do-not-call list, and that if they mail me information, I’d be glad to look at it. I’ve never received any mail from any of these charities, so I don’t think that I’m contributing to the junk-mail problem. 🙂
I fail to understand how anyone can think that telemarketing is acceptable.
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### Author:  [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/55 "2002-09-15T20:40:20Z")
“I fail to understand how anyone can think that telemarketing is acceptable.”
So do I. But, I guess there’ll be people who claim that it works.
Well, does it? I don’t think so.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/56 "2002-09-15T21:38:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Am I the only one upset by the unfair maligning of prostitutes and others in the sex-for-hire industry? Below telemarketers, indeed!
You’re not alone, **Sublight**. At least hookers provide a useful service.
I’m also surprised at how often telemarketers provide these two arguements side by side: Hey, I’m really poor and I need the job, and besides, if it bothers you so much, why don’t you just spend the extra money to get Called ID and/or an unlisted phone number?
Gee, maybe because _I’m poor too?_ **Kambuckta** , please: go on the dole. Welfare is infinitely more respectable than telemarketing.
---
### Author:  [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/57 "2002-09-15T22:01:48Z")
A wise man once told me to hate the sin, not the sinner.
This applies to all evil acts, including telemarketing.
Telemarketing requires no qualifications or skill. It has no career path. It invariably irritates decent people, since it is a major intrusion.
Of course it is far worse than prostitution (which at least gives pleasure to the customer).
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> We’re not Fargin’ Bastidges.
No, but your profession stinks.
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> We are workers just like yourselves…
You’re not like me. My job is of benefit to society.
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> …bringing up kids, juggling work with studies, caring for our elderly parents, paying off mortgages, keeping the wolves from the door. We are doing this to avoid going on unemployment benefits, or in the case of one I know, (an 84 yr old lady who works 55 hours per week) to keep her NEPHEW from having to go on the dole!!! We do this for all sorts of reasons, mostly because the hours are flexible and we can combine the rest of our frenetic lives with working for a living.
All these arguments for telemarketing can also be applied to e.g. drug dealing to school kids.
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> We’re mostly nice, and we DO care if we have inconvenienced you terribly. It’s OK to tell us to not call again. We’ll certainly try not to…because it wastes our time more than yours. Just quit being so damned obnoxious OK?
No, you are foolish or desperate because you took this appalling job.
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> You just have no need to be rude to us.
I’m sorry to be rude to you, but how else can I get you to give up this madness?
We need Telemarketers Anonymous…
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> Telemarketers are for the most part, hard working and decent people.
It’s hard to tell that when they disturb your privacy again and again…
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> But at the same time, some of the other posters were suggesting I should feel a need to apologise for working at such a despicable job.
Well that would go some way to making it up to all the innocent people your profession has harrassed.
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> I came into this thread to ‘defend’ the rights of telemarketers to be treated in a civil manner, and to defend my right to work in what is still a legally sanctioned job.
But surely you feel ashamed to have sunk so low. Do your parents know what you do?
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> I just find rudeness, from anyone and under any circumstances absolutely uncouth.
Then why are you a telemarketer? 😕
> [@](#):
>
> - posted by kambuckta \*
> But I still maintain there is no justification for blatant rudeness.
Then why are you a telemarketer? 😕
I’m sorry if you feel I’m being too harsh. but you do have the consolation that at least I haven’t rung you at home many times to tell you this…
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### Author:  [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/58 "2002-09-15T23:24:19Z")
Kambuckta, give me your phone number, and i will call you 500 times a day asking you to apply for a credit card. Then after one year, if you don’t get rude once, you have the right to be a telemarketer!
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### Author:  [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/59 "2002-09-15T23:41:17Z")
Telemarketing is a _vile_ profession. It’s annoying and it’s intrusive. Thanks to Caller ID, I rarely have to deal with them anymore, but I wish I didn’t have to take such measures.
Recently, an automated telemarketer left a message on my voicemail. I didn’t bother to listen to the whole thing, since I hit delete fairly quickly. May the Boiling Hot Shit of the Damned drown the animals that invented and perfected this kind of automated telephone spam.
And **kambuckta** …if you’re really incapable of understanding why people find telemarketers so bloody fucking annoying, then there really is no hope for you.
I’m amazed that no one has pointed **kambuckta** in the direction of one of the all-time greatest rants to ever appear in the Pit…[Cervaise’s classic response](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51270) to a telemarketer that tried to justify her job and dismiss the contempt that her profession generates.
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### Author:  [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargin-bastidges-another-telemarketer-rant/128316/60 "2002-09-16T00:02:22Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Miller \*
> \*\*Kambuckta, please: go on the dole. Welfare is infinitely more respectable than telemarketing. \*\*
You gotta be kidding.
Now let’s see **kambuckta** , you don’t want to live in the United States, and you choose to earn a living in an unpopular profession, rather than have other taxpayers support you on welfare. Yeah, you deserve to get piled on.
Count me out of the SDMB lynch mob though. I still entertain this strange notion that it’s a good thing for the board to have differences of opinon, and frank exchanges without resorting to stuff like the shit I’ve seen in the two threads in which **kambuckta** has been labelled “fair game”, Scientologist style.
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