I’m always amazed at how aggravated I get over things that really aren’t important. There are so many small things that just get under your skin. It makes me feel stupid ranting about them because given the state of the world, these are unimportant, maybe even silly.
So why are they so annoying?
Magazine renewals
I just ordered a magazine at a substantially reduced price. Literally within seconds of having ordered it, I get my first email asking me to renew. A minute later, I get another email offering cheap renewal and a free subscription — for a friend.
I have not gotten the first issue yet. I’m sure the process is completely automated, but maybe they could automate it so you get at least two issues before the company starts endless renewal requests? Would that be too much to ask?
Incorrect measurements for online orders
I have an iPhone 11 and Owen has an iPhone 12Pro. They are the exact same size down to a tenth of an inch.
Try to order a case that fits your phone. No matter what the ad says are its “internal dimensions,” it will not fit your phone. I suppose they are tired of trying to carry stock for phones of every size, so now they are making just one — big — size.
I’m a firm believer that one size never fits all.
Not for a telephone or for clothing.
If one size fits all, what it really means is that the size doesn’t fit anything or anyone properly. It’s going to be too loose or just a little bit too tight, but it will never fit.
Why is this so annoying?
Have you ever seen your phone fall out of a case because it’s too big? When the phone hits the sidewalk, it goes from being annoying to being very costly. Of course, if you want a cover that fits perfectly, you can buy it from Apple, then pay $100 for a $5 case that isn’t attractive or sturdy, but fits. Some of us would rather get a case made of leather or ballistic nylon.
Customers like choices. Overpaying Apple for their products is annoying and expensive — a classic double whammy.
Political parties begging for money
Once upon a long time ago — more than 50 years — we were fighting for the right to get legal abortions. Remarkably, we are doing it again, but that’s a different discussion.
That was the first time I donated money to a cause that might be considered political. I think I sent $5. In 1971, it was more money than it is now but hardly put me in the millionaire class of donators. From that moment on, I joined the list of people who donate. Mountains of paper later, I was getting less and had hopes of ending the badgering.
When Obama was running, I broke my own rule and sent another $5. By then, everything was done via email. I was instantly swamped — deluged — by email begging for more money. Not merely by the party or even Obama’s backers, but by pretty much every politician running for election.
Surveys: One more way to beg for money
Even more annoying? Surveys that aren’t surveys but another way of trying to grab a few bucks. If you want to run a survey, don’t make it mandatory to send money before you can send a response. Bad enough that politicians never stop trying to get you to donate money, but those pretend surveys are REALLY ANNOYING. Now, as a result, I refuse to answer any survey about anything. If they want my opinion, they can pay me.
Unsubscribe links that aren’t
Not only was I swamped by Democratic candidates trolling for cash, but somehow or other — maybe because I once read an article published in a right-leaning publication — I started to get Republican candidates trolling for money too.
I’m a registered Democrat and have been since I was old enough to vote, but this wasn’t enough of a message. I then discovered there was no way out. If you click the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of these emails you do not reduce the deluge. You might end up getting more emails. No filter will save you.
If you ever donated any money to any political party or candidate, they will never stop begging for money. Even if you never donated money but merely read an article, they still manage to collect your data (I’d really like to now how they do that). Hundreds of solicitations every day adds up to thousands of emails every week.
The result is that I will never donate anything to any of them, even if I agree with them and have a few spare dollars. I will donate to national parks, Durrell’s zoo on Jersey, and the Audubon Society. Everyone else? Go away!
But this isn’t just about political parties. No one seems to read the responses to emails they send you. As an example, I used to order clothing from L.L. Bean when it was a catalog house and ordering online wasn’t yet a “thing.” Over the years, they have asked me dozens of time if I want them to continue sending their catalog. I always say no because I can go online and shop and don’t need more paper. Please don’t cut down another tree on my account.
After more than 30 years of saying “Please don’t send a catalog,” I still get at least two catalogs every month. Garry says they make pleasant bathroom reading.
There’s so much more
There’s an unlimited amount of annoying stuff on the internet. What annoys you most is individual. I’m sure you’ve got your own selection and there’s certainly more than enough from which to choose. It’s usually not important — unless it’s also a scam. But that’s a whole other story.