Friday, January 26, 2007

Toronto Star: You've made an enemy today

I got a call around noon today. It could be Cath calling me in the middle of the day, so I decided to answer it. I was making a cup of espresso at the time, so I quickly smoothed over the cup of grinds and screwed it into the machine, and ran to the phone.

Me: "Hello?"

Phone: (silence)

Me: "HELLO?"

Phone: (CLICK!) "Hi, this is Bonnie calling on behalf of the Toronto Star...."

Me: "OK, WHY did you think it was acceptable to call me at my home?"

Phone: "I didn't call you! My computer called you!!!"

Me: "OK, well, can you ask your computer never to call me again, and take me off your calling list?"

Phone:
(silence)

Me: "THANK YOU!"


In my view, by being a for-profit private company, the Toronto Star is acknowledging the principles of capitalism. By those principles, I have the right to the products of my own mind, my own effort, and my own time. By phoning me in my home, as with all forms of direct marketing with which I am familiar, the Toronto Star is expecting me to give of my time without compensation. I find it quite offensive that a capitalistic entity, would expect me to give them something for nothing. In my opinion, this is not an ethical act in a capitalistic system based on free trade between entities.

So long as the Toronto Star continues to engage in this practice, they aren't going to see one cent of my money. And I encourage others to take the same attitude with them.

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