They came rarely but promised cash, the chain letters, mostly when I was between 10 and 15 years old. I don’t remember the instructions clearly. Maybe I had to pass the letter on to 10 people. Just a Ponzi scheme. I didn’t have a lot of friends in middle school, so I might have run out of friends to target for passing the letters along. I can’t remember anyone ever receiving what was promised, nor can I recall anything bad happening specifically around the times the letters came. Not much different today, except you can forward a chain email to the entire world.
I didn't have a lot of friends in middle school, so I might have run out of friends to target for passing the letters along.
//RetroFlash
MarianI have recently retired from a marketing and technical writing and editing career and am thoroughly enjoying writing for myself and others.
Characterizations:
right on!
Your words ring true, Mare. I had the same experience. I’d go to my camp address list for names to mail too, but stopped after a few attempts and just gave up.
In the digital era, I got a few of them from my sisters-in-law, tried to oblige, but felt they were such a burden that I quickly put an end to the whole thing.
I guess those letters were for social extroverts, Betsy, and it is reassuring that I wasn’t the only one who didn’t play along.
Great minds are thinking alike on this prompt, Marian. We all looked at chain letters with similar disdain, have taken a pass on their steroid-like successors on email, and have been willing to face the dire consequences. And, happily, here we all are!
Yes, no consequences at all, good or bad. I now wonder what people were thinking who started the whole idea, since they wouldn’t get rich, unlike some of today’s more sophisticated scammers.
Of course I agree. I guess this wasn’t a thought-provoking prompt, as we all wrote basically the same thing, in longer or shorter forms. We’ll have to be more mindful of that with future prompts.
I guess the Retro writers are just too smart to be taken in by chain letters, Suzy.
I also struggled to come up with names of people to send the letter to, and after a couple of flops just gave up. I always felt guilty sending it on anyway, and have to admit that I never forward any of the current digital messages that plead for me to send them on.
We are on the same page, Khati. I just ignore and discard any chain emails.
Indeed Marian as you say nowadays with very little effort and the touch of a finger one can forward a chain email to the world!
But as a kid I do remember my delight in sending those snail mail letters to far-flung friends and relatives!
I agree, Dana. Loved those blue aerograms for international snail mail.
So true, Marion. Just break that chain. I promise you will be fine (LOL).
Thanks, Laurie. I think we all survived not sending on those letters!