So, I’ve figured it out. I deal with these random messenger folk because in my own way I hope to teach netiquette. That hope that maybe just one person out there will figure out there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.

Today’s IM was interesting. I found myself being interrogated.

9:34:06 hey
9:34:12 hello?
9:34:22 do you like anime?
9:35:08 answer the question
9:35:43 Excuse me? There may be response delays. I am working. Impatience will not be appreciated. Yes, I like anime
9:35:54 why is that?
9:35:56 Rudeness will not be tolerated
9:39:44 Why do I like anime or why will impatience not be tolerate?
9:40:11 why do you like anime?
9:40:30 Style, story, maturity,depth. Many reasons
9:40:49 every anime has the same style
9:41:28 Then I will assume you have not had a lot of contact with a bredth of anime work.
9:42:08 do you like j pop?
9:42:27 Not so much.Who is this, if I may ask?
9:42:38 yeah j pop is pretty terrible
9:43:17 what kind of music do you like?
9:44:51 How about we change this from an interrogation into a dialogue. I don’t take well to a barrage of questions when no effort is made to respond to any of mine. How about telling me about who you are? Why are you asking? How did you find me? The little things that make this more of a conversation and less of a military inquisition, eh?
9:45:09 I am doing a project
9:45:18 I must ask people questions
9:46:54 May I suggest you start the next conversation with, “Hello, I’m (insert your name here). I’m doing a project for (name of school here) would you mind helping me with this by answering some questions concerning (topic).” You’ll get a lot of nos but you also won’t get a lot of people who get ticked after 4 questions from faceless unfriendly entity.
9:47:11 I am sorry
9:47:18 what kind of music do you like?
9:47:19 Just trying to help
9:48:10 Wow, you missed what I said entirely, didn’t you?
9:48:26 no
9:48:41 you already know why I am here
9:49:40 nope. I know (someone as yet unidentified in any way) must ask me questions (for group unknown to me) for project (that somehow relates to japanese culture)… Let’s fill in the parenthesis shall we?
9:50:26 I don’t know if you’re some kid at school, some gov’t agent doing a background check, some stalker trying to learn about me. I think it’s the first. But how about you tell me.
9:50:53 I am doing an indepenant project on good taste
9:51:39 I must determine statistics on people with good taste
9:52:06 I will rate your taste
9:52:52 now please stop stalling me, I must get much done
9:53:06 Which at this point is going to be a bit skewed if your questioning concerns topics that you already have strong opinions on. “j pop is pretty terrible.” Personally, I don’t want my tastes rated by someone who will base their ratings on their own opinions. “He likes X? I don’t like X, therefore he has no taste.”
9:53:23 do you like prog rock
9:54:04 No offense, but this interview is over. You’ve given me no identification of who you are. The project seems suspect and you keep driving thru regardless of my reaction. Please try someone else. My time is worth more than this. Good bye.
9:54:09 I am a qualified reasearcher, do not question my credentials
9:54:10 I am a qualified reasearcher, do not question my credentials
9:54:30 this is a social experiment, answer the questions, I will explain after
I block him
10:16:21 thanks for the help.

It would seem that if I don’t close the window, messages still come in after block. Well, gosh.. he thanked me.

There’s so much I could say here. But I think the conversation speaks for itself.

« »