The index of human desire

[resonant]

I've long contended that spam contains a philosophy -- that you can look at it and gather what impossible dreams people are dreaming. Our world's philosopher's stone and fountain of youth seem to be larger penises, money for nothing, easy weight loss, and reliable Microsoft Windows.

I wasn't aware until I started working in a church that churches get their own kind of spam. (For one thing, in our version of the Nigerian scam, the person who needs help getting her husband's money out of the country is the widow of a pastor.)

The top three impossible desires of churches, based on the spam index:

1. A redesigned website.
2. Cheap health insurance for part-time employees.
3. Recruit volunteers with the click of a mouse!

Comments

[sara]

Really, I think those three things would be of use to most small nonprofits.

Though I was complimented on our site last week, the other two are totally beyond my control....

[copperbadge]

Nonreligious not for profits get similar offers -- volunteer recruitment is big, and also spams that purport to come from an insider (ie, "Per my agreement with your marketing agent, I am sending you this offer" when it's like, a magazine scam).

What an interesting idea, though. I need to start reading my spam. :D

[resonant]

I love stuff like that -- we'll get junk faxes that say, "Attention: Corporate Travel Office. Per Your Request." Like: We have two full-time employees and two part-time employees. I think if we had a corporate travel office it would be, um, me.