Chain Letters

They've been around from the time pidgeons were used to send mail. The pidgeon mail or pee-mail as it was commonly called was used to spread this dreaded terror - chain letters.

Yes, chain letters. These horrifying menace on print spread faster than the black plague itself. (The black plague was spread by rats and mice through M-mail {pronounced Em-mail}, but that's another story altogether) Few could escape the utter irritation and frustration that came from receiving a chain letter.

Some letters promised the hope of love, some promised good fortune, some promised long-lasting friendship, all at a cost. Send them to others (average of 100 people per chain) and you will have all that's promised. To the superstitious, chain letters only had two sides, good or bad. They would believe that they will get the good if they send the letters and they'll be spared from the bad. There then arises the incentive of sending to not get bad.

Imagine a superstitious guy during the medieval times, let's call him Shan (a common name during the middle ages), and he receives a chain letter.

Shan: OBJ! (Oh, by Jove!) A letter! *opens letter and reads aloud*

[Ye will receive good luck by finding thy true love a love forged by lasting friendship.]

OMG! (Oh, my golly!) Huzzah, neigh, a thousand huzzahs. At last, all my woes are past for good fortune has finally shined upon me! *continues reading*

[Receive all these if you send a copy of this letter to 100 others by midnight.]

Aye, a catch, I perceived it was too easy, I say. Come, my fingers, we have mucheth work to do. Good fortune will be mine by midnight! This is a job for the local printing press man!

OBH! (Oh, by heaven!) Printing presses are not yet invented! Woe is me, woe is me!

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In these modern times, chain letters have become more inescapable. Electronic mail has made sending chain letters as easy as the click of a mouse. (one that's not a carrier of the black plague)

They have also come in different guises. Whether religious, controversial, petitions, they have the element of chain letters in them.

Send to 100 people for God is watching. If you believe that should not be, send to your friends, together we can stop this. Please send to all your friends, $0.00001 will go to the fund for every person who recieves this letter.

I do not know whether some of these letters are actually true. If it is, then good for those who benefit. True or not, personally I prefer not to send these kind of emails nor will I resend them even if it says "send back to me if I'm your friend".

Now before, you throw that tomato at me saying I'm not a real friend, I would like to say that friendship is not measured by how many emails you send.

"Your true love will realize they like you... if you send to 123456789 people." Once again, no link at all. Love is not measured by this either.

This is the reason why I do not send back any email that says "send to other people and back to the sender".

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I say all these because I just got another one. It has good stuff in it too. There's nothing wrong with wanting to share letters that could brighten up someone's day, but once there's a catch, then it puts pressure on people to do it. I would rather receive a nice letter and send it out of my own accord instead of having, "think of all the people in...".

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For people who are blessed enough to not even receive a single kind of chain letter ever before, good for you. Come out from under your rock and give me your email. I have a special gift for you. =D