This post has been brewing for a long time within my mind. Now that my close relatives are retired, I find that my post has gotten lot of inputs to add and I hope that you understand why. The ubiquitous family group that is almost a regular feature in everyone's Whatsapp, is the breeding place of these forwards. My mom sends a minimum of five to max eight forwards on the family Whatsapp group on a wide range of topics from religion, health, cooking and well being. Well, some of them are sent to me by other 'well meaning' folks as well but what beats me is the fact that everyone who sends these forwards take it upon them to tirelessly champion the case of anything they find remotely useful. They mean well. I don't blame them but what gets my gut is that no one verifies whether the messages are true and worthy to be circulated. Also these forwards are deemed useful by the sender in almost a zealous fashion like the early missionaries who spread the gospel of Christ.
Now, this syndrome of forwarding messages is quite common among a certain age group of people - mostly retired, with time and active data available and a willingness to imagine that many will benefit by the message. I do understand that they want their loved and not so loved ones to be fit, fine and religious, but they hardly think whether their message will be read. They believe and imagine that their messages are welcome and read. Well, I for one, never opens any forwarded messages unless my mom specifically asks me about it otherwise I don't bother. But I am quite impressed that for the forwarder, it is important that message is sent - I guess the mental satisfaction of having sent a message is far more important than knowing whether the message was actually read.
Sometimes I think that after retirement, the forwarding of messages gives a certain purpose to life and that explains the fervent offloading of random stuff in family groups. Well, I guess I should not judge the offloading of forwards if it gives a purpose to someone but I still think that the individual should refrain from sharing messages without checking the motive, authenticity and source.
Until the next time, let me ignore the forwards on our family group and since today is Sunday, you can imagine today's quota!
Image courtesy: Internet
