fortified with irony

By Todd Stadler · Sunday, October 21, 2001 5:48am

I got an e-mail today from "Superior Anti-Spam Net". Unsolicited mass e-mail, that is. You might know it as "spam":

"Everyone is irritated by junk e-mail. But did you know that it's more than an inconvenience? Junk e-mail, or spam, poses a very real threat to your computer system and your personal security. ... These unwanted messages are potentially very harmful in the hands of your younger family members. Above all, spam compromises your undeniable right to privacy."

Hello, didn't you people hear? Irony is dead! You can't go around spamming people to convince them of your anti-spam solution!

Why, just think what would happen if other people grabbed onto this idea. Windshield repair companies throwing bricks with their name on them at your car. Anti-graffiti politicians spray painting their "get tough on crime" messages on the side of your house. Peace-loving people bombing and shooting each other.

The mind boggles.