Singaporeans like their spam

A recently conducted poll at The Straits Times Interactive (online version of local leading newspaper) shows 71% (at time of writing) of the poll takers preferring an opt-out scheme “because [they] don’t mind knowing all that’s out there.” And spam? “It’s useful information to me”, at least for 68% of the sample size. Granted, the sample size is only around 1000+ (I got that from the print version of the poll - apparently it’s not available in the online version), so it’s hardly accurate, but the results still leave some niggling doubts as to whether Singaporeans are really that kiasu (colloqualism for “scared to lose”) that they believe something worthwhile could be gotten from spam. Or perhaps the poll was rigged. I don’t know Singaporeans anymore.

8 Comments & TrackBacks (Add yours)

The paper doll icon that precedes each comment is an idea conceived by Vanessa Tan.

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jim's Gravatar

i share your sentiments. was pretty surprised to see the results of the poll.

Posted by: jim on May 31, 2004 1pm

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translate's Gravatar

Spam is useful information to me.
Singaporeans have scant regards for spam - 2/3 of them feel that they might contain useful information - according to a ST poll.

Posted by: translate on May 31, 2004 6pm

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translate's Gravatar

Spam is useful information to me.
Singaporeans have scant regards for spam - 2/3 of them feel that they might contain useful information - according to a ST poll.

Posted by: translate on May 31, 2004 7pm

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minghong's Gravatar

Probably singaporean got too few spam. Send them more and they’ll know spam is that “useful” (to waste your mailbox space and your time)…

Posted by: minghong on May 31, 2004 7pm

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Alex's Gravatar

hey! the poster from cynics.info posted 3 times! does that make him a spammer? :)

i’m not surprised by the results. Singaporeans and Japanese are two of the oddest groups of people in the world.

The Japanese are odd because they invented Godzilla and Ultraman, and actually made money out of it!

Singaporeans are odd because we complain even as we accept the crap that make us complain! For example, we complain about the cost being too high to have babies, even as the unexpectant mother spends hundreds of dollars on Prada handbags. We complain about land cost being too high, even as we pay up to $600 psf for a slice of air in the sky (aka condo). We complain abt the government, even as they.. well, i digress…

So it’s not surprising that we complain about spam, even as we welcome it. We are truly selfish bastards, always seeking to have both halves of the cake. And if the cake is not big enough or the knife is made of plastic, we complain about that too!

I’m sure that if bastards could be generous, Singaporeans would want to be it too!

Hmm… after reading my own post, i think the Japanese aren’t that odd after all. They did give us the ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ right? ;)

Posted by: Alex on June 1, 2004 12am

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Alex Choo's Gravatar

The opt-out scheme is actually consistent with the way our country is run.

The thing with most opt out schemes is that peope who really understand email marketing always let you opt in. It’s those spammers who want you to opt out. When you do, you actually tell them your email is real…

Contrast this with how Singapore is run.. the similarities are amazing.. policies are forced down our throats… once in a while, citizens will protest (opt out), and after taking in all the feedback… even more shit will be forced down our throats (more spam).

Posted by: Alex Choo on June 1, 2004 12am

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jim's Gravatar

alex - one is a comment, two are trackbacks … and the duplicate trackbacks are created by movable type. please do … know the difference.

sorry for the OT.

Posted by: jim on June 1, 2004 1am

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Alex Choo's Gravatar

jimmy,

ur explanation is a technicality.. it appears 3 times. to the layman (like me) who can’t tell the difference, it’s 3 posts.

but of course, u know i made the initial comment in jest. :)

Posted by: Alex Choo on June 1, 2004 1am

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