You people!!

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Nowherewoman did answer my question but she seems to take offense at my choice of employment. There is very little I can do about that.

I suppose we just have to beg to differ.

Thanks everyone...

Can the OP see the opposite point of view here? That cold callers are a bane on society and it isn't a real job? Not one that adds to the mass of good things in society anyway. I appreciate that you need a job, we all do, but some jobs aren't real jobs at all, certainly not ones that NEED to be done. What good has cold calling anyone ever done? Aside from old people who need someone to talk to. You give them five minutes of being treated like a human being and they will buy your product. No-one ever said when a cold call came, wow I really like that product, I never knew that was available.

Plus the amount of times when I've been cold called and I've had to say gently because I'm kind like that, 'Not really after that...' and I get hung up on without even an 'Ok thanks.' My feeling is hold on a minute, you waste my time, I'm polite and you then shut the door in my face? What?'

Seriously I prefer to see my taxes go on people on benefit who are looking for jobs that might fulfil a purpose rather than working for parasitical organisations whose products are so damn unmarketable that a simple advert doesn't suffice. Plus most cold calling places underpay their staff and force commission on the workers, and YEAH I have done it as a job before... for a day. When it is done effectively it is so hard to tell the difference between phoning someone and selling, as opposed to someone just being plain mugged in the street.

Now heres the thing, you are a valuable person! A sensitive person hence your hurt at being called 'You people.' Like all humans you have a limited time on this Earth and an opportunity to alongside simply getting by, an opportunity to help make the world a better place. Companies that cold call are in my view parasites. We all know how to search for a service online or how to use a Yellow Pages, or GASP, go shopping for ourselves.

Same thing goes for door to door sales, I wind up VERY SORRY for the people who are on my doorstep. I never want the product and the only reason I feel bad for not buying the product is guilt for the salespersons position. It can't be easy to be told no all the time. So I wind up not knowing how to say no to them although I do eventually still say no, having wasted their time.

The 'You people' isn't really fair. It isn't you as a person they mean though, they mean your imperial lords and masters who are squandering your potential by using you for asinine phonecalls no-one wants and probably underpaying you into the bargain too.

Well...the OP seems confused herself as to what the issue is.

She claims to delight in being able to be paid to bother folks on the phone, and yet is expressing hurt that folks act like they are all bothered by her on the phone! Kinda double think there.

On the other hand-though I have seen characters in movies use the phrase "you people" in a racists bigoted sense the only time I have ever heard some one address me with the phrase "you people" was ONE TIME when I was part of random group of employees in a room, and a fellow employee addressed as all as "you people" in an affectionate way in response to some funny thing we were all laughing about. So I dont have the experience of hearing it in a negative way. So I cant really say I have had the experience she is complaining about.

BUT..on the first hand-I have ALSO worked at different points in my life as a phone solicitor cold calling and I have never heard the phrase "you people" from anyone on the phone. Maybe the OP is doing something wrong that causes folks to say that to her.

And I dont understand this deliberate misinterpretation that she puts on folks- accusing them of being "racist" when she knows full well that they are not being racist, but just being annoyed at being bothered on the phone by a phone solicitor.

So on one hand I cant say I have been on the recieving end of it as epithet, but on other hand the OP seems very confused herself as to what the issue is that she is upset about.

So in conclusion I cant have a conclusion until OP comes back to us with what exactly the nub of the issue is.

I've never said that I have been personally offended. Not once during this thread so I don't know why you would say such a thing.

Also I did say the reason I challenged their statement was because I heard someone else challenge in that way and I wanted to hear the reaction of the person on the other end of the phone first hand for myself.

My question was and still is the same.

If we take away the example I used in the first place. Could the term "You people" be seen as being derogatory.

I have already openly admitted that my example has been misleading.

Like I said in the original post. It's just a question.

If you are a telemarketer, then it's just your job. I didn't do telemarketing, people called ME...even then, I heard this many times. People say such things when they are angry with a company and just the fact that you represent the company, is enough for them to say it. Ignore it.

Can I just say once again. This thread is not about me as a cold caller.

Nor is it about the rights and wrongs of cold calling.

If anyone wishes to derail this thread and turn it into an anti cold calling campaign then please feel free, I wont be offended but I am not about to defend what I do in any way shape or form.

Thank you very much to all who have participated.

Over and out.

What I took offense to was your assertion that you enjoy annoying people, interrupting their dinner, etc. and also that you stated that you realize they're not referring to race but that you are bringing it up anyway. (Which I was quite clear to state, and more than once.)

As for your choice of employment, yes, cold calling is exceptionally annoying, BUT as I stated, if it weren't a repeat thing where the cold caller did not ignore the recipient's wishes to not call again, it certainly wouldn't be such a negative experience.

Your choice of employment is your choice of employment. Certainly if you had a degree of sensitivity to how people are bound to feel (rather than "enjoying" disturbing them) and if you were polite (rather than deliberately acting as though you don't understand their intent and attempting to make them feel even more uncomfortable by bringing up race although you *know* that's not what they mean), I wouldn't be "objecting" so stridently. (Although technically I'm not objecting, it's not my business what job you decide to do, that's up to you, obviously.)

Again, your choice of employment is just that, its choice; and none of my business. But as you brought up the subject and gave this specific subject as your example of a "derogatory" statement, I answered honestly. I and others have answered based on the information you provided. You are now saying that information is irrelevant, but I can't help but wonder whether you're "enjoying" this too...I wouldn't automatically have thought so if you had not already stated that you get happiness out of bothering and upsetting people.

I did ask, twice, that you provide an alternate example so we could discuss this as you wished - i.e. in a different context than your original example - but you have not provided that example so there's really nothing else for people to go on. Are you able to provide that example?



That's a good point. The OP did say that in addition to wanting to annoy people, she specifically chooses less reputable employers so that she can say what she wants. I don't know whether this info is helpful or not, though, OP. If you want to change your M.O., it is, as it gives a clue as to why people may be reacting negatively to you. But if not, it's irrelevant, so take it for what it's worth.

Last edited by NowhereWoman on 26 Oct 2015, 10:01 am, edited 2 times in total.

I don't think its derogatory to use 'you people' to refer to telemarketers/solicitors...like 'I wish you people would stop calling.' 'you people had better stop calling me.' 'you people piss me off'. If it bothers you perhaps looking into another line of work would be useful....its only derogatory if used to categorize people of race, disability and perhaps other things you don't choose as if that feature defines you as a person.

It is not verbal abuse for someone to be irritated with a telemarketer I usually hang up on them, tell them not to call back...or if its like the 10th one in a day I might rant a little more. If they tried some kind of manipulation tactic on me I would file legal action since its bad enough that they call in the first place.

Well if this is how telemarketers think, any ounce of 'oh but its they're job and I don't want to be too mean'. has magically abandoned me. I think I should have a bit of my own fun...next time, make it very awkward for them.

Last edited by Sweetleaf on 26 Oct 2015, 9:59 am, edited 1 time in total.

Okay, and several people actually did answer that question specifically, so did you thank them for those answers or at least acknowledge that people answered?

Scroll back...AIR there are a couple/few answers specific to that question right in a row of one another. ETA: Oh, and now I see another a few posts above this one.

I have tried to use the bold thing for the areas I am focused on. Thank you.

Are you OK, Seriously?

So does that answer your question than?

Are you?

Thank you, I'm very well, why do you ask?

Yes it does and thank you.