Posting Will Be Slow ...

After over twelve hours of soft torture I was informed at 02:45 early Saturday morning that I'm in the process of being upgraded from a mere mortal broadband user to an exclusive "Lightspeed" (whatever its name is) client. Such being the blessings of a HoL (Hellas off Line) customer!

It look me the better part of the day, listening to a soothing, canned, female voice, perpetually informing the esteemed customers that for "safety and quality reasons their messages will be recorded". This is typical postmodern, legal morality which says that everything is allowed as long as it's regulated, meaning that the customer must be priorly informed. "Excuse me, we will now be subjecting you to subliminal torture, but it's alright! We just informed you!".

The female legal disclaimer was merely background to a specially devised tune with a rhythm just under heart beat - to suppress the excitement of waiting, and adrenaline flow induced by being treated like a non-entity; the lyrics conveying the message that "the sky is clearing, it's a beautiful day, open up your window, let the sun shine in ...". Apart from interruptions by the disclaimer, this musical brainwash is set loose on the esteemed clientele, 24/7. I told you, I know when I'm being manipulated, but apparently entire hordes are taken in by this piece of corporate BB psychology from hell.

Having over the last 30 to 40 years eliminated the encouragement of independent thinking from the educational curriculum, people's cognition today takes place largely on the perceptional level where feelings and emotions about themselves and the world surrounding them, are being triggered by outside forces and flow unhindered by the conceptional level on which active, conscious cognition is supposed to take place. (Semi-)subliminal manipulation of public perception has become a black art in which many professionals excel. The initial idea then, that you're dealing with a bunch of autistic amateurs is grossly unjustified. This sample of customer repellant is well thought through.

As said - the night shift being less occupied with customer management - at 02:45 a.m. I finally got through to a live technician appraising me of the happy message. It would take only three to four days for the transfer from 'basic' to 'upgraded customer' to take place, only at the price of living without broadband connection for the duration. My wodka induced protests of being 'on to them' were promptly punished by the duration being increased to one week.

Never mind prior warning in writing - snailmail not being their medium of choice - perhaps email or a telephone message would have been indicated since they have the specifics on record for obvious technical reasons. But the only form of human-to-human communication you'll ever get from the corporate policy turned autistic amateurism is a monthly bill, payable exclusively by inconvenient methods.

I could of course take my business elsewhere, but that would also involve an off-line transition period, as well as the technical problems associated with a new connection, and well the new media cartel knows it! Besides, they're all the same, wherever you go on the planet, the new businesses dealing in cell phones, internet and all their paraphernalia are all subject to the same postmodern message of non-communication, conveying the message that the customer is basically irrelevant to the bottom line: virtual anonimity guaranteed.

In short, posting will be a bit slow in the coming week while I'm dealing with withdrawal symptons, doing offline chores. My podcast interview with Andrew Riley and Duane Lester of "Field Guide to American Politics" - if at all - will be conducted from the local Internet café from which I am posting present message. CU next weekend. Can't wait ...