Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Oops! I Didn’t Mean To Do That!

There have been a few times that I’ve accidentally hit the “reply to all” button rather than just “reply” on an email.  They’ve mostly been innocent work emails where I’ve responded to a question by replying to all.  The times I’ve done it, I’ve been relieved that the accident didn’t cause any strife at work. 

I have not been quite so lucky on my personal emails.  A friend of mine, who is a pretty staunch Republican, periodically sends me political jokes.  Most of the time it’s about how bad Obama and the Democrats are doing and/or overinflating the good the Republicans do.  I usually have some witty and amusing reply that bashes the Republicans sent right back to him. 

After receiving one such email, my snarky (but clean) comment was accidentally sent to all the recipients.  Most of the others on his email list are Republicans, except for his mom who responded to my reply with a chuckle.  That’s when I realized I had replied to all.  Later that day I received an email from someone I didn’t know with the same subject.  This person lit into me.  Something like “I don’t know who you think you are but…”  I was mortified!  My friend’s and my political exchanges had always been very friendly, agreeing to disagree, and poking fun at each other.  My response was in good fun.  This person did not appreciate my humor at all. 

Since then, I check and recheck responses to email to make sure I didn’t send to everyone.  After sending a particularly sensitive email, I even cringe when I send – worrying that I’m doing it wrong.  Then I have to look inside my send folder just to triple check.  I don’t want that to happen again.  Yikes!

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20 comments:

  1. Yikes!!! My jaw just dropped open reading this. It was just one person who emailed back, I hope.

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  2. Found my way here through Mama Kat's, in case you're wondering. :)

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  3. Hm, things can get a bit rabid in the sphere of politics.
    What I find hilarious though is that people, very expensively educated have and hold dear positions that should they turned up the education to one on the dial for five minutes they would observe that it's tripe.
    For instance, health care; this is a function of people and the education of those people. Costs will come down the more you have of them. That you have a statuary union that wants to keep fees up is absolutely no reason not to open vastly more medical schools. Nor for the most part is it a function of brains. Anyone that can enter a reasonable university has the nous to ace medical school. But for some reason Reps see this as the bridge too far. But the Dems don't see it at all, seemingly.
    P.S. in Ireland we've got a health system that is based on whats available to those living on the beach at Malibu. Basically magnificent, if you can get into it. So we have exactly the same issues. Except that medical school is free here.

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  4. You poor girl. I feel bad for you. But how horrible that someone would reply with such venom. And even if I disagree with you on politics, I wouldn't send you hate mail back. If you were to constantly send something to me that I know I would disagree with, I would ignore it or gently ask you to stop.
    Don't feel bad.
    Your Friend, m.
    @Vince: Nothing is Free.

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  5. $20,000 from first year to MD, for your point of view that's free; Mark.

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  6. Something similar happened to me. Only, a staunch Republican was mocking a Democrat and hit reply to all. I responded to what I thought was going on, only to be told that it was an inside joke. I don't participate in those kinds of email discussions anymore.

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  7. @Rina - yes only one irate replier:) Thanks for stopping by.

    @Vince - Oh yes, discussing politics with people you know is bad enough, let alone people you don't. What do you mean your health care is good if you can get into it? Do citizens have to buy their own or is it socialized med? I guess I could go look that up on my own, I think I just assumed that you all received it.

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  8. I have done this too. Thank goodness everyone was good natured about it.

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  9. @Mark - I can tell how bad you feel for me :) but you are right, I would most likely ignore as well.

    @Maggie - Ha, I don't blame you. I learned my lesson too!

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  10. This is something I don't do very often now. When I was working I use to hate it when we would get mass emails that would thenbe answered reply all, that would answer congratulations or thank you or yes or I,ll be there etc. My email would fill up.

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  11. I've never hit reply all accidentally. BUT for some reason I am afraid I always will. There have been so many embarrassing responses at work and personally from others that I've read and it makes me always check and check again (and like you, go to sent mail and make sure again). I am slightly OCD w/it. Did you reply to the person or did you let it go?

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  12. Yikes! I never reply all except for my committee work with the CA Kinder Conf. (AKA wooden necklace,) so I am pretty safe. But last night I woke up worried that an email I sent out to all K teachers in the district somehow got something else attached. Turns out it was another teacher who forwarded something they shouldn't have...I am always so careful at work...and now on my blog :)

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  13. WOW, I am always amazed at how uncouth people can be when it comes to e-mail/blogs/etc. I've got to the point now that I just delete before I even read if it's from a.) someone I know that is specifically sending me something to get my blood pressure up or b.) ANY chain letter or FWD:FWD:FWD: Check out this cat! Forgetaboutit!

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  14. Well, that is definitely a mistake, but I don't think you should be mortified about it, unless in addition to the comeback, you attached a photograph of you in black lingerie.

    I mean, really, all you did was make a clever opposing response to an unsolicited email containing political views opposite to yours sent by a friend, and accidentally hit the wrong reply button, and a stranger replied to you with what seemed like a rather harse and degrading response (and not by accident).

    So in actuality, you should not feel mortified that about your mistake, It is the other guy whe responded that should feel embarrased.

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  15. oh no!

    Hope you have a great day at school today. It's FRIDAY! Yay!

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  16. Hey...if you can't take a joke, right?

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  17. Mortifying, but that person that responded to you needs to chillax.

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  18. Ah, the internet is fraught with danger!!!

    I haven't quite done that, but at work I did do a reply all instead of a forward, and even though what I said about the other person wasn't a bad thing, it was just the fact that I referred to her very casually that made me cringe at my mistake.

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  19. Oh, and I hate the well-meaning "reply alls" to huge lists, when someone reply-alls a "thanks." It just clutters up my in box.

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