If anyone is ever wondering why nerds never rule the world, this is a perfect example of why.
Pedantry is the brakes that the universe puts on the very smart to stop them acquiring too much power.
My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
61–70 of 245 posts
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
The privacy policy wasn't 3000 pages. Either Stallman didn't remember the story correctly, or more likely the receptionist was just making up a number to scare him off pursuing the issue. Even the thickest novels don't make it to 3000 pages; very few make it to 1000. Hell, I'd be surprised if the privacy policy hit 3 pages.
I think you're nit picking and not focusing on the point. Regardless of the length (the lady either knew or didn't know how long the thing was) she didn't have it nor did she provide it to the gentleman to read. The office was still asking him to lie by requiring him to state he received and read something he obviously didn't receive nor read.
Given that the two of you are talking of this 3000-page policy as if it's real, it's definitely on-topic to reveal that it isn't. Condoning hyperbole is never good, but it is ironic to do so in the course of condemning unnecessary beaurocracy.
If you want to fix things, seek the truth before making decisions on obvious falsities.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#63If anyone is ever wondering why nerds never rule the world, this is a perfect example of why. Pedantry is the brakes that the universe puts on the very smart to stop them acquiring too much power.
nerds do rule the world
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
The privacy policy wasn't 3000 pages. Either Stallman didn't remember the story correctly, or more likely the receptionist was just making up a number to scare him off pursuing the issue. Even the thickest novels don't make it to 3000 pages; very few make it to 1000. Hell, I'd be surprised if the privacy policy hit 3 pages.
Stallmsn didn't say it was 3000 pages long.
He did, in relating 'the story' on his website, which is why I phrased it that way.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
Snappy "replies" might not hold as much weight in a legal setting as you imagine.
The writing on the paper do. If they didn't check it was unmodified and went ahead, it seems the problem is theirs.
I'm not an expert on contract law, but I'm fairly sure that one party modifying a contract without the other person's notice or consent does not make the modifications legally binding, which is why you do need to get the other party to initial changes you've made.
A contract is a physical expression legal agreement which both parties are supposed to know about, it's not a magical piece of paper which enforces whatever's written on it.
I should note that in this particular case the chances of any of this ever mattering are essentially zero. Just letting everyone know, in case they think they can go out, buy a house and move a decimal point in the sales contract while nobody's looking.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think you're nit picking and not focusing on the point. Regardless of the length (the lady either knew or didn't know how long the thing was) she didn't have it nor did she provide it to the gentleman to read. The office was still asking him to lie by requiring him to state he received and read something he obviously didn't receive nor read.
Given that the two of you are talking of this 3000-page policy as if it's real, it's definitely on-topic to reveal that it isn't. Condoning hyperbole is never good, but it is ironic to do so in the course of condemning unnecessary beaurocracy. If you want to fix things, seek the truth before making decisions on obvious falsities.
Whats truth is that he was asked to sign on a document that said he agreed to clauses, he never read. And could be denied treatment for not lying.
Whether those clauses are 3000 pages long or 3 pages long isn't much of a concern here.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#67Here(Brazil) everything seems to work like that. You sign 200 pieces of paper each day and if you'd enforce everything you agree to in just one day, the legal system would halt.
Recently I tried to purchase a small stereo, one of those tiny little ones that just play radio and a CD. They demanded that I provide full personal information in order to give me my receipt. I know that demanding personal information in order to print a receit is illegal here. So I question the attendant. She says she can only print it with that data. So before I had a stroke, and after 15 minutes of stupid arguments, I go ahead and do what Stallman did: fill it with BS and negate the "I agree" thing at the end, signed it - bought the stereo.
That movie "Brazil" with the ridiculous 26bStroke6 form is not too far from reality now that I think of it.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#68Earlier quoted context omitted.
The privacy policy wasn't 3000 pages. Either Stallman didn't remember the story correctly, or more likely the receptionist was just making up a number to scare him off pursuing the issue. Even the thickest novels don't make it to 3000 pages; very few make it to 1000. Hell, I'd be surprised if the privacy policy hit 3 pages.
I think you're nit picking and not focusing on the point. Regardless of the length (the lady either knew or didn't know how long the thing was) she didn't have it nor did she provide it to the gentleman to read. The office was still asking him to lie by requiring him to state he received and read something he obviously didn't receive nor read.
[deleted]
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think you're nit picking and not focusing on the point. Regardless of the length (the lady either knew or didn't know how long the thing was) she didn't have it nor did she provide it to the gentleman to read. The office was still asking him to lie by requiring him to state he received and read something he obviously didn't receive nor read.
Given that the two of you are talking of this 3000-page policy as if it's real, it's definitely on-topic to reveal that it isn't. Condoning hyperbole is never good, but it is ironic to do so in the course of condemning unnecessary beaurocracy. If you want to fix things, seek the truth before making decisions on obvious falsities.
Two points vacri,
1) The point of the story/article is "They asked me to lie" not "the length of a privacy policy was really long". If the privacy policy was only 1 page it still doesn't change the point of the article and story.
2) Richards recollection of the story states that the woman said it 3000 pages long (if true, probably to discourage Richard from following through with requesting it and actually reading it). Are you calling Richard a liar, or positively claiming his memory is wrong? Either way, it doesn't matter!
Focusing on the stated length of the privacy policy from a recollection of events about someone asking someone to lie is, in fact, irrelevant and off topic.
Re: My Doctor's Office Asked Me To Lie
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
Additionally, what about the fact that if the woman knew the Privacy Policy was 3000 pages and in a binder (which she claimed to be aware of) and knowingly accepts a statement she strongly believes to be untrue? Is this enough to invalidate the "contract" because it is blatantly known that full disclosure and meeting of the minds has not been met? This also comes to mind during mortgages and car loans. Often the clos…
I the first time I closed on a house, realizing ten minutes in that either I was going to be signing contracts without reading them, or everyone was going to be sitting around watching me read for three hours. There's a lot of pressure in a situation like that, even though I try never to sign anything without reading it.
I took my time during the only closing I've been part of. Every time I worked with my bank, I'd find some small but meaningful mistake in the paperwork. So I didn't trust that closing documents would all be correct. The funny thing is, nobody seemed to mind because they seemed amused to have someone finally reading through the paperwork and asking interesting questions.