Freedom...

Every time I receive a forwarded message which reads anything close to- please forward it for the benefit of mankind or Indians or whatever, and that interests me- I will be first suspicious and won't trust the message. The message could be describing about a miraculous event or just some information unbelievable or great news, I will not believe it in the first instant. Right away I would google for the facts and almost every time I have found that the news is a hoax. Immediately after finding this out, I will reply the sender saying that was a hoax message. The sender would come to me and say 'Oh is it.. I didn't know. Sigh I've sent this to everyone...'. I would be waiting to hear that.

Why do I do this? These are pretty much innocent guys who would want to forward a nice good message believing it is true. They are really under the impression of helping others. Not their fault. But why am I not like these guys who would want to take it casually and leave it there. At least after finding that it is not true, I should tell them in person about it. I rather would reply the mail- usually reply to all if someone's name is in cc- and say, it is hoax and would attach links from the real source like hoax slayer websites etc. What am I doing here- showing off that I'm smarter and know everything?

Sometimes I would easily say, I do this for their good and to make them realize they have to forward only trusted facts and blah blah. But deep inside me, I know it is to find facts and point them how wrong they are. Worst I remember I have fought with a guy who forwarded a puzzle in mathematics integration and I was arguing with some non-existent logic and showing off that I'm better than him. Where did my good morally correct nature of finding facts and fighting for it go in this instance. Cheap pleasure isn't it?

I know this behaviour of mine is just one of those many - appalling qualitites in me, nurtured by my ego. I should rather start acknowledging it as Inflated Ego, as one my friend rightly calls it. I really wish I win this battle against it and free myself someday.