I work with a lot of people who love to send political and religious emails to me. This annoys me. Today's email was about a restaurant using their sign board outside to advertise political messages. There were several pictures, followed comments such as "this is sooooo true!" Then, there were some people who would go on for paragraphs starting "well...I believe that blah blah blah blah." By the time it got to me it was as though I was reading a writhing epistle of stupidity.

It wasn't as though I DISAGREED with some of the sentiments...it's that I DON'T FUCKING CARE. I am being paid to do certain tasks at work, not to listen to you blather on and on for twenty minutes about how you agree with/disagree with abortion/the death penalty/gun control.

I also do not want to receive emails bitching about the job. I like my job. I like having a job. Sure, I get frustrated with it sometimes. But company emails are notoriously not private, and while we are very fortunate to work for a company that is lenient on the personal email policy, I doubt they will smile upon your calling the boss a douchebag.

Today I responded to the bitch fest that was the political forward with "why would you want to eat at a restaurant that tries to make up for second rate food by advertising generic political sentiments? Doesn't that insult your intelligence?" Then I asked that my name be removed from the "reply all" queue.

This caused various people to stop by my desk and say things such as "yeah, but wasn't it great how that person put his thoughts out there?"

"No" I said. "I like to think for myself." I followed it with "I'm sorry, but I have to get this project out today."

Maybe I'm being a crankypants, but I really think that discussing certain topics at work should be restricted to small groups, not whole email lists. And only then when you're at lunch, or maybe doing some mindless repetitive task together----NOT when the poor person you are talking at is trying to figure out interest or something. And it should be done quietly. But that's not how it happens. Some loudmouths will come stand right next to me and talk loudly about all sorts of things, being sure to throw in lots of disgusting and TOTALLY irrelevant personal details. Today I heard about how someone's mom was molested by a family member as a child. At top volume. WHY? WHY WOULD YOU TELL AN ALMOST-STRANGER THAT DETAIL? GEEZ!

And of course, it's always people who are more opinionated than smart. They're the people who seem to forget that we're all there to work together, and that bringing up subjects best discussed in a more casual setting is NOT the way to make people feel comfortable with each other.

Lastly, I see sending around certain emails to half of the office as sort of passive aggressive. They're very "if you don't get the humor you're WRONG."

So dudes. Stop with the too-personal discussion, especially in company emails. If you REALLY care THAT much, ask me out for coffee and talks after work, don't blindside me when I'm trying to keep up with the things I am being paid to do.