Idealogian

A.E. (Artificial Emotion)

From: SQLFT4@elal.co.il
To: reuven53@aol.com

Dear WEISER REUVEN,

Best wishes for a very happy birthday.
We thank you for choosing El Al as your carrier
and wish you the best of health and success in all your endeavors.

Sigal Atzmon
Director of Marketing Division
El Al Israel Airlines

At first I was almost a little bit touched by the e-mail. How nice of them to remember my birthday, and even send me a cute little picture (which I've made a bit smaller for this page) of a plane with balloons (especially after my mother and I were just reminiscing about the movie "The Red Balloon").

But then I thought - how manipulative of them to write some cheap computer program to send me an automated e-mail on my birthday, in the hopes that it might win them some emotional favor in my eyes (and some financial favor from my wallet). They couldn't even address it to me as if I were an actual human being; I'm just "WEISER REUVEN."

Plus they're a day off, though I guess technically it's already the 17^th in Israel.

Am I being too cynical? I'm not usually this way. I guess that's what old age'll do to you.