Another Viral Meme

Over the last few days, I've received this email several times :

On vacation with his parents in Thailand, this two-year old boy was separated from his parents in the tsunami. In the hope that this email will land, eventually, in the inbox of a family member, please forward this to everyone in your contact list. If you recognize him, please contact Dr. Anuroj Tharasiriroj of Phuket International Hospital, +66 76 249-400, http://www.phuket-inter-hospital.co.th/

I thank you all for extending kindness to this boy. With kind regards, Tess Ruktapurana (See attached file:

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure that little boy is the Swedish tourist who was reunited with his father when his uncle recognized his pictures on the internet.

If this is the case, then this viral meme has reached the goal of its creator, and is now roaming in the wild for its own purpose : continued existence. I'm ambivalent about this one. I'm glad the little boy is back with his dad, and clearly, it happened faster with this viral meme unleashed than it would have happened otherwise, although I'm sure it would have anyway. Yet, this kinda chain-letter viral meme really brings out the spam-hater in me. On balance, I guess I'll let it go. Just this once.

But I will point all people sending me that email to this post. <= That, ladies and gentlemen, is my first self-referential post... w00t!

UPDATE : Read my further thoughts on this here.

Location : Beauvais, France