Fun Time: Share Your Blessings, Not Your Passwords
When you open a new bank account and set up online access to your account, a bank employee may say something like this to you: “Do not share your password with anyone!”
And you may find yourself thinking, “Of course not. Do I look like an idiot? I’m just going to save it on my computer in a file called ‘Important passwords.’”
Sharing your bank password would be like losing your ATM card with the pin written on it. Before you know it, you’ll be rolling on the floor in agony while your dog tries to comfort you, giving you a look that says, “Don’t worry. Life is just fine when you have zero dollars to your name. Who needs money when you have bones?”
Almost every website or app wants you to create an account using a password, and sharing most of these passwords is not advisable. You might suddenly find yourself promoting illicit drugs on your Facebook page, tweeting anti-vaccine messages, or emailing your friends to let them know that you lost your wallet while vacationing in Paris and need them to immediately wire money to your bank account in Nigeria.
Yes, sharing passwords is generally not a good idea, but for many people, streaming services are an exception. When it comes to passwords for Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ and other streaming services, millions of people have adopted a simple philosophy: “Sharing is caring.”
Sharing your password with your spouse or romantic partner is necessary, of course, especially since you share so many other things. Refusing to share your Netflix password would be a relationship-breaker, no different than refusing to share a drink.
But what about your children? If they’re still young and live at home, it makes sense to share your password with them, so they can stream their favorite movies to their devices. If they’re fully grown and living on their own, sharing your password with them is a good way to reward their independent dependence. It’s also a good way to maintain the family connection.
The Netflix password is basically how I communicate with one of my daughters while she’s attending college:
Text from daughter: “What’s our Netflix password?”
Me: “It’s Netflix$15.99monthly.”
One week later:
Daughter: “What’s our Netflix password again?”
Me: “It’s NetflixLowersYourGrades!”
Daughter: “Did you change it?”
Me: “Yes.”
Daughter: “Why?
Me: “Because I wanted to hear from you.”
Two weeks later:
Daughter: “Did you change our Netflix password again?”
Me: “Yes, it’s DontYouWannaGotoMedSchool?”
Daughter: “I do, but the password is not for me. It’s for my friends. You are very popular with them.”
People have been sharing passwords for years, but in recent months Netflix has been cracking down on this practice, compelling those who do not live in the same household to get their own accounts. As a result, the company has gained more than eight million subscribers, increasing its revenue and improving its all-important subscriber-to-freeloader ratio. Of course, many people will continue to share passwords, even if it involves an extra hurdle, such as sharing an access code once a week.
Jonathon: “Hey sis, can I have the access code?”
Yolanda: “786321.”
Jonathan: “Thanks sis. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Yolanda: “I do. It’s called Venmo.”
Jonathan: “LOL. Speaking of Venmo, can you share your password with me?”
More of ChaiTime here:
http://www.khabar.com/magazine/chaitime/
Compiled and partly written by Indian humorist MELVIN DURAI, author of the novel Bala Takes the Plunge.
[Comments? Contributions? We would love to hear from you about Chai Time. If you have contributions, please email us at melvin@melvindurai.com. We welcome jokes, quotes, online clips, and more.]
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