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Hallmark Releases "Sorry You Lost Your Job" Sympathy Cards
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 27, 2011
Modified Sep 27, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Sep 27, 2011
Modified Sep 27, 2011
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Nothing takes the sting out of getting laid off like a bottle of Night Train and a good cry. But Hallmark thinks we can do better, and in the spirit of our country's 9.1% unemployment rate, the company that sells feelings for $3 has created a new category: "Loss of Job." The cards will sit next to the "Sorry I Screwed My Stepdad" and "Our Condolences About Your Back Hair" sections.
One card takes the serious route, noting that "your job is not who you are. You have many great qualities, and that's what really matters." It should be noted that "good qualities" cannot be used to pay down a mortgage, credit card debt, or student loans. The second, "cute" card boasts a talking dog who tells you, "Don't think of it as losing your job. Think of it as a break between bad bosses." Oh, yeah? Don't think of getting neutered as "getting your testicles chopped off," think of it as, "A way to finally become a castrato and sing at the Met."
A psychologist and CBS Early Show contributor says the cards aren't a bad idea, because, "The more you talk about something, the better off it can be." Closely behind "talking" on the list of effective therapeutic actions is "punching." Specifically, punching anyone who hands you a card trivializing the loss of your job.
Tagged
economy
greeting cards
hallmark
obama
sadness
sympathy
Unemployment
wall street
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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