Why Do I Have to Opt Out?

I didn't opt in for all the junk email from these so called 'Social Networks' like Grouply that are trying to get members by having new members spam everyone in their address books.

So why do I have to opt out? It is almost like all of the spam we receive that tell you to 'opt out' if you don't want to receive any more spam.  All of those are just trying to find out if your email address is valid.

I keep getting phone calls from various 'service' companies wanting me to have my carpet cleaned, etc. I can opt out of those calls, but I am forced to listen to the entire spiel before I am given the choice to 'opt out' by pressing a number on my phone keypad.

I didn't ask for these calls, so why do I have to 'opt out'?

I still get a lot of snail mail for stuff I don't want.  In order to stop it, I have to go through a long process. I have to write letters and then wait who knows how long before the snail spam will stop coming, if it does stop.

I didn't ask for this waste of resources that keep coming into my mailbox, so why do I have to 'opt out'?

I suppose there are some legitmate reasons for sending all that junk to me, but I don't want that junk. Why do I have to 'opt out'!

I don't want any more mail from American Express wanting me to apply for their card.

I don't want that Grouply spam or any of the other 'Social network' spam that tricks new member into sending 'invitations' to everyone in their address book.

(These uninvited invitations are sent out because most of the wording is such that new members don't realize they are giving these jerks permission to go into their address books. Why they don't realize it I don't know; they gave them their user name and password! What did they think was going to happen? Why would anyone of reasonable intelligence give a strange website their user name and password for their email? I think these are the same folks that reply to  Mrs. Eki Omorodion in Nigeria.)

Martha