Computer Herpes

I was watching a segment of 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago about computer viruses. Most are received on your own recognizance. Usually the virus is embedded in a link and downloaded to your computer when you click on it. How do they make you click on it? One particular virus gathers your friends email addresses via chain letters you forward. Once it does that, it allows the planter of the virus to send an email to everybody on the email list with a subject line like: check out my new dog. Once you click on the link to the pictures of the dog, you're infected. Who doesn't want to see a pictures of a cute little puppy? You're going to click on it. It's ridiculous. I'm scared to even use email. I have to call my friends to see if they really sent me something.
“Hey man, I got an email saying that you got a new puppy. Is that true? Were there pictures attached? Cool, I’ll open it up then.”
I thought the purpose of email was that it was quick and easy. If I have to call and confirm every email with an attachment I'd rather be surprised when I receive pictures of Fido via snail mail than use email and be surprised when my computer gets the Swine Flu.