MLMs have a set of rules and coaching they establish as a system, and this system is designed under the assumption that when followed properly success is achievable. These systems come in many different forms, but the message is always the same, if you follow the system you will win, and if you don't follow the system you will lose. This design allows MLMs to shift responsibility and blame to the MLMer, because they will always be able to find a way to excuse themselves. They have many different ways to make themselves sound pure and authentic, and they are prepared to make the MLMer look very bad when they are unable to achieve the success they say is achievable.
These systems require blind obedience and unwavering faith as they continue to promote new teachings. An MLM proponent by the name of John Maxwell insists that teaching never ends, and there is always a new message that needs to be expressed. He suggests that his endless books and mantras are all valuable and continues to hold lectures in MLMs, even though he isn't actually an MLMer, teaching people how to be successful leaders.
MLMs have been around for decades, and the systems are consistently being reported as having a one hundred percent success rate. Yet, when you look at the income disclosure statements and the research on actual success within MLM, the results suggest they are far from perfect. Most MLMs boast a measly one percent success rate in turning a profit, and an even lower success rate for achieving the million dollar lifestyle. At some point, it has to be noted that these systems are inherently flawed, and there is no amount of dedication that will get an MLMer to their goals or dreams.
When MLMers are confronted with the glaringly bad facts the retorts continue to be the same. The MLMers didn't try hard enough, they didn't follow the system exactly as described, or they are quitters. Nobody is taking responsibility for the decades of time and effort that was put into these failing systems, and everyone is ready to pass the blame. How can there be guaranteed success when the numbers of failures have not diminished? How can these perfect systems continue to exist when nobody is attempting to identify the extreme inconsistencies? Why are people so quick to pass the blame, instead of trying to address the problem for future MLMers?
The chicanery of the systems is clearly a ruse. It is an excuse engine and a manipulation technique. It is a method to keep people blindly faithful while alleviating the painful reality of the failure rates. It is a facade, a ruse, a ploy to ensure more people's bank accounts are left with less and less money. There are rules in business about such terms as one hundred percent success, guarantee, fool-proof. This is strictly prohibited when entering a business venture, or involving yourself in any form of money making opportunity, because nobody can predict the outcome.
If you have a story involving abuses from your upline and would like me to share it on this blog as a guest post, then please e-mail me and I will be more than happy to post it! Your stories are not as unique as you may think, and your stories are some of the most impactful resources we have to fight MLMs. I will keep your anonymity upon request.
These systems require blind obedience and unwavering faith as they continue to promote new teachings. An MLM proponent by the name of John Maxwell insists that teaching never ends, and there is always a new message that needs to be expressed. He suggests that his endless books and mantras are all valuable and continues to hold lectures in MLMs, even though he isn't actually an MLMer, teaching people how to be successful leaders.
MLMs have been around for decades, and the systems are consistently being reported as having a one hundred percent success rate. Yet, when you look at the income disclosure statements and the research on actual success within MLM, the results suggest they are far from perfect. Most MLMs boast a measly one percent success rate in turning a profit, and an even lower success rate for achieving the million dollar lifestyle. At some point, it has to be noted that these systems are inherently flawed, and there is no amount of dedication that will get an MLMer to their goals or dreams.
When MLMers are confronted with the glaringly bad facts the retorts continue to be the same. The MLMers didn't try hard enough, they didn't follow the system exactly as described, or they are quitters. Nobody is taking responsibility for the decades of time and effort that was put into these failing systems, and everyone is ready to pass the blame. How can there be guaranteed success when the numbers of failures have not diminished? How can these perfect systems continue to exist when nobody is attempting to identify the extreme inconsistencies? Why are people so quick to pass the blame, instead of trying to address the problem for future MLMers?
The chicanery of the systems is clearly a ruse. It is an excuse engine and a manipulation technique. It is a method to keep people blindly faithful while alleviating the painful reality of the failure rates. It is a facade, a ruse, a ploy to ensure more people's bank accounts are left with less and less money. There are rules in business about such terms as one hundred percent success, guarantee, fool-proof. This is strictly prohibited when entering a business venture, or involving yourself in any form of money making opportunity, because nobody can predict the outcome.
If you have a story involving abuses from your upline and would like me to share it on this blog as a guest post, then please e-mail me and I will be more than happy to post it! Your stories are not as unique as you may think, and your stories are some of the most impactful resources we have to fight MLMs. I will keep your anonymity upon request.
One of the things my old LOS (WWDB) used to say was to look at the fruit on the tree. For WWDB, the tree is bare. There are very few new diamonds (if any) in North America and there are actually fewer diamonds now than when I was an IBO back in the 1990's.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, there were something like 5 or 6 diamonds in Hawaii where I live, back then, and I only know of 1 now (Matt Tsuruda). The rest either passed away or moved to the mainland US.
Joe,
DeleteThank you for your personal experience. I'm in shock that Hawaii can still have a diamond considering how long Amway has been out there. It seems, much like your Amway island story, that it should have come through like small pox and wiped out a generation, and then essentially disappeared once everyone figured out how bad it is.
John - The 'systems' used in 'MLM' cults are neither original nor unique and, consequently, they cannot be fully-understood in isolation. In 'MLM' cults these 'systems' have invariably been peddled as 'proven plans to achieve total financial freedom,' yet mountains of evidence prove that they have transformed a significant number of vulnerable human beings into de facto slaves - unthinking, jargon spouting, humourless robots. These so-called 'MLM systems' are actually plans to commit social, psychological and financial suicide.
ReplyDelete'Amway' has been a classic perverted esoteric game of make-believe, involving chronic players handing over their time and money in an increasingly desperate attempt to climb through parallel pyramids of 'obedience' and of 'secrets.'
Chronic Ambots have been deceived into believing that at the summit of these parallel pyramids lies a secure Utopian existence where everyone is happy, healthy, prosperous and free.
David,
DeleteI would recommend watching the movie, "Holy Hell", as it pertains to a current cult, the buddhafield. It is an extremely strange story of people turning to a man, that was a failed actor/pornstar and a dancer, for enlightenment as they refer to him as "The Master".
I believe this leader is still active and is currently operating this cult in Hawaii. He started it over 20 years ago, and would appear to have mastered the art of deception.
All Utopian thought leads eventually to slavery and degradation. The history of the world since the French Revolution is ample proof of that.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
DeleteInteresting factoid! It is amazing how a simple premise, such as a higher power or a prosperous afterlife can spiral so many people to do lunatic-like behaviors.
The MLM contradictions are endless, however one fav is that while they talk down about J-O-B-S, evil corporations, and university educations, you will find their executive board members and senior managers at the corporate office all have J-O-B-S and university educations and earn 1000's of times what the typical reps makes.
ReplyDeleteTolobelt,
DeleteGood observation! I'll take it even a step further and suggest the MLMers are actually trading their free time for part-time or full-time jobs (slavery). They call it owning your own "business", but what does owning your own business entail? Oh yeah, work...and showing up regularly to do a job as an owner.
They say corporations are evil, but they are all incorporated. They say all university educations are a rip off, and they have a 99% failure rate.
This is a form of cognitive dissonance mixed with projection. It is easy for MLMs and MLMers to project the feelings they have about their "business" onto very legitimate and real opportunities, and they utilize denial and cognitive dissonance to further convince themselves they are not delusional yuppies.
Since the late 1940s, effectively all so-called 'MLM business owners' have been wasting their time and money. The number of so-called 'MLM businesses' which have been created, but then vanished, is now so vast that it cannot be accurately calculated.
DeleteQuite a number of journalists have contacted me over the years wanting information/analysis of various 'MLM' groups. A number of these journalists have then come back to me and used the term, 'down the rabbit hole,' to describe what they had begun to uncover. ie. They have realised that what 'MLM' cults bosses and their adherents/propagandists pretend to be reality, and what is quantifiable reality, are completely different.
Let's face it, 'MLM' has always been, and will always be, just the made-up technical (and impressive) sounding title for a self-perpetuating, pay-through-the-nose-to-play game of make-believe.
To put it even more bluntly: 'MLM' cults have been schools for psychotics, and in the very worst cases, schools for psychopaths.