Some debates over Amway recently churned up some accusations once again about critics being "dream stealers". I thought I would address this but first I wanted to print the definition of a dream from dictionary.com:
dream
[dreem] Show IPA noun, verb, dreamed or dreamt, dream⋅ing, adjective
Use dreams in a Sentence
–noun
1. a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.
2. the sleeping state in which this occurs.
3. an object seen in a dream.
4. an involuntary vision occurring to a person when awake.
5. a vision voluntarily indulged in while awake; daydream; reverie.
6. an aspiration; goal; aim: A trip to Europe is his dream.
7. a wild or vain fancy.
8. something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence.
–verb (used without object) 9. to have a dream.
10. to indulge in daydreams or reveries: He dreamed about vacation plans when he should have been working.
11. to think or conceive of something in a very remote way (usually fol. by of): I wouldn't dream of asking them.
–verb (used with object) 12. to see or imagine in sleep or in a vision.
13. to imagine as if in a dream; fancy; suppose.
14. to pass or spend (time) in dreaming (often fol. by away): to dream away the afternoon.
–adjective 15. most desirable; ideal: a dream vacation.
—Verb phrase
16. dream up, to form in the imagination; devise: They dreamed up the most impossible plan.
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Based on these definitions, I do not see how it is possible for anyone to steal a dream. This dream stealing verbage is just more upline propaganda designed to get IBOs to shut off their critical thinking skills and to blindly commit themselves to buying more standing orders and function tickets, whose profit goes into the pockets of your beloved upline leaders. It the the upline's concern likely because the upline is selling dreams! Selling unrealistic dreams of retiring and walking the beaches of the world. Dreams that will never come true for the vast majority of IBOs.
I believe #6 is the most appropriate definition for an IBO. A long term goal. But if an IBO's long term goal is retirement and riches, they should analyze their involvement in the Amway business and determine if that is the appropriate vehicle to achieve their goals. For the vast majority of people, this is not the appropriate vehicle and facts confirm this. It's a matter of whether or not an IBO was told to ignore the facts by his/her upline.
Joe, this is an interesting and informative post.
ReplyDeleteYes, for Amway types a "dream" means some sort of goal or aspiration or aim. But when you are in Amway, some dreams get more respect than others. If you tell your up-line that your dream is to make a few extra hundred dollars every month, and nothing more, he'll look at you with pitying contempt. And he'll say "your dream isn't big enough." And then he'll spout a lot of bullshit about fancy cars and big mansions and private jets and trips around the world. And (of course!) walking the beaches of the world.
If you're in Amway, you're expected to have BIG dreams that involve getting huge sums of money that will insure your place in the pantheon of Amway Heroes, like Charlie Marsh and Dexter Yager and Ron Puryear and all the other fat-assed, lying buffoons. If you have a small and not very ambitious dream, you'll be scorned.
Ironically, it's fairly simple to attain the dream of riches in the United States if you are a hard worker with intelligence and persistence. It might not be major riches in the high millions, but it will certainly be plenty. But doing it through the Amway racket is guaranteed to result in a 99% failure rate.