One of the things I find curious and humorous at the same time is how people who defend Amway often will not allow opposing viewpoints on their Amway propaganda blogs and forums. They will post an article and allow no comments or will not allow comments unless they are positive and paint a rosy picture about Amway. Amway's biggest defender IBOFightback, banned me from his truth about amway blog recently for no reason. In fact I posted only a handful of comments there in years and the comments were truthful and not attacks, yet he felt my presence needed to be excluded from his blog perhaps because the truth itself is negative about Amway. I suppose though, that David Steadson's (IBOFB) lack of credibility (in my book) makes the banning a minor issue. His website is filled with pro Amway folks who back up Amway, even bad practices at times. I guess when you see the world through rose colored glasses. you don't see the reality.
I also had an exchange not too long ago with an IBO via email. He also runs a pro Amway blog but hasn't been active recently. He doesn't allow comments on his blog unless they praise Amway. I just don't understand why the need to put spin on the truth. It is a fact that the average Amway IBO earns very little and that most IBOs make little or nothing. Many who participate in the training sessions end up losing money. Those are tidbits that match up with my experience. It is usually former IBOs who can verify this claim. Seems that current IBOs do not admit they are losing money. As an IBO, I was taught "fake it till you make it". That suggests that you appear successful until you actually go diamond or whatever. In the end, a pig with lipstick on it is still a pig.
Joecool allows opposing views on this blog. Even some comments that are critical of me are allowed. I even had some (I presume) IBOs who left threats on this blog. I suspect that one or some of them also sent me threats via email. Still, I allow most comments on here. I do not allow racist or extremely hateful comments, or comments with spam. I have nothing to hide when it comes to my views on Amway. So what do Amway apologists and IBOs have to hide? Would it be damaging to have the truth on your blog or forum? Is the internet already inundated with negative Amway information and comments?
I believe Amway is partly to blame. The AMO's (Amway Motivational Organiztions) such as Network 21, WWDB or BWW are the ones who say and do unethical things. Amway is the only entity who can take action against these groups but it appears that substantial action is lacking and therefore, these groups continue to teach bad business practices which filter down to many IBOs and contributes to Amway having a bad reputation. I guess Amway is sleeping in the bed they made. Until some bad practices are stopped or corrected, there will continue to be people who had a bad experience in Amway. It is what it is. Amway started an accreditation program to curb abuse but that practice appears of the surface to be a paper tiger (no teeth).
6 comments:
Ibofb,Bridget and others can try to put a positive spin on Amway and tools. But I'm north america its a sinking ship. Still high failure rate and hardly any new diamonds over here. I like to roll my eyes when I read ibofb make Greg Duncan's bankruptcy sound positive. If the scam was so great. David steadson would be out building it and not hours a day defending
Joecool...
It just happened to me again. I had written an extensive comment, and when I hit the 'preview' button it all disappeared. I suppose that is what happens to IBO money when they follow their kingpin leaders into the Amway labyrinth.
I too post most of the pro-Amway comments according to your philosophy. I've also had to delete many good comments simply because they have span attached to them.
Amway's accreditation program is just a means to claim 'plausible deniability.' It seems like there is some evidence that Rich DeVos was appalled by the hi-jinx of' many of the Amway kingpins (to include the likes of Dexter Yager.) The AMO's may have taken the Amway business off in directions the DeVos did not necessarily approve of. That being said, he sure has profited to the extreme by their ever worsening operations. Much like many of the old school Mafia didn't approve of underlings involving themselves in the lucrative drug trade. They, nor DeVos turned down the payoff.
Amway IBOs are generally victims of 'thought control' and in the end lose their ability to free thought. They buy into the lies which they believe will bring them the boats, cars, and mansions in the end. They believe they can duplicate the success of the few kingpins to their own undoing. In the end they may say that their loses were attributed to wanting to take the minor discount on the Amway goods. This is Amway's new spin on their 'product pyramid scheme'. They shrug off all those that lose money as merely being customers who joined only to enjoy the benefit of buying at the discount, never actually intending to pursue the 'dream.' This is an asinine lie, especially as it pertains to those IBOs who buy the required amount of PV to remain alive in the carefully devised pathway to financial freedom.
I, nor you seek to make enemies of the true believers, but in the end it is unavoidable. As my friend David Brear says: "Truth is the enemy of all cults."
IBOFB knows everything about Amway but it hasnt translated to any substantial success that I know of. Even if he did achieve something, it would come at the expense of his downline. You're right, they try to spin everything into positive and sometimes they do more harm than good.
QIAC, thanks for the comment and long time no see. People like IBOFB have cognitive dissonance and narcissism. But you already knew that.
What makes this cult more insidious is they get the victims to blame themselves. "I didn't try hard enough", etc etc. In the end, very few people come back to seek refunds or write their experiences on the internet. For that reason, I have stayed active in the fight. Many of my articles now are re-prints but it keeps my blog up in the search rankings. You should consider doing the same.
I believe Amway is a barely legal scheme. It is why there are settlements and things, Do you notice how IBOs often say "we don't do that anymore"? That means they were doing something scammy prior to that. And on it goes for deades now.
My blog surely can't stop a billion dollar corporation but it can provide information to those who seek it so at least they know the truth if they decide to join. Some may opt to seek a different option and that is my victory.
Hi Joe
You make some great points that I can personally relate to.
My brother recently bought into a lawn mowing franchise on the advice that if he put in the work, he’d make more money, enjoy more freedom and a better lifestyle.
I work at a university as an auditor and I’m smart enough to know a manipulative scam when I see it.
After paying some money for equity in the franchise, he tried to make a go of it without much success – he wasn’t able to convince people to pay for the service or find anyone to work with him. All of this in addition to his full-time job of school teacher.
I understand that a very small number of these operators make a good income, no doubt through the hard work of others that they exploit. Do you know what percentage of new lawn mowing franchises succeed past the first 6 months? I looked into it – it’s miniscule, yet they continue to promote it as a realistic “opportunity”.
Despite my brother continuing to say how he wanted to keep trying and that he hadn’t been duped, I knew that he’d been brainwashed by his hypnotic “friends”. I blame them for his decision to try and get ahead by making a small investment of his money and time into something that he couldn’t make work.
It’s another clear example of the “thought control” ability possessed by evil leaders of businesses all around the globe.
I tell him every day to quit and that he can’t possibly succeed. I’ve contacted the business and demanded a refund for the wampum that he’s paid for – all they say is that he is free to on sell his equipment if he wants to.
I’d really appreciate it if you could direct your awesome fact based campaign against these racketeers. There’s a labyrinth of deceptive grass cutting businesses around the globe, with copycat operations popping up everywhere!
As you say “Truth is the enemy of all cults” and I can’t wait for the kingpins of this lawn mowing mafia to be brought to justice for their ability to delude people in a way that makes them incapable of independent thought or personal accountability.
It sounds like your brother didn't do hi due diligence when looking into his lawn cutting business. Much like Amway, many people lower their guards when approached by an Amway rep. In my case, a good friend sponsored me. A friend that I trusted. Thus I didn't question him too much until it became evident that our upline leaders were lying.
But even then, I could not convince my friend that the leaders were lying to us about the tools. He had bought in hook like and sinker.
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