Amway Part II

[trinacriabob]

OK, so I go to one of the chain bookstores and am sitting in the cafe peacefully looking at travel books. This NERD, mid 40s or more, who has "the day planner" sits next to me and starts chatting me up. The approach is all too familiar. I cut him off coolly.

Soon enough, this kid sits down with him (obviously pre-arranged) and starts doing the usual pitch, including the tag line "the only way to make money is to trade time for..." or something like that. (I have been approached at least 25 times at B&N, Borders, Starbucks or the gym with a multi-level come on and have heard this over the last 10 years or so).

I got up to throw away my cup and told him off loud enough for everyone to hear "I don't appreciate being chatted up with the ulterior motive of multi-level marketing. You are a loser and people at these places don't want to be approached for your kind of crap. They are here to check out the books or have a drink. This is THEIR time." He dismissed it.

I then went to the manager. The manager went over to him, and I followed, and asked him if he was soliticing. He denied it and I went for his throat again, loud enough for everyone to hear. If he started it on me, despite my cutting it off, and then proceeds to explain multi-level to the guy he's sitting with, the intent was to solicit. I told him "You need to take it elsewhere" loud enough for everyone to hear. I was fuming. He got up and left the store. A couple of people around me nodded.

Sidebar: I have had awesome conversations about travel, cars, jobs and the economy with perfect strangers at such places and am open to that....in those cases, there was no ulterior motive, just a sincere interest in having a conversation about a common interest.

What have you done with such "pimple on the ass of the earth" garbage when approached?

[Oracle of Delphi]

I think they just wanted to have sex with you, not have you sell Amway!

[VenSeattle]

I think they just wanted to have sex with you, not have you sell Amway!

Good Grief... That comment brought flashbacks of Jay Mohr & Scott Wolf in the movie Go.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I never saw that movie, but if you say so.

[ocnblu]

Ven, you make me want to go to Blockbuster, I haven't seen that movie in years.

[trinacriabob]

Ven, you make me want to go to Blockbuster, I haven't seen that movie in years.

What is this movie? Like an "Office Space" or such pop-culture comedy?

[mustang84]

My friend in Scamway/Quixtar is still trying to get me to buy his product he's selling, even though he's given up on me joining the MLM. I've been approached three times, all at college, by people trying to get me to join this Quixtar crap. It's pretty easy for them to hook a few young, impressionable freshmen. Promises of easy money if you just come to a 30 minute meeting with drinks and food afterward. How many college kids are going to turn down free food?

[trinacriabob]

I've been approached three times, all at college, by people trying to get me to join this Quixtar crap. It's pretty easy for them to hook a few young, impressionable freshmen. Promises of easy money if you just come to a 30 minute meeting with drinks and food afterward.

It's probably not your style, but as you can see, I've gotten hostile....and I want to embarrass these people in a public place in front of others, given the opportunity.

As far as the post-college adults go, NOT ONE OF THEM has a normal demanding career such as doctor/lawyer/architect/consultant/CPA/etc. They are all cogs in a wheel buried deep in the bowels of an organization, because if they were satisifed with their jobs/income, they wouldn't have the time and desire to do this.

I mean, what loser wants to invest their evenings to lurk around bookstores or coffee places to bait people? They are nothing short of SICKENING.

[mustang84]

I mean, what loser wants to invest their evenings to lurk around bookstores or coffee places to bait people? They are nothing short of SICKENING.

I think part of it is that they're to entrenched in either debt from buying the "motivational" videos or they have just been brainwashed to do nothing but recruit recruit recruit. Most of these people don't seem to have much in the way of self-esteem anyway. Those with common sense know MLM's will never work and the only ones making the money are the ones at the top.

[CARBIZ]

I think part of it is that they're to entrenched in either debt from buying the "motivational" videos or they have just been brainwashed to do nothing but recruit recruit recruit. Most of these people don't seem to have much in the way of self-esteem anyway. Those with common sense know MLM's will never work and the only ones making the money are the ones at the top.

I have gone to a couple of these type of recruiting seminars, once for Primamerica and more recently at a travel agency pyramid scam...er, I mean scheme. Brainwashing is too nice a way to put it. I felt like I was in a bad episode of the Twilight Zone.

All of these pyramid schemes are the same: a great idea for those who got in early, but overall just another tax on the stupid.

[daves87rs]

I have gone to a couple of these type of recruiting seminars, once for Primamerica and more recently at a travel agency pyramid scam...er, I mean scheme. Brainwashing is too nice a way to put it. I felt like I was in a bad episode of the Twilight Zone.

All of these pyramid schemes are the same: a great idea for those who got in early, but overall just another tax on the stupid.

Premamerica is really bad..I swear every time I update my resume'-I get a call from them...

I got sucked into a seminar a few times (one guy was really good at hiding it), but no more...

[staceface]

I get solicited by a financial services group all the time. Too bad math isn't my first love! LOL

Years ago, I remember the vacuum cleaner people would come around and give you a "free gift" (usually a box of kleenex, etc.) if they could do a demo. I fell for it once, they cleaned my carpet, and i was forever on their phone list to join their ranks, and have other salespeople working for me (totally recruiting and pyramiding)

One time, I opened the door and this salesman hands me a box of kleenex and says he'll be right back. He then heads to the back of his van. The minute I realize what's coming I start telling him no, i don't have time, not today, thanks anyway. This arrogant dickhead unloads the whole vacuum and starts back towards the house with this smirk on his face! I was sooooo pissed, i couldn't think of what to do, so i whipped the box of kleenex at him, and the little corner of the box caught him in the forehead and made him bleed a little. I couldn't help it, i started laughing my head off and slammed the door. (to the salesman's credit, he started laughing too, i think at that point he didn't realize he was bleeding!) I must be on some solicitor's "crazy and dangerous" list, since i never saw another salesman, and they stopped phoning.

Now I wouldn't recommend the "draw blood"approach for everyone, but it worked for me! LOL

[trinacriabob]

I was sooooo pissed, i couldn't think of what to do, so i whipped the box of kleenex at him, and the little corner of the box caught him in the forehead and made him bleed a little.

Their insulting persistence gets them exactly that. Good for you, actually.

[ocnblu]

Oh I lead them on with the most inane questions and answers I can muster until they realize I am making fun of them.

[Drew Dowdell]

If the next one is cute like the last one was, I may try hitting on him.......

[Paolino]

What have you done with such "pimple on the ass of the earth" garbage when approached?

I usually stop their speech and send them to the bookstore, and tell them to aim for people sitting alone and reading.

[BatmanGTO]

You could start rubbing your nipples?

[ocnblu]

lawl

[K.C.]

I am not a fan of soliciters. I have done everything but ask them for their home number so I can call them back, to shaking the hand of a Jehovah's Witness and then saying, "My name is K.C. You're now gay because my gay germs on my hand have spread to yours." The look on his face was priceless.

Once we were at a store and we were solicited outside by some religious cult. My son Rocco, without missing a beat, said, "My pop here is the person who Dr. Evil was patterned after, so you better leave him alone because I just bought him sharks with fricken laser beams on them." I was lawling all over the place!

[vonVeezelsnider]

There's a place @ the Calgary Farmers Market that I'm thinking is a cult... I was buying some food there and I got a strange awkward pitch about children being the future and the defining generation of our society... It was kinda weird... Sufficient to say, I switched Polish Delis!

Edited September 24, 2007 by vonVeezelsnider

[K.C.]

Wow. Where was this place in CGY?

[vonVeezelsnider]

Wow. Where was this place in CGY?

The Farmer's Market on the old Currie Barracks.... I'd been going there for a while and getting they were giving me a frequent discount but they seemed a little strange, friendly, if you get what you mean, I picked up on something in what he said, it was weird, it could just be me being paranoid, but the way the till guy said it was really strange, broken up, almost forced and unemotional... My first thought was CULT...

It's likely that I could've been way off on my judgment, but the other Deli has better Borscht anyway.

[Camino LS6]

I love it when the Jehovah's Witness or the Mormons come knocking. They start telling me about God and I start telling them what I really think of religion. :AH-HA_wink:

They leave quickly.

It's great sport!

[ocnblu]

Next time, unzip and just pull out your balls. Then stand there as if everything's normal.

[K.C.]

Next time, unzip and just pull out your balls. Then stand there as if everything's normal.

:rotflmao: Are you speaking from experience 'blu?

On second thought, nevermind. I don't wanna know.

[K.C.]

The Farmer's Market on the old Currie Barracks.... I'd been going there for a while and getting they were giving me a frequent discount but they seemed a little strange, friendly, if you get what you mean, I picked up on something in what he said, it was weird, it could just be me being paranoid, but the way the till guy said it was really strange, broken up, almost forced and unemotional... My first thought was CULT...

It's likely that I could've been way off on my judgment, but the other Deli has better Borscht anyway.

Been to the CGY Farmers Market many times and have never had that happen. I don't blame you for going to the other Deli though.

[vonVeezelsnider]

I love it when the Jehovah's Witness or the Mormons come knocking. They start telling me about God and I start telling them what I really think of religion. :AH-HA_wink:

They leave quickly.

It's great sport!

Years ago (~20 years) my parents were in Hawaii during the Easter Season and caught wind of a "Stations of the Cross" play in a park... It was put on by the Mormon Church and my mom wanted a T-Shirt or some free offer and ended up putting their name and address on some sheet and after that it was like there was a beacon on the roof of their house . It was actually a contributing factor in their decision to move two years later.

Just last year, one day I thought It would be nice to come home to have a quiet lunch... As I turned onto my street, i saw them 5 doors down... I rushed into my house, checked my voicemail, and peeled out of my driveway towards A&W just as they were approaching my house... You SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES! :AH-HA_wink:

[K.C.]

Would you like to make a donation to the Church of Religious Consciousness?

[Robert Hall]

It's wierd, but I've been approached and annoyed by young Jesus freaks twice on the Santa Monica Pier...once I was waiting for my then-g/f to come out of the Bubba Gump restauant, another time looking at the very cool Yahoo! custom '61 Olds 88 that was on display (Labour Day weekend, 2004).

They come up and ask if I have a personal relationship with Jesus.. I think I said something to the affect that I was a secular humanist functional realist and that I was a wannabe Jew (my ex-g/f is Jewish).

These people really irritate me with their presumptousness...

[vonVeezelsnider]

It's wierd, but I've been approached and annoyed by young Jesus freaks twice on the Santa Monica Pier...once I was waiting for my then-g/f to come out of the Bubba Gump restauant, another time looking at the very cool Yahoo! custom '61 Olds 88 that was on display (Labour Day weekend, 2004).

They come up and ask if I have a personal relationship with Jesus.. I think I said something to the affect that I was a secular humanist functional realist and that I was a wannabe Jew (my ex-g/f is Jewish).

These people really irritate me with their presumptousness...

That sound's like the crazy lady I ran into @ Dalhousie Bus Station one day that said to a friend of mine with long hair that 'when Jesus comes back' he's gonna kill everybody with long hair, so get it cut now!

[trinacriabob]

It was put on by the Mormon Church and my mom wanted a T-Shirt or some free offer and ended up putting their name and address on some sheet and after that it was like there was a beacon on the roof of their house . It was actually a contributing factor in their decision to move two years later.

I started the thread on multi-level marketing but funny that it moved over toward religion. I have heard both Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses referred to as "Amway religion." I guess that packaged mentality is what I find bothersome, being such a non-conformist from when I was a little kid. (Even though I was raised and identify as Catholic, I don't buy into it 100% as some of it is a little out of touch).

I have NOT liked virtually all of the practicing Mormons I have met and only know ONE Jehovah's Witness and he was the nicest guy that would have never ever preached to anyone...I had no clue of his religion until I saw he was omitted off the birthday list in the office (they don't celebrate them).

I dislike the herd mentality.

[Robert Hall]

That sound's like the crazy lady I ran into @ Dalhousie Bus Station one day that said to a friend of mine with long hair that 'when Jesus comes back' he's gonna kill everybody with long hair, so get it cut now!

The irony of that is, of course,is that Jesus (at least the Christian depiction of him) had long hair...kind of the proto-hippie look w/ the beard and sandals.

[RichW5]

My brother-in-law from Florida recently got involved with an MLM (Pyramid scheme) called Team National. He's a smart guy, but was a salesman for most of his working life and a teacher for a short while. Both jobs seem to dumb you down.

My wife thinks he's the greatest guy in the world, but I resent that he brought one of his Team National hustlers to our house a few weekends ago. The guy wouldn't let us talk about anything but Team National. He made 5 or 6 calls to other TN hustlers and let them go on about how much money we could make with TN and how TN has changed their lives.

Then they left at 5am the next morning, so they could stop at a sporting goods store on their way to Michigan for another Team National promo.

What crap. I will never trust this brother-in-law again. His wife (my wife's sister) recently opened a coffee shop and has another scheduled for the first of next year. You would think that he would be working for the success of the coffee shops (Beaners Coffee) instead of hustling for an MLM.

Just read in the web that Beaners Coffee is becoming Biggs Coffee due to the use of the word "beaner". I hope the brother-in-law has fun changing all those signs.