From: noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring)
Newsgroups: alt.business.multi-level
Subject: Re: Selective Disclosure
Date: 15 Oct 92 17:10:37 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest)

In article eli.mantel@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Eli Mantel) writes:
>noring@netcom.com (Jon Noring) writes:
>>lpj@col.hp.com (Laura Johnson) writes:

>>>Why do Amway distributors often talk to you for many minutes about
>>>"this great business opportunity" without ever saying "Amway"?

>>... most people, when they hear or see something, will search their
>>memory banks for some type of emotional association.  If the associated
>>emotion is negative, they will tend to tune out any further information since
>>it would be a waste of their time ...

>This is a polite way to slam any negative feelings about MLM.  All negative
>associations are "emotional".  Couldn't possibly be that these negative
>associations have any valid basis in fact, could it?

That's one viewpoint, and if you read carefully my post, I do talk about
both sides of the issue in another place of the text.  I mention about two
sources for MLM negativity (Eli mentions a third, that is, that all
"reasonable" people already "know" that MLM is a "scam", and is "immoral" and
"unethical", or, putting it another way, that the source of the negativity is
that all "reasonable" people know the "facts" about it).  My two sources of
negativity are:

1) The efforts of the "well-poisoners" in our society who oppose MLM for no
valid reason (some people do have a valid reason to develop a negative opinion
of MLM, see #2 below).  For convoluted reasons - usually low-self esteem -
they feel their egos are threatened by MLM as well as other businesses/
endeavours that offer substantial rewards - MLM becomes a convenient scapegoat
for their inadequacies.  Putting it in another way, "well-poisoners" are
people who do not want to see other people succeed, and they will go through
*incredible* lengths to "steal other peoples dreams", and not only in MLM but
in all areas of life.  They focus on the negative, telling others why
something won't work and is no good, etc.  Positive people (Walt Disney called
them the "Life Enhancers") will always look for the good in people and
endeavours, will try to find solutions to problems rather than complain about
them, and will support others in their quest for success, whether it be
financial, spiritual, etc.  MLM is a very easy target for "well-poisoners"
because it is so visible and known by a lot of people - it emphasizes that if
you work hard, you can achieve substantial financial rewards, a fact that
"well-poisoners" are threatened by more than anything else in our society,
because our society emphasizes (in the eyes of the "well-poisoners", that is)
that acceptability, status, personal well-being, etc. are related to ones
financial success.  By dragging others down who are attempting to achieve some
sort of financial success, they feel they are elevating themselves.  I know
these are harsh words, but I've observed this firsthand in a few people and
read about this phenomenon in several success-oriented books not associated
with MLM (see, for example, "Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking" by Dr.
Robert Schuler, "Magic of Thinking Success" by Dr. David Schwartz, and other
books by these authors, as well as other authors.  The "well-poisoner"
phenomenon makes for an interesting and eye-opening study).


2) The unethical and/or over-zealous independent distributors who left a
negative wake in their path of trying to build the business (they rarely
succeed).  You'll find that in any business there are always a few bad
apples in the bushel - MLM is no different.  Unfortunately, by its nature
MLM is a very visible, public business, unlike most other businesses.


>>... [a] principle that guides MLMers is their belief that the business they
>>represent is honest, moral, ethical and legal, and profitable, ...
>>
>>...a MLMer will come up with the following logic ...:
>>1.  ... I see that [this MLM] is a great business...
>>2.  ... if I drop the name of the MLM too early, ...  they will make [a]
>>    negative decision...
>>3.  Thus, I must [hide the name of the MLM].

You've slightly altered by original three statements, and subtly altered
their meaning, but I'll let that pass.


>A reasonable non-scammer non-MLMer will come up with the following logic:
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Holy Toledo!  (with my apologies to Toledo).  Are you basically saying that
you have the final word on the subject, and that those who aren't in MLM but
are supportive of the concept in general are themselves unreasonable and
'scammers'?

BTW, the word 'scam' (and its derivatives) is an emotionally-laden word with
undefined meaning that is used solely for the purpose of clouding the issues at
hand rather than clearing them up.  You have the right to use scam as a word
in your argument (and you did), but it is an unacceptable word for intelligent
debate on the subject.  As far as I and many other people who discuss and
debate subjects on a rational and logical basis, the use of such emotionally
laden words does not help your cause one bit.

>1.  This "representative" of the MLM in question intentionally
>    failed to identify the name of the MLM in question.
>2.  This same "representative" is authorized by the MLM to do this.
>3.  To hide the name of the MLM is in itself dishonest.
>4.  Thus, the MLM in question cannot possibly be honest, moral or ethical.

My post must have really touched a raw nerve.  Anyway, please expand on items
1 and 3 since they are the lynch pin of your logic (they are essentially
identical, so you have 3 steps in your argument).  Your logical argument is
circular in reasoning, since you are first assuming that MLM is a dishonest,
immoral and unethical business, and then using statements with this
underpinning to prove it so.

Anyway, you have the right to hate MLM with a passion.  A small minority of
people do, yet I've rarely seen them give a good reason why - their reasoning
for their hatred is usually derived *after* the fact as they continue to debate
those who support MLM.  What is your real, bottom line reason for hating MLM
that you would take the substantial time and effort out of your life to warn
others about it?

Jon Noring

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