How MLMs Took Over The World

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Is multi-level marketing here to stay?
Open your DMs, and there’s a message from someone you went to high school with, inviting you to join “an exciting new business opportunity.” Why won’t these DMs stop, and why does it feel like multi-level marketing is everywhere we turn? Let’s find out in this Wisecrack Edition: How MLMs Took Over the World.
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=== Watch More Episodes! ===
Why is Everything a Cult Now? ► wscrk.com/3FQqLQq
Joe Exotic: The Cult of Tiger King ► wscrk.com/318Y6Gx
Documentaries vs Reality TV ► wscrk.com/3ftt8eS
00:00 Intro
02:33 Origin of MLMs
08:20 Recruiting and Retention
11:50 Culture and Psychology
14:42 Conclusion
Written by Amanda Scherker
Hosted by Helen Floersh
Directed by Elizabeth Yarwood
Motion Graphics by Jackson Maher
Edited by Olivia Redden
Video Title Card by Amanda Murphy
Produced by Evan Yee
Additional Production Assistance by Matias Rubio
Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound
#mlms #lularoe #wisecrack
© 2021 Wisecrack / Omnia Media, Inc. / Enthusiast Gaming

Опубликовано:

10 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 859

@saininj 2 года назад

Anytime someone starts a friendly conversation out of nowhere with me, then follow up with, "I have a great business opportunity I think you'd be perfect for" I just roll my eyes and get myself out of there.

@gznewman 2 года назад

Nicholas! I have a great business opportunity I think you would be perfect for!

@bodaciouschad 2 года назад

@@fireflocs I was expecting you to say "Hey" after using superglue as handlotion and firmly placing your hand on their shoulder.

@jenniferandrade120 2 года назад

Yo especially when it happens at Targets lol

@mikekazz5353 2 года назад

Or just say "no I'm sorry but I don't 'perform' for those types of videos".

@emyf9197 2 года назад

Ugh my dad is in one and they tried to rope me in.. But it's different than usual MLM's.. It's not selling oils or clothes.. But different insurances, travel packages, forex trading training etc It's affiliated marketing basically with existing known companies. U get a commission when u get new customers to sign up for either forex or sephora for example.. However their training method to get customers is exactly the same.. "I have this great business opportunity I would like to share with u" Bla Bla bla

@ComicalRealm 2 года назад

"Falling for a pyramid scheme is like becoming a vampire: Someone comes along and bleeds you dry, and if you want to survive afterward, your only option is to do the same thing to someone else. " - Alucard

@nachelleallen-teal5938 2 года назад

Perfect description

@CyberLink70 2 года назад

Alucard? What, from Hellsing Abridged or is this a different Alucard?

@sirloin869 2 года назад

Are VPNs MLMs,or did your mind just get blown...

@red92diaz 2 года назад

@@CyberLink70 I think they mean the Castlevania Alucard

@CyberLink70 2 года назад

@@red92diaz Oh? There were pyramid schemes in that show?

@ThisOldSkater 2 года назад

So you find yourself at one of the motivational events. If aren't on the stage, you are the product. Run.

@JohnSmith-ez7ip 2 года назад

A girl once brought me to one of those on the pretext of a date, I said - look, the money is made by men in suits (that's my business clothing), how many of those you see here. No, no, no, not the adepts with burning eyes. The men in suits. How many do you see? The one on the stage, and me here. I'm not making any money right now. Guess what?

@sayjinpat4life 2 года назад

I go for the free food and then say no thank you and walk away.

@TracksideViews 2 года назад

Want to ruin friendships and relationships? Try to get someone involved in one of these and then get mad when they explain how it’s a scam.

@catdogmousecheese 2 года назад

Couldn't agree more. By the way, would you be interested in buying my time share from me? All my friends and families have already said no and they won't let me out of my contract. PLEASE.

@user-sl6gn1ss8p 2 года назад

I was literally punched on the nose once because of that

@whodatboi2567 2 года назад

Basically MLMs took over the world because we are inundated with messages of achieving wealth and economic freedom in a short period of time by any means necessary while simultaneously participating in an economy that provides very little opportunities for many of us to do so.

@Matty002 2 года назад

capitalism, meritocracy edition

@Bootlegger85 2 года назад

So freaking true ! It’s an ugly offspring monstrosity of capitalism.

@benry007 2 года назад

Also its a scam that is fully legal. If we made beating people up and stealing their wallets legal that would get more popular too.

@MrCat-sl6zf 2 года назад

welp exploiting others is proven quick way to get rich, whatever system you put in place. Educating enough number of people is the key.

@randomcdude4430 2 года назад

@@Bootlegger85 offspring? MLMs are the perfect form of capitalism. Like an anime villain or video game boss, capitalism started as a small monster, grew into some hulking beast, then shrank to a slick, fast moving MLM devil with a "can I talk to the manager" haircut that can one shot you with lasers fired out of its butt. Like Freiza from DBZ. The only way to defeat this boss is to flee and then complete all the side quests so you can get the magic sickle weapon and hammer armor that can be used to slowly chip away at its health bar while you strafe in circles to dodge the butt lasers, OR you go the Goku route and harness the rage you feel from the MLM killing your bald friend and engage in a violent battle that ultimately destroys the planet.

@lureed 2 года назад

As someone who’s father is in Amway, you should know that they still call it The Plan. Apparently the irony of sounding like a super villain is lost on them.

@ashroskell 2 года назад

Try explaining to people that, even if they do make a bunch of cash and quickly drop out (something most contracts prevent now) you are doing it at the bankrupting cost of someone else. It’s disheartening to see how many people are unmoved by such arguments. Money changes everything. Personally, I didn’t even realise they had, “took over the world.” That shows how out of touch I must be. I see MLM’s everywhere and always assumed people would be too smart to touch them. But it should have occurred to me that their mere proliferation must have been an indicator that people were making serious money out of them. Was it an accident that the protagonist of Fight Club sold soap? Or was that a dig at Amway?

@nathanlevesque7812 2 года назад

That's just what happens when Christians say the quiet part out loud.

@sluttyMapleSyrup 2 года назад

@@nathanlevesque7812 Bruh, that's not even exclusive to Christians

@watamatafoyu 2 года назад

I buy from someone from Amway 😁 The products aren't bad, she doesn't push me to do my own. I know how it works, just don't be a pushy douchebag and you're fine.

@redpepper74 2 года назад

@@watamatafoyu If their marketing scheme is unethical, who’s to say their products aren’t?

@Doratus111 2 года назад

"Overpromises, underdelivers and then blames YOU for your problmes." I have never heard the millenial experience more accurately and succinctly described. Are millenials the victims of an generational MLM?

@TheMidwestAtheist 2 года назад

Actually...yes! Our economy is dependent on "growth" in much the same way the MLM is. So happens when growth is no longer possible? Much like the MLM, those who entered the economy late (which, in this case, is largely based on when someone was born) aren't going to be able to make money. Until we change our economic system, each generation is likely to have it worse than the previous.

@jfkassnation5980 2 года назад

No. Real victims live in the 3rd world &/or have seen war..

@SaleenSundria 4 месяца назад

@@jfkassnation5980just because other people have it worse doesn't mean we don't have it bad too. Children in Africa still starve if I finish my dinner. In other words, there's not much that we, as individuals, can do about these large problems unless we are a world leader or as rich as Elon Musk or Jeff bezos. So unless you're going to actually do something about it, maybe think before you put someone else down.

@BaneHydra 2 года назад

Something worth mentioning about the "taking over your life" thing: Contrary to popular belief, people actually really like being told what to do. Everyone loves freedom, but decisionmaking? That's hard and it sucks. That's why, when a charismatic Amway person tells you "I will tell you how to live a successful life, just do as I say.", it can be surprisingly nice, especially since it also builds a sense of community with others who also do exactly as that person says. It can make life a lot easier if you don't have to worry about making the wrong decisions, as you can just ask the person you trust in and they will make the decision for you, no questions asked. This doesn't only apply to "dumb" or "gullible" people either.

@GBart 2 года назад

That's insane that people believe that "I want to sell you something because it'll be good for you!!" is always a lie

@edeworabraham2761 2 года назад

True , I mean they already said it in the video about how we humans want to get more and work less

@jaredflurry937 2 года назад

*Jean-Paul Sarte has entered the chat*

@colecarmichael5724 2 года назад

As intelligent as this sounds it’s still just people choosing delusions over becoming a better individual. Making choices are hard yeah sure but you are either getting busy dying or getting busy living.

@BaneHydra 2 года назад

@@colecarmichael5724 You're right, it is people choosing delusions. My point is just that it's not as outlandish as it may seem from the outside looking in, and that it is effectively just choosing comfort over effort.

@Shatterverse 2 года назад

Oh so it's not just cultish, but a _literal_ cult. Good to know.

@LightsOnTrees 2 года назад

Wow that one had teeth Wisecrack, well done on the delivery Helen and on the great writing by Amanda Scherker.

@anthonyg5001 2 года назад

As a Latino, Herbalife has really exploited a lot of ppl in my community. Hell one of my best friends used to be involved in it so when I got free product from him and not my other friends family, the accusations that I wasnt a true friend and hostility quickly came. Bruh I’m not trying to pay $110 per month on a shake powder that I wasn’t confident in lmao but now I’m just rambling

@carlogaytan7010 2 года назад

What sucks is, at least for the shake, it seems to work. the issue is how corrupt the FDA, and our government is, which means that MLMs like Herbalife can take advantage of this, hire a bunch of doctors to make health stuff, and because they are an MLM, people probably won't trust them. If only these things which we know have medicinal uses, sort of like Weed and Psychedelics, got legalized, so we can start making stuff that doesn't come from an MLM

@chassegunter6915 2 года назад

they have aggressively targeted Latin communities especially as u.s markets have been bled. going as far as to product place in Spanish soap operas

@bavettesAstartes 2 года назад

I hate that Pyramid Schemes rebranded as MLMs...

@user-sl6gn1ss8p 2 года назад

I loved that the bar graph at the start has no-product pyramid schemes at about 30 times more likely to give you a profit than MLMs, so really it's an evolution not just a rebranding

@Sorcerers_Apprentice 2 года назад

MLMs are just pyramid schemes with a shitty product attached

@mathewfinch 2 года назад

The only legal difference is that pyramid schemes make promises to give you a return. An MLM makes no promises that you will make money, only vague gesturing at the possibility of making money. If you really think about it though, it's no more of a scam than anything else in capitalism.

@RosimInc7 2 года назад

Some pharaohs got upset I think

@toneriggz 2 года назад

I had a friend who got caught up in that and tried to bring in as many people as possible. I asked him simple, basic questions and he would give responses like "Oh, we don't think like that here, we call that negative thinking". Real cult vibes. He received a $3000 check once and wouldn't stop showing it around like it was proof that it wasn't a scam. That was the only check he ever showed and eventually he just stopped talking about the company and stopped selling their products.

@redpepper74 2 года назад

The “negative thinking” thing is scary. You can’t ask questions about whether the job can actually support you? There’s no way you can guarantee you’ll be able to afford rent next month? Negative things have to be thought about.

@projekttaku1 2 года назад

@@redpepper74 focusing on negatives can force someone to make it a positive.

@BoJangles42 2 года назад

The crowd cheering for the tuxedoed Amway singers is the most Boomer thing I’ve ever seen

@cheeselover626 2 года назад

I recall once trying to get a job over winter break during college. Found an interesting ad for a company that sold knives. I entertained it and in the interview, the dude was practically off-the-wall excited to have me join to sell the cutlery to people I know. I was all "screw this, I don't know a single person who would buy a knife from me. Selling candy bars for fundraisers as a kid was hard enough as it is!". That companies name? Cutco. Those predators can go fuck right off.

@MasterGhostf 2 года назад

sadly they actually have good knives

@021kelsie 2 года назад

More like Cultlery

@adejareojo 2 года назад

🔎Vector Marketing🔍 in Raleigh North Carolina💡

@OdinOfficialEmcee 2 года назад

I played these fools for free food when I was broke once. They said anyone who stuck around was welcome to a free lunch to demo their knives for ourselves. I was the only one that stayed. When the lady running it went to the washroom I stuffed as much food as I could into grocery bags and bolted. Got a couple of angry calls then they left me alone

@jam13rocks 2 года назад

Exact same thing happened to me, screw cutco. Waisted my time and they were only trying to recruit underage high school kids.

@connorminney4691 2 года назад

The hilarious irony of the ad before the video being a MLM pitch

@Iamjustherek 2 года назад

I was looking away and didn’t even realize it wasn’t an example being used in the video 🤦🏽‍♀️

@Alverant 2 года назад

Glad I have RU-vid Premium to avoid the ads.

@Erik-pu4mj 2 года назад

Glad I have AdBlock.

@SinHurr 2 года назад

Silly Connor, youtube doesn't have ads. On PC.

@groobs 2 года назад

@@SinHurr uhm, yes it most certainly does. unless you have adblockers or pay premium it'll still give ads on desktop yessir

@AspLode 2 года назад

I feel like one theme we didn't touch on is that it's not just the fetishization of meteoric wealth but painting other forms of life and employment as being undesirable, it seems like a motivational scam that hits from multiple angles. Anyone who does normal stuff is an absolute sucker and you're not a sucker, are you?

@ZeRo-yc7zf 2 года назад

Yeah you’re one of the smart ones. In the back of many peoples minds lives a dissatisfaction with being a “normal” person

@luanaudio 2 года назад

I've almost signed up for an MLM once, like a decade ago. For every subsequent attempt to lure me in, my response has been outrage.

@DavidGossettMusic 2 года назад

Back during the start of the pandemic: Friend of friend who knows I'm a touring musician: "Hey, I need to talk with you about some work, call me." Me: Reluctantly calls Dude: "So how's music work been since the pandemic." Me: "I just lost 6 months worth of work and have resorted to painting a rock quarry." Dude: "Aww, too bad." *Proceeds to try and sell me on his scam.* "Would you be interested?" Me: "Nope" *aggressively hangs up*

@neilhierweer4013 2 года назад

Those fuckers know exactly that they are targetting people at their lowest and do it anyway. Hang in there! People are gonna need music more than ever when this fuckery is all over.

@Sephiroth144 Год назад

Calls "Dude" back Dude: Changed you mind? You: NOPE! *dialtone*

@BenZedrene 2 года назад

My dad used to be BIG into Amway, so I listened to a lot of tapes with him, and they reference God a LOT. And with maximum effort, he never made it past the second rank from the bottom. He has long since severed ties, and is more than okay with that.

@SquishyProductions 2 года назад

I want to be proud that I never fell for one of these. But, at the same time, I suspect it's because I've always been so poor that I never had the money to buy in.

@azndemonlord54 2 года назад

Damn. Sobering.

@johnniemurray-monroe5959 2 года назад

Facts

@groobs 2 года назад

I felt the same way about my folks and somehow ending up in a cult/church that would take all their time and money and how I'm thankful that my hippie parents didn't end up somewhere dangerous

@JonahPleatherbooth 2 года назад

I pretended to be interested in selling Amway for 3 months just to waste their time and drink their coffee. I told them everything they wanted to hear and it took them 3 months to realize I hadn't spent a dime. I read Rich Dad Poor Dad. It was a riot. Someone lent me those motivational CD ( I still have the rips someplace) and was mad af when I vanished from meeting and asked me to return them because the cds are expensive. I left, the cds, a note and a bags worth of loose rice in a gift bag on his porch. I slit the bottom of the bag before I left.

@javi__... 2 года назад

Rich dad poor dad is super popular over the world. Especially with English learners. People find that guys stuff inspiring.

@tradedate 2 года назад

Rich Dad Poor Dad is good for getting people to think about how to gain wealth. It served a purpose for me.

@INVAZOR33 2 года назад

I would watch that RU-vid video

@steverl22 2 года назад

Free coffee ain't worth all that BS 🤫

@JonahPleatherbooth 2 года назад

@@steverl22 The coffee was just the cherry on top. Dicking them around was the real treat.

@oursaisert 2 года назад

ngl i thought MLM stood for "male love male" i was confused for a bit

@Robin-eq7uz 2 года назад

same

@ddjsoyenby 2 года назад

it stands for both.

@jeremyslather 2 года назад

I think that is BL.

@enzie8786 2 года назад

@@jeremyslather thats boys love, they're essentially the same thing except mlm is a bit more formal

@anomienormie8126 2 года назад

The gays are taking over the world! 👬

@sparkpenguin 2 года назад

wow, this was the best and sneakiest anticapitalism video you guys've put out in years. hook em in with the obvious, acceptable, relatable aggravation and anxiety for family members and friends who get sucked into this stuff, and then devour em with the "you're not better because this actually is your entire economy and life, it's all of our lives, we're all commodified and it's getting worse, scream for help, scream for help now, if we all do it together something might change!" powerful-- and subtle. even if it's hidden in the title... the implication is sooooo so so direct by the end. excellent video!!

@hughcipher6229 2 года назад

Those companies should be illegal. I have two friends that kept asking me to attend these #MLM zoom meetings. At 1st I didn't want to say anything that would seem like I was "hating" on their "dream" but I got feed up one day & blurted out "no mlm's are scams! I'm cool" It was like they were prepared for this. The kinda responded like they were sorry I was missing out on such a great opportunity & pointed out how famous rich people were doubted by others before striking it rich. None of the people they pointed out made it rich working for a mlm. I guess that just never registered 😕

@alexandrawinner6081 2 года назад

They also train their recruits to obsess over their appearance and reputation, especially to appear successful and perfectly happy over social media.

@shorelockhomes943 2 года назад

I knew it was bad but not 1 in 6 Americans in a "MLM click" bad. Thanks. Keep up the good work and stay safe.

@RottingDragon 2 года назад

Clique*

@bodaciouschad 2 года назад

@@RottingDragon it's funny that google's gibberish to english translator translates clique to click.

@shorelockhomes943 2 года назад

@@bodaciouschad true.

@shorelockhomes943 2 года назад

@@RottingDragon Are you agreeing with Google Translate or just being a grammar Nazi?

@RottingDragon 2 года назад

@@shorelockhomes943 Depends on whether or not you consider spelling as part of grammar in this context. Regardless I would say I'm being more of a pedant.

@tc2010vancouver 2 года назад

Lmfao. I remembered my second time being invited to a business party/seminar. I thought the guy that invited me was hitting on me. (I have never receive that much compliments, flattery and niceness in my life) But turns out he just wanted me to join Amway. I can barely seat through the seminar, the speech made sense in first 15 minutes. Like one of those personal development speech. Blah blah blah Later it just turned into, “you gotta go out and try to recruit more” “I know you can do it, why aren’t you trying harder” blah blah blah. I politely decline the offer to be on board after the seminar. It was a pretty funny experience. Bunch of young adults dressing up like they are business professionals. But the whole experiences are very CULT like. The brainwashing, vague words, false sense of family like community, worshiping the diamond level personnel, the shaming tactics when their people under achieve, avoiding talking about true cash value of their income… etc. it was fun time. And first time ever in my life I did not regret having a BBA degree and reading economics/business management books.

@tysondennis1016 2 года назад

You mean Scamsaway?

@nathalieeugene8718 2 года назад

Wow that sums up an Amway Info session

@hanniballahr94 2 года назад

I very briefly (as in two days) worked for an MLM call center, and they literally had to reiterate "We're not a pyramid scheme!" throughout training. It's like the inverse of the "nice guy" rule. If you have to say you're not a pyramid scheme you're almost certainly a pyramid scheme.

@idm654321 2 года назад

I don't care about the last point. We need to be more open about our finances with each other because our bosses and corporations use our desire to hide it to unfairly pay people. If you talk about your wages, you expose unfair wage practices.

@groobs 2 года назад

YUUUUUP truth right there

@brotherdandy 2 года назад

There’s a great podcast called “Behind the Bastards”. They did an illuminating podcast about AmWay and how they avoiding governmental scrutiny and criminal charges.

@belzamder 2 года назад

Also about how effective machetecine is, who needs pills when you have knives!

@jdepaul87 2 года назад

Speaking of the downfall of western society....here's products and services. F'N Love Robert Evans.

@brotherdandy 2 года назад

@@jdepaul87 Sophie is somewhere cringing at Robert’s ad breaks.

@jdepaul87 2 года назад

@@brotherdandy She's secretly funded by Raytheon.

@Ayyprattbrat 2 года назад

I appreciate this as an ex amway person

@Brindlebrother 2 года назад

amway, more like aren'tway

@MGgmdd 2 года назад

Award-winning level of scriptwriting, Wisecrack. Thanks

@davidanalyst671 2 года назад

no its not. its hormonal

@tengrisyesugei7995 2 года назад

I feel as though the 1975 FTC complaint against Amway which set the precedent for MLMs not being treated as pyramid schemes was not addressed and is an important factor in the rise of their rise in the 70s. The DeVos and Van Andel families are powerful dynastic families in Grand Rapids who are highly important to Amway. We should also take into account that the President at this time was Gerald Ford, who called Grand Rapids home since he was 2 weeks old. To me multi-level marketing schemes are secular cults and the addition of religion to them puts them back into the category of cult.

@xkriolox 2 года назад

I remember that when I was unemployed, I was tutoring kids from a place that put together kids that needed tutoring with teachers. They kept like 40 or 50% of the price of the lesson. Which is weirdly standard for teachers that don't have the means to be searching for families that needed tutors. It was already a bit offending, but when they ordered us to watch a lecture from an old teacher who sold a shitty book for more than what we made in a lesson. The buying of the book was obligatory as well... It wasn't MLM, because ther wasn't more than 2 levels. But it was a shitty thing to do

@ashroskell 2 года назад

I didn’t even realise they had, “took over the world.” That shows how out of touch I must be. I see MLM’s everywhere and always assumed people would be too smart to touch them. But it should have occurred to me that their mere proliferation must have been an indicator that people were making serious money out of them.

@enzodapan5016 2 года назад

There's tons of MLMs here in the Philippines, Avon, Frontrow, Personal Collection, and other companies that sells nutritional supplements. My mom used to become a retailer of Avon, it's basically her sideline that time because she's working on an office but I'm glad that didn't turn into something bigger. And i remember when the owner of Personal Collection gave us tons of their products (toothpaste, for free because it's the neighbor of my father's boss and it's Christmas. I don't think they will die but consumers become more wise in choosing more cheap products, especially here where online selling is more prevalent giving you more discounts than being convinced to a salesman that's trying to sell you their overpriced products.

@bazzfromthebackground3696 2 года назад

They're pretty heavy in Central America too. Like Mexico and Guatemala.

@liselottehildegarde5367 2 года назад

The scary part is that they've learned to use social media as a platform in order to get further reach. They don't even mention the word "multi-level marketing company" until you already paid the "tuition". They even guilt-tripped me to avoid demanding a refund and insult us by saying that me and my mother don't have the courage to succeed. Good thing I pulled the plug the moment I heard "multi-level marketing." More Filipinos should really know about this because I saw several copycats in various social medias with literally copy-pasted scripted posts just with different fonts, order, and color...

@enzodapan5016 2 года назад

@@liselottehildegarde5367 For real, they even use the sentence "Open-minded ka ba?" or "Are you open-minded" in English. And gives you enough toxic positivity thinking you will gain enough profit. Like selling cheap clothes or cooking food will turn your profit back more than being in one of those things.

@bellaardila6919 2 года назад

They’re pretty heavy in indonesia too especially in Jakarta

@RoseDragoness 2 года назад

I think the most terrifying type of mlms in SE Asia and developing countries are those that promise good health like tiansi. 'cure cancer', 'cure heart problems', etc with pseudo sciences. Cause with things like cancer, people are desperate for solution ;/ .

@raviamodernepic 2 года назад

The first thing I think of when I think MLM is the scene in The Office where they point out the pyramid scheme to Michael 😂

@Rampala 2 года назад

This is why capitalism at large makes no sense to me: it's based on perpetual growth and that's just not sustainable. Especially since we've made it so the only way to make a decent living in the US is to open your own business, but if everyone does that, who's left to staff these businesses? We need to start valuing laborers themselves, not just the person at the top who's exploring said labor.

@Jordan64852 2 года назад

It’s weird how capitalists are so anti-union when unions are the best thing for capitalism to continue long in the future; the short-term is just too important in capitalism that chances are we have something new in the future

@HeresorLegacy 2 года назад

Perpetual growth in itself is indeed sustainable, because not every product is exchanged by monetary means. Economy is not a zero-sum game. The best way to ensure better wages though and benefit society as a whole would be to make unemployment easier to endure. No one "wants" to live at the existence minimum. So raising unemployment benefits strenghtens the value of labour, since people will not be working for slave wages anymore. In addition to that, we would have to stop buying dirt cheap products, to actually ensure that the workers can get a living wage from the product that is sold.

@1truefreedomfighter 2 года назад

Your comment is pretty good, but I think you’re over-complicating what capitalism is. A small amount of people or groups controlling decisions for a majority of labor and trade is has another name, and it concerns me too.

@groobs 2 года назад

OP I had that thought as a child and didn't like it... now I'm grown and I can't believe that's how it actually is...

@groobs 2 года назад

but I agree whole heartedly with you OP hopefully my first comment wasn't confusing

@vilmariehernandez1189 2 года назад

Whenever a "friend" from high school boasts about being a "small business owner" with (insert MLM here) I'm like SO YOU DON'T OWN THAT BUSINESS HOW INTERESTING. It's hard to believe people are that easy to fool. r/antiMLM has a lot of fun stories if you're interested.

@ddjsoyenby 2 года назад

agreed like you ain't gonna be rich.

@beyond-journeys-end 2 года назад

Many are probably also desperate.

@sherlockwho5714 2 года назад

The area of Michigan where Amway came from is big on those beliefs of success relating to Faith. Personally I have worked hard to kill them within my social circles and have successfully kept it out by educating them before hand

@jamesbrads4414 2 года назад

I feel like Ayan Rand would love MLMs.

@SgtKaneGunlock 2 года назад

as long as they didn't get too Jesusy cuz she was militantly atheist

@jamesbrads4414 2 года назад

@@SgtKaneGunlock true. Would not have been a fan of the religiously oriented or prosperity gospel based MLMs.

@merrillbeck1575 2 года назад

I could have used this video two years ago, spent a third of my income on Amway

@keyoteamendelbar8742 2 года назад

I actually don't dream of being a boss of a big company, it should come after I get the right skills.

@sarahthieme781 2 года назад

Ironically, that trait alone would probably give you a head start on being a better boss than most who strive for those positions.

@endplanets 2 года назад

When I was a kid I liked vampires. Vamps feed once a night and that person becomes a vampire. So I borrowed a calculator and used all my tiny kid brain to figure out that vampires would overrun the world in like 3 weeks. And then all starve to death. Math ruined vampires. But would have saved me from this crap.

@ThePapaja1996 2 года назад

Wow there are more effective then zoombies

@mekman4 2 года назад

Whew! This is fascinating! I remember when I was first looking for work, after getting kicked out of paradise in Manhattan. One of the first _sure things_ was a knife selling gig. I had to travel to the outskirts of town. I stopped short at the dirt road leading to a barn (I kid you not). I thought to myself, _”horror films start this way.”_ MLM’s are so prevalent that, that wouldn’t be the last time one would try to enter my life. Some MLM folk visited our church, and even dragged me to one of their sessions (alone). The host took me home afterwards, but he was erratic and kinda scared me, he wouldn’t convince me of anything though, I just wanted to get home without getting my throat slit, because it was a very long drive. They didn’t attend our church once I refused to get involved. Finally, an old middle school friend, is also doing MLM. This stuff is everywhere… Great Stuff!

@mekman4 2 года назад

The issue with anti-capitalists stuff is because no one can pass any of these purity tests, not even capitalism itself (nor any form of Socialism or Communism the end result of socialism). It’s utopian and frames reality as an endless slog because of our ability to make money. It’s important to understand all of the possibilities and dangers of money, but dangers will exist so long as there is free thought. What is Good for all, at once, at the same time, is an impossibility. Seeking that kind of purity collectively is fruitless cult like thinking anyway.

@reviathan3524 2 года назад

I cringe because almost all MLM listed here used to be what my mother got involved in. I was little at that time, and I remember the annoying details of living with a parent who always try to sell the products to anyone. I would also be the guinea pig in consuming the health supplements and shakes of Herbalife, skin products of Amway. Then during trips to anywhere during vacation, the car would be filled with boxes of those products because her friends and relatives would ask for one.

@juicemofo 2 года назад

I miss the good old days, when you could make money shooting travelers with your Winchester for their coin purse. It was an honest day's work.

@chukyuniqul 2 года назад

My family thinks herbalife products are amazing. We get them for free because my aunt is apparently someone big in the company, but that's beside the point. If nothing else, this is the best proof that they're unable to look at things objectively when they're closely involved.

@darter9000 2 года назад

Being strongly introverted and being fairly frightened by strangers… and sometimes relatives… made me immune to MLM’s sales pitches. “Oh? I’m supposed to talk my 5 friends into joining? How bold of you to presume I even have 5 people I consider friends…”

@e-manr.486 2 года назад

I was amused looking at the comments several others mentioning how some cute person they knew invited them to a recruitment event, which they thought was a date. Same thing happened to me in college. Cute girl i casually knew tells me about an "amazing life changing" event that she wanted me to accompany her to. Turns out she invited me and like 3 other dudes😅. When i got there, i realized what was up and hated that i had to now sit through a 2 hour presentation. Thank goodness for that frustration cuz those presentations are seriously manipulative with their shows of money, success, and excess. It was tempting, but i was too broke and too frustrated to sign up. I don't think i even ever learned what the hell they were selling.

@dbrokensoul 2 года назад

MLM was so prevalent and everyone always have that experience of an old friend call you to hangout, come, and then ask you to join their MLM. When an old friend of me opened a coffee shop, I decided to visit even though it's quite far from my place. We catch up a bit and just talked. I brought with me a copy of my self-published book that I thought could be used as a reading material in a coffee shop. I decided to gave it to him as a gift. At that point, he was quite sure I was about to tell him about some MLM opportunity, especially as I reached out to my bag. We as a society has reach a point where whenever an old friend decided to meet up with us, we have that fear that this person would offer some MLM stuff

@sparky4747 2 года назад

The only silver lining I see in getting involved in an MLM is that it helps you develop sales and networking skills that you can put towards a real job once you wake up to what a scam the MLMs are.

@brotherdandy 2 года назад

That’s if your not bankrupt when you leave.

@Erik-pu4mj 2 года назад

And haven't alienated everyone around you. And identify which 'sales and networking skills' were harmful and ineffective.

@reanetsemoleleki8219 2 года назад

There is no silver lining..

@justarandomguy5027 2 года назад

Business administration here, no they don't offer you any real sales or networking or team or anything skill, they're just fcking pathetic copying things they think are "real salesmen and companies do"

@nyceric95 2 года назад

Start of the video: why are MLMs successful? End of the video: America is one big MLM!

@KidKingdomHearts 2 года назад

Checks Out

@dl2839 2 года назад

Social Security is a massive ponzi Scheme, if you compare stocks to Social Security, stocks are many times better.

@SgtKaneGunlock 2 года назад

@@dl2839 the stocks sound like the ponzi scheme if you ask me

@wander1027 2 года назад

I once was "recruited" by this "employer" some time ago when I had left my previous job and wanted to try something new. Everything was sketchy from the start, it was like a 10 min interview and "hired" on the spot when I had no previous sale experience. First day on the job "training" they used words like "promoter" alot, the possibility of becoming a manager in weeks and how you could get into a cruise with them if you sold x amount. At this point I still didnt know what I was getting until like the second or third day they were making us call poeple we knew to set up a sale pitch with a script they had. The most uncomfortable experience in my life I was out of there. It was so sad becuase lots of the new poeple were recent graduates and/or poeple looking to try and better themselves with little idea they were getting into a pretty elaborate scam mlm

2 года назад

I was in Herbalife for about a year. Always just as the lowest level customer, I never wanted to start selling myself because that sounded like my worst nightmare, but because I liked the product. However, I attended their “seller session” quite early on and there was so much motivational yelling and slogans and words of wisdom from more experienced sellers who supposedly became rich just from selling these that I remember turning to the person who recruited me and asking: “Is this a cult?” She wasn’t too pleased with me :D

@jessiesargent7212 2 года назад

I had a friend that used to sell Mary Kay and they had 2 products that I actually really liked but whenever I wanted to buy it she'd keep trying to get me to come to the meetings. Once she told me that she was out and was having trouble getting it but there were a few ladies at the meeting that had some so I said I'd come. I showed up an hour late so I could miss the meeting and just buy the "all about lips" and the "all about hands" serums and they were irritated that I was only trying to buy product instead of signing up. I literally asked them what kind of business doesn't want customers happy to buy? Wtf?! Needless to say, my "friend" ghosted me for embarrassing her.

@pennyjpie 2 года назад

The ad for this vid (the “Skip Ad”) is literally about training on how to recruit people without bothering your friends and family. Like literally about how to trick people into being an influencer. It’s so hilarious and ironic that they’re just automatically advertising on anything mentioning MLMs.

@howiie12 2 года назад

I had a friend who I loved dearly who feel for this nonsense and it caused me to take a major step back.

@raggedcritical 2 года назад

I was pretty aware of how cult-like MLMs are and I actually gave "believing" a decent try because it was clear that you'd either have to sincerely believe or be an utter sociopath to succeed. But when you know you're trying to make yourself believe bullshit... well it's damn near impossible to make yourself believe.

@beccangavin 2 года назад

I work for a timeshare sales company and that’s exactly how they operate. Sociopath or true believer. And they all talk to each other using the same buzzwords my parents used when they were in Amway….I’m not a sales person and I try really hard not to listen to them when they are talking to people. I’ve seen some really messed up stuff.

@brianstiles1701 2 года назад

The founder of Amway was also the precursor to modern conservative talk radio. Great guy who never caused any harm

@redpepper74 2 года назад

Something about the way they mock things is so shallow

@MrCOLBSTAH 2 года назад

As a graphic design major, i got talking with a guy, who said he had a buisness opportunity, and i was quite exited at first thinking I could do some freelance design work! After the first meeting with this man at a starbucks, i could tell something was off because he wouldn't be straight with me. Then when he took me to a meeting with others in his company, i was severely creeped out by how happy everyone was, and as they layed out the information I was thinking in my head why would people decide to do this? The structure makes it so by the time I would buy a product, it would be so expensive i would be seriously overcharging a customer... And making almost no profit. I could just tell too. Way to Cultish before. And the recruiter denied it was a cult when I layed out the evidence and told him i wasn't interested and to leave me alone.

@henry199xx 2 года назад

The attitude and bleeps and sarcasm of this video has made it one of my favs of all time right up there with the rock and morty ones 👌🏻

@brentbonham9427 2 года назад

Helen I really enjoy your stylistic approach to host wisecrack videos. Looking forward to your future work.

@kimbolijalovescats 2 года назад

I got an ad for an MLM before this video that was SO absolutely obviously an MLM that I thought it was a preview video before the essay started.

@philiptallini5232 2 года назад

@wisecrack, do you have a list of all the books you’ve read for your videos? I know you mention them in the videos themselves but I think it would be cool if there was a singular total list of all.

@thetooginator153 Год назад

This is an example of how low MLMs will stoop: in my early twenties, I responded to an ad for a bookkeeper, but I didn’t get the job. However, a month later, I got a call from the same people asking to come over to talk about a business venture. This seemed strange, but I went anyway. After about five minutes of hearing about this “business venture”, I said “I don’t mean to be rude, but that really sounds like a pyramid scheme”, which is what it was. They were PISSED, and they ushered me outside immediately. Since then, I have lost several friends to cults, MLMs and pyramid schemes - which are all really the same thing. I try to warn any young person who will listen to watch out for anyone who seems overly excited in a way to make money fast with no real effort or skills.

@IsaacJoshi 2 года назад

It's so sad, because now I'm scared to talk to strangers just in case they trying and rope me into something.

@jeremyjw 2 года назад

i was job hunting and got invited to one of the big arena events all i heard was "being a millionaire is great" and "give us $140 to get started"

@leestrz4153 2 года назад

As a salesman who has always put the customer first and sold products not how they told me to but by letting the customers make their own decisions I can say I've never been part of a MLM but I've been tricked into attending before. In my experience I had the balls to just get up and walk out after they couldn't explain how it wasn't a pyramid scheme. Hopefully I saved some people who were also dragged there by creating a scene and putting the speaker in the spot. Great video. My co worker used to work at forest lawn. That place is wild

@alarcon99 2 года назад

The absolute irony of getting an ad in the middle of of this video for how to “prospect”for an MLM blew my mind 🤯

@TheMightyShell 2 года назад

Capitalism itself is an MLM

@rpiechart5252 2 года назад

Remembering the implied sexual tension in the movie "GO"..... promise of sexual adventure turns in to an MLM sales pitch/blackmail.... classic

@JGlovesKR 2 года назад

We should share this video with a couple of friends/family, and then they can share it with more people they know, and then they can share it to people they know, and then they can share it with more people they know...

@oliviamoore3426 2 года назад

A thumb of rule I use is if someone is advertising a company, usually mlm’s or crypto currency or investments and they show bundles of money of a nice car and say this is how I made millions for doing c or y, I start clear like it was the plague

@LividImp 2 года назад

"MLMs are scams! ....Now allow me to sell you this VPN service that virtually no one really needs, but I'll scare you into thinking you do with hypothetical security situations that basically never happen to the average computer user."

@JGlovesKR 2 года назад

I always thought the main selling point of a VPN was for expanded Netflix libraries

@LividImp 2 года назад

@@JGlovesKR That's it's only real use for the average person. But there is a lot of scare mongering in VPN ads targeted at people that aren't all that tech savvy.

@Steve0C 2 года назад

The scare tactics are overblown, but at least VPN's aren't running a business model of: if you sign up with us you can buy a set amount of IP addresses and the more people you get to sell these addresses to, as well as sign up your friends to sell IP addresses, the sky is the limit etc..... I'm just happy I dodged a bullet and Alnost signed on to try primerica shortly after getting out of college.

@savannahhaire5640 2 года назад

MLMs prey on people like me: people-pleasers, social anxiety. Like yeah I want to help my friend who is selling ________. In reality, it’s helping the company not them, but ugh the social awkwardness of not agreeing/ buying. I’ve literally lost friends over MLMs 🤦‍♀️

@skylineXpert 2 года назад

Being decieved without knowing happens on a daily business. When buying fruit the stock boy knows how and which box you will take from.

@preezy85 2 года назад

Very important video that people need to see. Thank you for sharing this.

@westpointsoulja 2 года назад

I tried one once because my friend promised to do the work for me (knowing I'm way too introverted for sales), but that didn't work out. I lost $500, but I don't hold it against my friend. I understand he's a victim of this too.

@teksight9714 2 года назад

Really good research for this video.

@dande3139 2 года назад

Cultish? Corruption protected by the government? Promises of rewards that will never be substantiated? Intrusive into all aspects of life? Bleeds you dry? Sounds like a religion to me.

@ddjsoyenby 2 года назад

scientology is an mlm confirmed.

@karlacastillo6838 2 года назад

Yep, Sounds like the Mormons and other "religions"

@MountainDewComacho494 2 года назад

The biggest thing I hate about MLM's is that if you have a friend who gets involved in one, and then you don't want to buy the stupid product they a selling, they essentially un-friend you.

@peabrained_11 2 года назад

I loved this video. I have similar feelings from watching Twitch streamers who periodically hock their merch & partnerships.

@umjackd 2 года назад

If it's an actual product, it's okay. Streaming is their job and they need to make money. It's not any different from sponsorships for RU-vid channels really, and it's up to you whether that's something you're also cool with or not. I find that any kind of health product makes me stay far away from any kind of advertised product. Even when they're legit they're overpriced, and I suspect the vast majority aren't.

@melissaj1310 2 года назад

My brain kind of just exploded, because Mary Kay Ash used almost the EXACT same story about being frustrated by the salesmen she trained being promoted. So she created her “ideal company”. No, she took a page from the original book and made an MLM where she would always keep all the money. Damn. I have been suspect of her story but this confirms it.

@saelhernandez2389 2 года назад

I was watching the John Oliver episode about MLMs before I clicked this one Glad they mentioned it

@bodaciouschad 2 года назад

So how is this kind of thing not illegal? Is it because it would be wildly unpopular with the 1/6 Americans who find themselves rhe victims of MLMs to prosecute these pyramid schemes?

@Africa893 2 года назад

it's because it's insanely profitable for the people at the top and profits is power

@darthlazurus4382 2 года назад

Most folk don't realise they have been cheated. As such they won't press charges.

@tengrisyesugei7995 2 года назад

For me, it's 1979 ruling by the FTC that Amway wasn't a pyramid scheme.

@aaronharkins4331 2 года назад

It would likely result in a revaluation of how corporations function generally. Powerful people get some legal bribes due to citizens United from MLMs so they neglect their duty because it’s lining their pockets. When I was working for an MLM we were posted outside of gas station chains others were posted in stores. The stores partner with MLMs because they are technically not illegal so the bad PR is minimal. If we did investigate MLMs likely there would be a resurgence of Unions or other creative solutions to the issue of worker exploitation.

@hoobertoober1655 2 года назад

God, I remember attending 2 of these "events" for a "business opportunity". I was pretty aware they were a scam, but I wanted to see how bad of a scam it was and is there any actual way to make any money. Both times there was very little to no way to actually make money, and on one case, they forced you to go out with the D2D people, even though you showed up for a job interview. Which means none of us were dressed right to be walking outside in the snow 🥴

@ziqi92 2 года назад

Financial security and a secure sense of identity go a long way in not falling for an MLM.

@wesleytarr6302 2 года назад

So glad I stopped working for Vector Marketing years ago.

@Dr.Nantiwa 2 года назад

Really well explained.

@auto117666 2 года назад

Shoutout to MuneCat who does amazingly well researched videos on this topic.

@ayelmao1224 2 года назад

I remember when I was a senior in high school my mom told me I should take this interview with Cutco bc a friend of mine was interviewing with them. Did a little homework on them and had my suspicions that they were an MLM, but she still made go though with it. Once they started talking about making $30000 a month at 18 and door to door sales to your friends and family I just left the meeting

@lourainevillalon3852 2 года назад

i can recall a conversation with my aunt a month ago, that her "friend and coworker" has been into an mlm as well, unfortunately, i cannot recall the company's brand, but i can remember that they are selling aromatherapy kits. well, one day, my aunt told me that her friend was working her ass off every single minute of the day, has 3 jobs, one corporate job, one part time job, and one including selling her mlm products. i was shocked that "woah, some people are really determined in life! she (my aunt) says that she is successful, and is already financially stable. i wonder, why does a perfectly stable person would sacrifice her health, sleep, and rest just to work 3 jobs all in the same time, and then i thought about it, and then i realized that my aunt's friend might have invested a big capital on the mlm and she is still trying to compensate for the lost capital. i do not personally know my aunt's friend, but i am deeply sorry for her because she doesn't deserve to work so tirelessly just to sustain herself.

@TheyCallMeNewb 2 года назад

Some thoughts concerning MLMs in six lines: having come to unconsciously discern one's self as one of society's losers, the thought of such is kept from the difficulties of conscious engagement via enthusiastic, manic surrender to the easy answers proffered by another, wholly self-interested (and similarly repressed) mountebank. Forthcoming assurances of how 'you're one of the few that gets it' and 'what expensive cars will you get', serve usefully to keep at bay the original unthinkable insight, while at the same time, providing the sort of ostensive esteem for which one has stood in poignant ache since childhood. Defenses of the ego is a language we would do well to acquaint ourselves with, lest our ego acquaint itself with delusion.