Pyramid Scheme of love and attention

[cleveland]

I posted this elsewhere, but I am giving this it's own thread...

I have been to meetings of groups that are pyramid schemes, and also to religious groups, in addition to the Seed. Something that is common for me in these experiences is that there were always people who could testify that they had GOT it, really got it. And they were convincing because - it was true! But, just like a pyramid sales scheme, most of the attention/love/power flows upward, giving some people so much, and leaving precious little for most of the little folks at the bottom who crave it, but can clearly see it exemplified in some in the group. Does this make sense?

So, there are some seedlings that really had so much from the group, but very many who could only taste it a little. I knew some were favored, while I was left with small amounts of attention, with a call to duty and sacrifice. I thought the lack was mine.

So, posting here are some who got so much, some who couldn't achieve that level. And here we are arguing about it because we think our own reality applies to others.

But this is so clear to me right now...I can return to that tantalizing feeling I had in the group that I was so close to achieving happiness and esteem..but I only got enough to keep me hanging on. To those of you who got, I hope I don't seem bitter to you...

Walter

[Antigen]

Yup. And another aspect of a pyramid scheme is that even those near the top must pour extreme energy into maintaining their position. Part of that, maybe the biggest part, is in PR and recruiting. Are you really sure that the happiest, most successful are really happy? Cause we know what would happen if they let slip any misgivings or criticizm of their awsome, life changing, magical formula.

Do any of you guys remember when a bunch of Seedlings got involved in Amway? Here's another interesting correlation (not suggesting causation here, just tossing in a relevent factoid). The founder of Herbalife was a graduate and former owner of CEDU (possibly Chuck E Dederich University). Here's a story on his life and death.
http://www.rickross.com/reference/herba ... life8.html

Madness takes its toll.  Please have exact change.
--Anonymous

[Stripe]

I was not at the seed long enough for the Amway wave, but I've seen the "business opportunity" offered to almost every person I know who got "saved" in an evangelical church - including me. Not much difference between the church popularity structure and the seed's popularity structure.

These programs are opportunisitic, a parasite on a parasite, if you will.  There's always an underlying common denominator for Amway, Herbal Life, etc.  

The common denominator group provides ready  access to a controlled market - a controlled group of people who are either afraid to think independently or cannot think independently because they are so wrapped up in program dogma.  It's the program that tells them they are weak without it.  Follow that with a sales pitch that is designed to make the listener  feel inferior if he or she chooses not to buy into the scheme. To hell with the soap, tires and pills, what they want is YOU under their market control.

It's just another rip-off scheme which makes it's money by keeping all individual thought and (sales) action under group control.

What??? I can only get my product from the guy right above me and I can only sell to the guy below me?  Sounds suspiciously like a cartel to me.  

I'll take my $45.00 Costco membership anyday over this stuff.  At least I can walk out of the store holding my head up high and not be morally challenged on each and every personal decision I make while I'm in there buying, or NOT buying, my much needed tires and soap.