It was only recently that I came across some remarks on a forum stating that people had heard statements like "Pigs don't know pigs stink" and "Pigs don't know pigs stink." I'm confident that it comes from a cassette captured by a person named Dave Severn, who I've never met (wife was Jan). In the 1990s, I was a successful independent business owner, and I'm confident that some Amway independent business owners still use this motto. It was mostly used to characterise persons who were not affiliated with Amway. They put in long hours at their jobs, but they were "broke" and didn't seem to be getting anywhere. At the very least, the Independent Business Owners (who were also broke) were taking steps to improve their financial circumstances (Amway!). As a result, the uninformed majority of the populace was unaware of the problem, leading to the adage "pigs don't know pigs stink."
After being out of the Amway company for several years and conducting extensive research on Amway and Amway groups such as WWDB and BWW, I can say the same thing about independent business owners (IBOs). IBOs are completely unaware that IBOs stink. Of course, I don't mean that in a literal sense, but business-building IBOs place monthly orders for their products. All of the functions are attended by them, and they pay for their standing orders. They attempt to attract new prospects in a desperate manner, employing all of the catchy words given to them by their upline, whether in person or via a cassette or CD. (This is referred to as "tape speak"). They are almost certainly losing money each and every month, all the while believing that they are becoming more successful and that they are becoming better or nicer individuals. They can incur massive financial losses in the thousands of dollars at the end of the year because the cost of obtaining all of the tools and training materials adds up to a substantial number of money after a while.
Even though they are losing their shirts, the Amway Independent Business Owners (IBOs) maintain a good attitude at the festivities. It is upline's responsibility to edify their commitment to the system and teach them two extremely vital, but self-serving bits of advice. IBOs will learn that they should never give up, and that if they do, it is always their own fault, even if they followed all their upline instructed them to do. In this way, upline absolves itself of any responsibility for the IBO's failure to perform. Ironically, the upline is quick to assume responsibility for any successes that may occur (even if there is little to none). Meanwhile, IBOs are attending all of the meetings and carrying out all of the procedures that have been taught to them. They behave in a similar manner, and in many cases, they even appear similarly. The majority of them also have a same outcome. They are losing money, and in many cases, they are losing a lot of money. They are merely instructed to overlook their losses and have an optimistic attitude. The majority of people eventually find it out and decide to leave Amway. Most will never speak of their engagement again, and because many are sponsored by friends and family, they will never make a formal complaint or express their dissatisfaction publicly in any way.
The Amway Independent Business Owners (IBOs) continue to associate with their positive and active fellow IBOs, even as their bank accounts diminish and cash are transferred to their upline. Pigs are completely oblivious to the fact that they stink.
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