Multi-level Marketing Schemes

It's slowed down a bit, but after I had Elinor and after I made friends with some mums of kids of a similar age, more and more examples of multi-level marketing schemes started popping up in my facebook feed.

At first, I was annoyed. I thought, "My goodness, these are intelligent women! Why are they falling for this crap?" 

Weird food products. Tat jewelery. Wall decals. Skin and hair care products. Essential oils (ugh). Healthy living plans. Sex toys.  

Generally, the posts from a particular person went on for a few months. And then they sort of died off. In the meantime, someone else's latest foray into the pyramid selling world would start populating my feed and I'd go through the same thought process. 

As I said, at first I was annoyed because I felt that the nature of these companies should be quite clear to anyone. Surely an organisation that asks you for a bunch of money up front and involves talking people into buying stuff should set off some kind of alarm in any semi-savvy persons head? 

And then, it made me a little sad and a little angry. Because I think I know what was actually going through their heads. You're home with tiny kids and it feels like you never have quite enough money or possibly an outlet for non-kid-related stuff. And you come across this thing that promises money, a little bit of independence but without sacrificing the time with your kids or the money it would mean to get a job, even part-time.

And these companies know that women are in this position and they take advantage of it. To take advantage of someone's desperation is predatory and wrong and also seems to be one of the motivating factors behind the way capitalism works.