[El Scorcho]

I saw this pop up in another thread, so I thought I'd make sure the conversation got picked up elsewhere.

Quixtar is one of my least favorite things in this world. I will elabroate further at a later point in time, but I thought I'd get the ball rolling for everyone else.

Go.

[LUconn]

If you like being "that guy" that everybody goes out of their way to avoid, don't walk, run to Quixtar!

[kel varson]

Check out the dateline nbc special and this article.

http://www.amquix.info/dateline/dateline.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4375477/

[El Scorcho]

That Dateline NBC article is great! I'd love to see the actual episode of the show where they showed that. In fact, they could probably stand just to show it in Convo one day.

[RubberMallet]

hah quixtar...

when i was in the architectual hardware business (door knob peddler) one of the sales guys quit to do quixtar...he now drives a forklift for ups....

i saw him at the mall and asked him how it went and he said he ended up losing money on the deal...

he had like 6 kids and never really met his quota each year so he only made him base (30-35g)...

[mrmacphisto]

Quixtar is just another example of the rich getting richer at the poor's expense. It's how we do things 'round these parts.

[LUconn]

you need to tweek it a bit pinko

It's the smart getting richer off of the stupid's expense. It's part of capitalism.

[mrmacphisto]

I stand by my statement.

[Purple Haize]

Mr MAC while we are residents in the same camp here, you make a huge mistake. You are equating rich with intelligence. The "magic" of "The Q" is its ability to dupe (or dope) people into the scheme regardless of economic standing. I have seen "poor" people do quite well in "The Q' by working their contacts. And I have seen wealthy people go broke. However, at all levels, the wealth does not last long. I HATE Quickstar and everything it stands for. It is why I can't like the Orlando magic and had to hold my breath as I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Grand Rapids. (Ok and for other reasons)

[ATrain]

I was in Quixtar for a bit...glad to have gotten out when I did.

[thesportscritic]

was in it too for a hot second then dropped that crap at the curb

[mrmacphisto]

Mr MAC while we are residents in the same camp here, you make a huge mistake. You are equating rich with intelligence. The "magic" of "The Q" is its ability to dupe (or dope) people into the scheme regardless of economic standing. I have seen "poor" people do quite well in "The Q' by working their contacts.

You may be right, but as I've seen it, most of these pyramid schemes prey on people's economic status by promising instant wealth and prosperity. This is why you see so many college students falling for it. I saw it in DeMoss a couple of weeks ago. I saw it at the laundromat last week. The laundromat, of course, is the perfect place to prey on poor people, because if they had money, they'd be doing laundry at home. This is why you see not only Quixtar people there, but also flyers and ads for those Cash Advance places.

[SuperJon]

I heard some guy giving a girl the whole spill about it at Jazmin's the other day. I wanted to go over to her and tell her to stay as far away as possible.

[LUconn]

I think we are arguing the same point. Stupidity has a proportional relationship to wealth. Sure there are outliers here and cases like college students.

[TIMSCAR20]

I think we are arguing the same point. Stupidity has a proportional relationship to wealth. Sure there are outliers here and cases like college students.

I think more accurately, Uneducated and uninformed would be the correlation to wealth and even then it is not a direct correlation. There are plenty of extremely intelligent folks that don't make a lot of money and there are certainly idiots that are rich. It all depends on the opportunities you get in life and what you make of them. It also helps to have wealthy ancestors.

[mrmacphisto]

I think we are arguing the same point. Stupidity has a proportional relationship to wealth. Sure there are outliers here and cases like college students.

I think more accurately, Uneducated and uninformed would be the correlation to wealth and even then it is not a direct correlation. There are plenty of extremely intelligent folks that don't make a lot of money and there are certainly idiots that are rich. It all depends on the opportunities you get in life and what you make of them. It also helps to have wealthy ancestors.

SCAR is exactly right, and even he didn't cover all the bases. It's a far more complex issue than some people realize.

[Purple Haize]

Smarts has a lot to do with it. Being dumb and rich is a sign of either wealthy or indulgent parents. The Q is nothing more then a well marketed scheme. But hey "They teach this business model at Harvard" is a great drawing line for those who want to be respected. To me it deals more with inadequacies. I am ALWAYS approached to join this stuff. (Perhaps it is my stunning good looks?) and they always try to prey on the "Are you TRULY happy with your job". I always say "Yes, yes I am". Especially now, b/c I just say my new motto "Hey they sicker YOU are the better I do" i know in my parents case it was an insecurity thing. It started as my mom's project but dad (the successful business man) took over. They wanted to have something no one else did and saw it as a great way for retirment money. My dad is moderately intelligent, been doing the same job for 45 years now. This type of thing has always been around and always will be. For as PT Barnum said "There is a sucker born every minute"

[mrmacphisto]

You're right Haize, but with things like Quixtar, I think ignorance and desperation have something to do with it as well. For the college students that get into it, a lot of them don't know what it is they're getting into. thay haven't been taught the literal meaning of the phrase "too good to be true." Others have tried to get ahead (or catch up) traditionally, but still can't seem to make it happen.

Intellegence does play a part when it comes to these pyramid schemes, but clever marketing and a confident spokesperson can fool smart people who just don't know any better.

Poverty in general, though, is a much more complex thing than "you're just stupid." I've seen enough to know that.

[LUconn]

well obviously it's more than that or else it would be a problem with a simple solution. That's why I said there was a proportionate relationship, and I'll stand by that. I certainly don't mean that every stupid person is poor and every smart person is rich. In fact, I don't even think that brains is the main factor in aquiring wealth. I'd attibute that to hard work vs lazyness. But it's still a factor none-the-less.

[kel varson]

The people I know who have been involved in quixtar have been in large part, lower on the socio/economic ladder. Not necessarily less smart, but more likely to fall for the line.

One example: Quixtar calls College the "Big Lie". This really appeals to those who only have a hs education.

Unrelated, but they also told this friend of mine the 12 disciples and the apostle Paul were all wealthy. The 12 disciples they described as "Independent business owners."

[mrmacphisto]

Unrelated, but they also told this friend of mine the 12 disciples and the apostle Paul were all wealthy. The 12 disciples they described as "Independent business owners."

Wow. Just... wow.

Unrelated, but I think your screen name is hilarious.