Raquel Strikes Again

[Terrie]

She's got her "YL is the bestest" bit up in her instagram. I cracked up at this line.

Quote

They keep me healthy, clean, and smelling like nature.

Nature smells like dirt.

And I suspect that like most MLM adherents, she has no idea on how to track her busines expenditures, so she see the money coming in and doesn't even think about the money going out, and sometimes money saved (since most of them talk up the discount they get on "things [they]'d buy anyway") gets thrown in with the money earned. But if you do real small business accounting, you start to see how piddly it all is.

[feministxtian]

The rain? Us desert dwellers have been known to dance in the streets when it rains. It doesn't happen often so when it does it's like a big party breaks out. The one thing I miss from the east coast...thunderstorms. We get them here but maybe once or twice a year. 

Love? I could give you a list of what love is...it's holding someone up in the shower after surgery (both sides). Its destroying your back to give someone a bedbath. It's standing by, dying inside as you watch the one you love slowly slip away. Love is hard, love is easy. Love is fun, love is sometimes fighting to be understood. 

Raquel....shut the fuck up, you don't know shit from shinola. 

[Terrie]

Wow, talk about tone deaf in light of recent events.

Spoiler

 

[formergothardite]

She has written that before but it is in very poor taste right now. Raquel seems to delight in the idea that she could write things to really hurt someone. She has no idea this makes her look like a mean girl. 

[Terrie]

24 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Raquel seems to delight in the idea that she could write things to really hurt someone. She has no idea this makes her look like a mean girl. 

Looks like? I mean, I haven't seen much evidence that she goes out of her way to be nasty to other people, but I haven't seen much evidence that she gives other people enough thought to be be purposefully nasty to them. 

[dripcurl]

Holy fuck. She never disappoints. 

[AmazonGrace]

Well IDK but if someone repeatedly warned that they would metaphorically shoot me if I said something wrong I'd probably just leave them alone.

Why does a trigger finger need a muse?

[Terrie]

So Raquel posted potential income levels for YL on her FB page. 

Spoiler

But what she didn't mention is that these earning levels, combined, make up less than 10% of YL members, and that to earn your commission, you are required to purchase a certain amount of product, so this amount is not the amount of profit you made. https://www.finance-guy.net/streetonomic/money-youngliving-review has a good breakdown of why YL is bogus.

In this case, I kinda feel bad for Raquel. Her mom, who seems to stay home and homeschool, is exactly the sort of person who gets targeted by MLMs. People who want to make a little money on the side, and who probably aren't doing a lot of critical thinking. MLMS appeal to people who like the sense of belonging that comes with membership and being in the "inside circle." They see themselves as a a people person, and like the idea that their business is about "connecting" with people, instead of numbers and profit. (Except, of course, that's what it is about, and they're on the losing side of the equation).

With her mom, the person who raised and educated Raquel, already sucked in and Raquel having that same sort of personality, with no native sense of skepticism, she really didn't stand a chance. Hopefully her siblings are naturally inclined to be a little more wary.

[refugee]

You said it, @Terrie. 

If I’m remembering right, Raquel’s mom is in Stacey McDonald’s downline. Stacey (or Stacey’s upline) must have done a major push lately, because I know another homeschooling mom in that downline who apparently just signed up all her teen and adult daughters as YL distributors, from what I can gather from the FB posts I’ve seen.

[Terrie]

Homeschooling strikes again. She's going on and on about how YL products are "chemical-free." Everything is chemicals. Chemicals are the structure of matter. 

[AmazonGrace]

Yeah, go ahead and tattoo essential oil ads on yourself. (Wouldn't an untattooed back be more pure, natural and chemical free?)

[dripcurl]

Good God, I hope she’s joking, but I also hope she’s not joking. Damn.

[formergothardite]

Getting a YL tattoo is the most Raquel thing ever. I'm torn between hoping she goes through with it so we can see how terrible it is and hoping she doesn't do this because it is such a truly terrible idea. 

"What is life?!" - not paying way too much for essential oils that really don't do that much? 

[AmazonGrace]

She wants to help you reach your goals and open miraculous doors for you  to sell you essential oils

 

[Petronella]

I really enjoy a Facebook group called "Sounds like MLM but ok". It's great for articulate discussion of the issues inherent to the MLM (Multi Level Marketing/direct sales) model and also issues with the many specific products, such as essential oils. I recommend it! (It's kind of FJ for MLMs ? )

Raquel's "I will educate--and learn along with others!" makes me roll my eyes. One of the MANY problems with MLMs is that their whole point is to use and abuse the friendships of the people who sell them, ruining relationships while profiting through pressured pity purchases (that in most cases eventually run out, often leaving the seller in debt from "investing in their business"). Their whole point is to get as many sellers as possible; any warm body will do. But part of their tools for attracting sellers is the idea that they instantly become "business owners!!!!!!!!!!" and are doing very important work, even if they have no skills or training or relevant experience (Raquel: "I am not a saleswoman by any means, nor do I claim to know how to even run a business."). The MLM model gives an instant self-esteem boost of "You're important now. You're in charge. You have the answers," despite there being no qualifications backing that up.

The dissonance of "I don't actually know anything about this" "but I will teach you; ask me anything!" is both typical Raquel, and typical MLM. Admitting that you'll be learning it yourself is a big hint that you're not an expert people should be looking to.

Edited August 19, 2019 by Petronella

[AmazonGrace]

Well but if you could help people thrive mentally and emotionally by  slathering  them with rosehip oil, it would be much easier than going to college to become a therapist 

[dripcurl]

As a massage therapist who lives in a state where schooling is quite rigorous (rightly so), I was kinda pissed that at the Glamping Beauty School (one week camp???) she, her mother, and sisters went to offered a “Raindrop Technique” certification. It sounded familiar, and it is basically a light massage modality involving essential oils that Gary Young made up. Now, I am an LMT, and I use EOs in my practice, but if Raquel or anyone in her family dares to start to start calling themselves therapists or bodyworkers just because of some half-day MLM sponsored get together I will fuming. Direct manipulation of the body can have major consequences if you do not know what you’re doing, and it is illegal in most states to charge money for massage or bodywork without proper licensure. The Department of Health gives no fucks about the “prestige” of Young Living.

[Petronella]

7 minutes ago, dripcurl said:

it is illegal in most states to charge money for massage or bodywork without proper licensure. The Department of Health gives no fucks about the “prestige” of Young Living.

I don’t know how Young Living deals with this, but Mary Kay, obediently but ridiculously, sticks to the law by offering “spa days” and “facials” as prizes, then when you get there they just TELL you what to apply to your own face, since legally they’re not allowed to physically touch you. On the one hand: good they’re following the law! On the other hand: bad to trick people! Often bridal parties ?

[thoughtful]

Am I the only one who finds that tee shirt creepy?

[Terrie]

9 hours ago, thoughtful said:

Am I the only one who finds that tee shirt creepy?

Nope. That's.... actually very Raquel. The world exists to meet your needs. 

[formergothardite]

Is the t-shirt supposed to be taking a bite out of the world? Destroying the world because everything is all about me is the most Raquel thing ever, but what an odd t-shirt to make. 

[Terrie]

Also, "The World Is Yours"? Is from Scarface. I suspect the shirt doesn't mean what she thinks it means.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Terrie

[thoughtful]

I don't have the patience for a whole song parody, but the lines:

Does she know what "Christian" is at all?

and

Eat the world!

popped into my mind.

 

[clueliss]

And now I'm SEVERELY grateful I unfollowed her on social media.  

[dripcurl]

So, are her and her mother now technically in competition? ?