Has the real world caught up with the Maxwells?

[YPestis]

I remember reading about how the Maxwells don't do news because it's depressing and can introduce ungodly elements into their lives. They receive any news through right wing pamphlets and overhearing people talking in grocery lines (I kid you not, that's posted in their Corners).

 

Now, the economy has been in a tailspin for a few years. The financial meltdown has caused bankruptcies and foreclosures. Unemployment is hanging out around 9-10% nationwide. The Maxwells, of course, have been living in lalaland. With the recent decreased number of conferences, and their new business ventures (singing, ITonRamp), they appear to be expanding to other venues to generate income. However, the economy the way it is makes their new businesses difficult to grow. Who wants to shell out $10 to hear amateur performers? Or pay thousands of dollars for courses that could be done cheaply with books, online websites and/or community college classes? Their products are not cheap and there's a whole slew of better made, cheaper fundie items out there. Plus, with the economy in the crapper, I'm willing to bet many fundie families are feeling the pinch and not willing to part with their dough.

 

Do you guys think the Maxwells are starting to feel the tightening of the economy? How aware of the wider economy scene do you think they understand? Does Steve realize that the economy is bad right now? Or is he blindly going forth with more stupid business ventures and then wondering why no one's buying? I sometimes wonder if the Maxwells see a connection of what goes on in the world and their own lives. Obviously, they've never shown any attention towards natural disaster victims unless it's people they know personally. But if the economy is starting to affect their bottom line....I wonder if the Maxwells will start to look beyond their nursing homes and road side conferences and react to the world going-ons. Thoughts?

[lilwriter85]

I think if they aren't feeling the tightening they probably will at some point. I remember hearing somewhere that some of their product sales had decreased. You do bring up a good point about people taking community college classes for web design or other computer issues. Some people with common sense would ditch ITonRamp courses for something cheaper at community college or by using books.

[Justme]

I doubt they believe the state of the economy pertains to them.

[VodouDoll]

Say it ain't so! Without One Ton Ramp, who would teach A+ Certification free of humanistic influences and defrauding?

[Sola]

I suspect they are. Everybody is tightening their belts and the Maxwell's scheduled is looking fairly bleak. People aren't going to be making bookings for their conferences as much as they wont be able to get enough sheeple in to cover the costs. I'd like to bet the MOTH and other books aren't selling as well. For the MOTH books in particular, these books can be passed on to grown children so the market, limited as it is, will be reaching saturation point. There are plenty of free scheduling resources online these days; why shell out for the book when you are trying to live as frugal as possible?

And with their target audience that will be the case. These are people who forgo health insurance, who refuse mortgages and don't want to be in debt. Right now jobs are insecure, businesses are struggling so people are cutting back on expenses. We've seen it with the Jeubs; their home businesses are struggling because people aren't booking them and lets face it there are so many speakers within the fundie Christian homeschooling circuit that only the most established businesses with money behind them will survive (thinking VF here).

It's a wakeup call for them but I doubt Steve will realise that his adult children should be working outside the home and not writing crappy books. He'll keep going as long as he can, no doubt hoping for love donations from the sheeple (that ALWAYS sounds icky to me) and hope that the economy turns around. I doubt it will turn around fast enough for the Maxwells and Jeubs though.

[lilwriter85]

I suspect they are. Everybody is tightening their belts and the Maxwell's scheduled is looking fairly bleak. People aren't going to be making bookings for their conferences as much as they wont be able to get enough sheeple in to cover the costs. I'd like to bet the MOTH and other books aren't selling as well. For the MOTH books in particular, these books can be passed on to grown children so the market, limited as it is, will be reaching saturation point. There are plenty of free scheduling resources online these days; why shell out for the book when you are trying to live as frugal as possible?

And with their target audience that will be the case. These are people who forgo health insurance, who refuse mortgages and don't want to be in debt. Right now jobs are insecure, businesses are struggling so people are cutting back on expenses. We've seen it with the Jeubs; their home businesses are struggling because people aren't booking them and lets face it there are so many speakers within the fundie Christian homeschooling circuit that only the most established businesses with money behind them will survive (thinking VF here).

It's a wakeup call for them but I doubt Steve will realise that his adult children should be working outside the home and not writing crappy books. He'll keep going as long as he can, no doubt hoping for love donations from the sheeple (that ALWAYS sounds icky to me) and hope that the economy turns around. I doubt it will turn around fast enough for the Maxwells and Jeubs though.

That is true. I bet even some of the fans of the Maxwells or Jeubs get tired of seeing them.

I don't think Steve will ever teach any of his kids to work outside the home.

[gustava]

And once again, the children of the righteous are screwed.

[Justme]

That is true. I bet even some of the fans of the Maxwells or Jeubs get tired of seeing them.

I don't think Steve will ever teach any of his kids to work outside the home.

Chris does take wedding pic's. He'll probably do fair enough. I believe the reversal boys have a construction business. I have no idea how much work they get. Nathan does IT work for various clients.

[Sola]

Chris does take wedding pic's. He'll probably do fair enough. I believe the reversal boys have a construction business. I have no idea how much work they get. Nathan does IT work for various clients.

Wedding photographers are ten to the penny. Especially female fundie ones; photography seems to be an acceptable fundie income revenue for unmarried fundie girls. The construction business will be affected by the recession, construction firms are going to the wall every single day now. The IT stream might keep up for a while, but I really doubt it would provide enough income for the entire family.

[terranova]

Perhaps one thing they have in their favour is low overheads. Afterall, they don't pay their staff, they sleep in walmart carparks when they travel, they eat like it bores them to and I think they even print their own books? They might be able to struggle on when other companies would go under because of this.

[Aurora]

Say it ain't so! Without One Ton Ramp, who would teach A+ Certification free of humanistic influences and defrauding?

And the evilution! Don't forget the EVILution! :mrgreen:

[lilwriter85]

Chris does take wedding pic's. He'll probably do fair enough. I believe the reversal boys have a construction business. I have no idea how much work they get. Nathan does IT work for various clients.

I forgot about the boys. I think they will do ok. Chris has pretty strict requirments for people that seek his photography skills for weddings. So he might not do as well Nathan or the others.

[demgirl]

I don't think the Maxwells charge speaking fees. I could be wrong but theimpression I got at the conference Clibby & I went to is thatbtheir "fee" as it were is "love offerings" and book/merch sales.