Daddy Maxwell is not exactly packing them in

[fundiefan]

Couple pictures of the economics conference posted. Steve's session isn't even half full.

 

I can't tell you how hilarious I find that.

[lilwriter85]

The Maxwells' popularity has deceased. I bet the iTon Ramp booth didn't get a lot of visitors. I also laughed at the pic of Sarah and the Moody reader girls who wearing matching dresses.

[Artemis]

Totally OT but Jesse's guinea pig is so cute . . .

And does poor John ever do anything but mend Uriah? They're practically joined at the hip!

[dawn]

So, did that family buy one per girl, or did they all read the same copy of their Moody book, which is the same thing as stealing according to Steve?

[mirele]

So, did that family buy one per girl, or did they all read the same copy of their Moody book, which is the same thing as stealing according to Steve?

Someone needs to give Steve an education on how used books are legal here in the USA. I'd be happy to, but he isn't going to listen to a mouthy, never married professional woman tell him things he doesn't want to hear.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

Totally OT but Jesse's guinea pig is so cute . . .

The small picture of the guinea pig was so perfect I wasn't sure it was even real until I clicked through to the larger version! The pose was just so perfect too.

This conference was piggybacking on a larger conference with some sort of economic theme, wasn't it? I can imagine it was a bit like shoving a square peg in a round hole - anyone know what the other sessions were called? Non-Maxwell ones?

[Rhetorica]

This conference was piggybacking on a larger conference with some sort of economic theme, wasn't it? I can imagine it was a bit like shoving a square peg in a round hole - anyone know what the other sessions were called? Non-Maxwell ones?

I think it was this one: familyeconomics2012.com/

Other fundie bloggers were going on about it. Good luck reversing the Industrial Revolution, folks!

[uber frau]

I wonder if it was financially expedient for Nathan to fly out there (or can he write off travel as a business expense for tax? dunno anything about US taxation). I somehow doubt they got as much interest as they would have liked. And I hope Melanie's family (or NR Anna) helped her out with the kids. Solo parenting a toddler and a preschooler is hardly restful.

The Maxwells' popularity has deceased. I bet the iTon Ramp booth didn't get a lot of visitors. I also laughed at the pic of Sarah and the Moody reader girls who wearing matching dresses.

It was the white trainers that did it for me. I doubt if any of those kids have hit double digits yet and they're already dressing (being dressed) like middle-aged fundy housewives. There are cheaper and more attractive ways to dress your children, people.

[freejoytoo]

So, did that family buy one per girl, or did they all read the same copy of their Moody book, which is the same thing as stealing according to Steve?

Wtf? How does that equate with stealing according to Steve?

I guess I shouldn't be shocked that he's more crazy than I thought.

[ricky_ticky]

I agree that the Maxwell popularity is not what it used to be. However, in Dad's defense that is a huge auditorium. I would hate to try to fill that for one of my lectures.

[fundiefan]

Wtf? How does that equate with stealing according to Steve?

I guess I shouldn't be shocked that he's more crazy than I thought.

Steve's copyright laws come from god himself and the rest of the world just steals every day, dontchaknow. It's not about money at all. Nope. It's about god.

If I remember correctly, their website for one of their books, or maybe some of them, was kind of the same way. You had to use the CD that came with the book in order to register for the web site. One CD per book, one person per CD, one access to the web site. They're more proprietary than software. Can't transfer users, can't share info. Everyone must buy their book in order to get any of their awesome, living a perfect life, information.

Somehow, though, even as they've attempted to make people shell out the cash, that everyone complies. No one with a brain will buy five copies of a book for five people in the same house. But, I don't think like a Maxwell following fundie so what do I know?

[YPestis]

The Maxwell stuff may not be selling as well but that's a big auditorium. Even at the height of their popularity, the Maxwells never filled anything that large. We don't know how big of a hit the family business has taken (if any). The economy and increased competition certainly doesn't help, but the family has managed to eek out a comfortable existence for 15 years. I'm sure they'll be just fine with whatever Steve cooks up. :~)

[chemist1217]

That conference looks deadly boring, but I was more struck at what a lovely young woman Mary is growing into. Now, if only she could get the hell away from steve...

[kpmom]

I wonder if they will start doing more of these kinds of conferences (big, and they are not the only speakers) rather than the several little church conferences they've been doing.

Every state has large homeschool conferences. I wonder why they don't do more of those? I guess the only downside would be they have to pay for their vendor space. Oh, and some non-approved-by-Steve people could be attending those conferences.

[ElphabaGalinda]

I think the bigger indicator of their drop in popularity is that they have less conferences than they used to. They probably never could have filled somewhere that big, but they probably could have gotten more people when they were more popular. I think they're problem is they're not unique anymore, and they're far more boring than all of their competition. That and they've pretty much gone everywhere that would be interested in them and their material doesn't seem to lend itself to repeat performances.

This is probably their only way to make money, since I don't think they can draw a crowd on their own anymore.

[fundiefan]

I think (I don't know for a fact, but it's an impression I've gotten on numerous occasions) that in the past they didn't do large conferences because they weren't their show with their rules. When it's them going to a small church somewhere, they get to lay it all out as they choose, making sure it is all their show and on their terms. When participating in larger conferences and events, they are just one family among many; one show in the circus. To a degree, they have to follow someone else's schedule - and agenda - and play by someone else's rules. Steve makes his own rules and the rules for his family. It has to kill him when someone else tells them what to do, or when to do it or how to do it or what the agenda is or anything else. Now that their individual side show isn't very popular, they have to lower themselves to participating with others. I don't get the impression ol' Steve likes sharing the limelight.

[kpmom]

I think the bigger indicator of their drop in popularity is that they have less conferences than they used to. They probably never could have filled somewhere that big, but they probably could have gotten more people when they were more popular. I think they're problem is they're not unique anymore, and they're far more boring than all of their competition. That and they've pretty much gone everywhere that would be interested in them and their material doesn't seem to lend itself to repeat performances.

And add to that, even by fundy standards they are "out there" in their beliefs and lifestyle.

[Jezebel]

If I remember correctly, their website for one of their books, or maybe some of them, was kind of the same way. You had to use the CD that came with the book in order to register for the web site. One CD per book, one person per CD, one access to the web site. They're more proprietary than software. Can't transfer users, can't share info. Everyone must buy their book in order to get any of their awesome, living a perfect life, information.

College textbook publishers have been doing the same thing for a while, now. Buy certain textbooks used, and you can't access online resources for the book. It's a ploy to sell more new textbooks and make used ones less desirable, and it's deeply resented by students (and, fortunately, some professors).

Many people who buy the Maxwells' books aren't going to be inconvenienced by this. But there's something tight-fisted and stingy about the whole thing. They're in a business where their success depends upon building relationships with all of their customers--not just the ones who have already paid--and Steve's adversarial attitude toward perceived freeloaders does not help. It's not as if there aren't other homeschooling, scheduling, and Christian child-raising books on the market these days.

Just as he doesn't understand relationship-building, Steve also doesn't seem to understand that books sell other books. When I was a bookseller, I can't tell you how many people came in looking for more books by an author they'd just read and enjoyed. Very often, that first book was bought used or otherwise acquired secondhand, but they enjoyed it enough to buy new books by the same author. And considering how much of the Maxwells' livelihood has depended upon speaking engagements, used copies of their books and freely-circulating supplemental materials would actually serve as advertising for their public appearances as well as their books.

And while it sounds odd, by letting some things be freebies and letting them circulate, they end up in the hands of more people--and many of those people will then go on to become paying customers. It happens with books, it happens with music, it happens with art. But try to control access, out of fear that someone might get to use your stuff for free? That really hinders the work's chances of finding new, paying users by happy accident. And, I should add, it implies a real lack of faith--in one's work, in one's prospective customers, and in the Maxwells' case, in a God who will provide.

[freejoytoo]

Who would want to read a Moody book? I saw an extract and it was possibly the most boring piece of writing I have ever seen.

[Justme]

I hope Sarah caught the eye of some nice young man who will come a corting.

[mirele]

I wonder if they will start doing more of these kinds of conferences (big, and they are not the only speakers) rather than the several little church conferences they've been doing.

Every state has large homeschool conferences. I wonder why they don't do more of those? I guess the only downside would be they have to pay for their vendor space. Oh, and some non-approved-by-Steve people could be attending those conferences.

His children might actually meet interesting people at those homeschool conferences and see that they can still be religious and have real fun, as opposed to the dour, drawn lives that Steve has them lead.

[PBrooke]

I hope Sarah caught the eye of some nice young man who will come a corting.

She has stiff competition. Pretty much all of the fundie bloggers I read have mentioned it or went last year - mostly the VF crowd, so less frumpers than average. I think maybe Noah S is giving a talk this year on the farming thing? Can't remember where I read that.

Random tidbit, and I could be misremembering, but I think it might have been at this conference two years ago that the M's hooked up with the K's, leading to Cleve finally getting hitched. I can only imagine all the double speak and covert meat market perusal that must be going on at these things.

[treemom]

Someone needs to give Steve an education on how used books are legal here in the USA. I'd be happy to, but he isn't going to listen to a mouthy, never married professional woman tell him things he doesn't want to hear.

I sent a very long email about fair use to him. However, since I went to college and work and am female it probably isn't a good idea,

[LilMissMetaphor]

Steve's session isn't even half full.

Kind of a nice parallel with his brain power in that case...

[gardenvarietycitizen]

That conference looks deadly boring, but I was more struck at what a lovely young woman Mary is growing into. Now, if only she could get the hell away from steve...

Yeah. She's only 15, and Steve is getting up there in years. I'm thinking she has the best chance for her life to change somewhat (even within the family) while she's still young enough to sort of catch up and move on.