Prologue: One most prominent trait that I know about myself is that I am extremely stubborn. (My mom and a few of my close friends can testify that.) And it is going from bad to worse as reality tested it from time to time. By the observing my pattern of reaction, I believe my brain will be as hard as bedrock when I graduate. Seriously, I need an EQ management pronto.
One uncanny similarity that I discover about Insurance Agent, Direct selling and Religious communion/proselytizing activity is their modus operandi to grab new member/believers/followers. Let me describe it for you: on a one fine day when you are walking from one place to another/out shopping/sit at some random park bench/waiting to meet someone/lunch/onlining at some random mamak place or cafe/ etc etc etc alone, someone out of no where approached you. The random person put on his/her most sincere smile and introduced themselves. You, keen in observing the politeness of social convention of interpersonal communication (tm), introduced yourself as well, somewhat sincere but still wonder why there was a random person approached you. The random person might start off with a lil chit-chat, asking what are you doing, what’s your job and where do you come from. Being a good sport you are, you replied his question. Then the random person will talk about himself as well while seeking for similarity between you. If there are similarities between both of you, then you start to feel more relax and at ease. At this moment of comfort, he might to start to slip in some agenda or invite you to certain upcoming event or ask you to join something. You were taken by surprise by this turn of event so you have rejected it politely. He persisted a little, talking about how beneficial it is and you should give it a try/a thought about it. You rejected it politely by telling that you will give it a thought and give it a try in the future if there is a chance. At this point, the random person will ask to exchange your contact number as a token of friendship. Thinking it was no harm to give your number besides that your phonebook in your handphone was pitifully empty, numbers were exchanged. He bid farewell and says that he will keep in touch.
A few weeks later, during one random late evening which you were onlining in front of your later while waiting for dinner time to come, that random person called back again, informing again that there is another event and he wish that you could attend. He also mentioned that he want to a have a dinner with you as well before attending that the event and he will be driving. Feeling a lil guilty that you rejected him the first time and probably more, you basically have nothing to do for the night and your stomach’s calling as well. You finally give in and he cheerfully says thank you and see you later.
Somewhere around 6:30 in the evening, the random person came by to pick up. He just finished his work and was stuck in traffic jam for a sec. You said never mind and both of you went for dinner. During dinner, the drink was his treat so you feel a little flattered. Both you and the random person went on your way again, stopping by a few places to pick up a few more people who will be attending the event. After a while, you reached the venue. It was located on top of a shophouse. Hmm, that’s weird. Why the talk was held in such random place. Nevermind. You walked up the stairs and reached the place. It was quite spartan, a small stage in front, projectors screen and projector machine at the side, rows of plastic chair and a table that works as registration table near the front door. The people over there dressed up as the same as the random person that brought you over: impeccable that makes your t-shirt and cargo pant looked so underdress. You start to feel very uneasy, a sense of dejavu suddenly rushed in. It feels like you were in similar situation before. Soon, the emcees asked everyone to be seated as the VIP will come in. When the emcees stood in front of the stage, high-strung and flushed, announced passionately that: “CHANGE YOUR LIFE WITH AMWAY!”, your mind was overcame by the immense fear that you faced before a couple of times.
FUCK. NOT AGAIN.
I HAD BEEN MISLED INTO YET ANOTHER SUCH EVENT WHICH I HAVE ZERO IDEA ABOUT.
I HAD FALLEN INTO THE TRAP OF CURIOSITY, GOOD WORD AND PLEAD.
That’s the situation that I was in last Tuesday which is just a few days before my seminar. The random person was a guy named Ryan (not his real name. As usual for people in this field, they will think of a glamour english name in order to be remembered easily.), a good looking guy in his 20s working as an engineer. The event I went to, "企"动人生 (the pun is at the verb 启动 which means activate as 企 (from 企业 or entrepreneurship/enterprise) and 启 is homophonous.) and he mentioned to me that it was a financial planning, entrepreneurship thingy. Little did I know that it was an Anway brainwashing session in disguise. All of the invited speaker or the supposedly successful people were all people from Anway and to make it worse, all of them are from Ipoh. Ohh their canton-laced mandarin was a pain in my ear. I swear that half of my brain died going through and resisting two hours of non stop brainwash. All of the speaking were bragging and gloating about how Anway had changed their life, how they earn so much money, how they develop their skills, how they planned their life and how all of them are secured financially. The audience, mostly youth around 20s freshly out of school or college were actually enthralled by this hokum. The emcee even made all of us to do standing ovation (国际礼仪,international standard wor.) whenever a speaker finished their speech. It’s borderline cultish they way they worship Diamond Class agent and full expense paid trip to Dubai or Vegas or China. One particular moment which I found very revolting is when one of the speaker (or rather, husband and wife team.) talked about their daughter which is still in primary school list out her plan in luxury car purchase in her future working life.
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN?! MATERIALISM EQUALS TO HAPPINESS? MONEY IS GOD?
WHAT WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
What I hate about Direct selling, Insurance Agent, Sales Promoter and even Proselytizing activities is that they tend to be big on words, showering people with sugared words and false hope similar in the manner of false prophet. They talk about how big their potential are (or for Proselytizing, “Closer to god”.) and how much they can do and achieve. What they forgot to mention is to how to gauge your own ability and how you might not achieve what they are. It’s basically like selling your soul to devil. (even for Proselytizing Activities). I had seen personally how poisonous these false idea are among my friends from high school until now. For example, there was one time I think during first year, semester break, I bump into my neighbourhood friend who is studying in UMS. It has been a long time so I feel like trying to catch up with him. Him, on the other hand, tried to promote HERBAL MENSTRUAL PAD to me. YES, HERBAL MENSTRUAL PAD. Yet another direct selling bogus under the guise of health product. I was feeling WTF that I had to stop that conversation abruptly to go home, to escape from this poisonous onslaught of mind.
Back to main story, half way through all the false preaching of materialistic gain, I felt like really walk out from my seat and take the bus home, even if I am at Bandar Perda. Hey, isn’t it AEON Seberang Prai is there! There is a bus stop in front and I can hop on the next bus to Butterworth, cross the strait by Ferry and take another bus home from Jetty. The only thing that holds me back is my basic sense of politeness and logic. At the expense of brain damage, of course.
At the end of the even, I had to leave the place because I was already fuming and I afraid that I cannot hold back my anger much longer. As soon as I set foot on ground floor, I immediately into panic-rant mode and basically ranting about WTH I was there. That panic-rant mode didn’t just freak out another guy friend that come along but also myself. I seriously think that my fuse is getting shorter and shorter as it was tested…
I had to regain my composure as soon as Ryan came down and all of us went back home. While Ryan and AnAn, that girl from Fajar Harapan keeps on talking about how great Amway is, I just look out at the scenery trying as hard as I could to ignore the conversation. Soon, the island is in sight and I am back to USM.
He sent me right back to Tekun. The only thing that I can muttered out to him after the outright lie is “Thank you. Bye.” As I walk toward Tekun cafe, he ran out of his car and hold me for a moment, looking apologetically.
“I know it was my fault for not informing earlier about the event but If I mention it was Anway, it might just turn you off. Trust me, I only did this because I was thinking of you as a friend and I want to share good things with you.”
BLAH. Typical sales pitch LIE.
My response: “Well, I said before that I might feel awkward in that kind of event. Now, I AM FEELING AWKWARD. And you didn’t tell me about it.”
“I am sorry. Maybe next time let’s go out for dinner again, my treat to make out my mistake. Hope to see you in the future, OK?”
“Hmph.” And I left.
Later at that night, he sent me a “Nice to meet you. Good night.” message. Out of courtesy, I replied him good night.
Moral of the whole story: DIRECT SALES AGENT, INSURANCE AGENT, UNIT TRUST AGENT, SALES PROMOTER, PROSELYTIZING ACTIVITY OR ANY ACTIVITIES THAT INVOLVES MANIPULATION OF HUMAN MIND TO FALSE BELIEFS should be avoided at all cost and to be exterminated if possible. Do not succumb to their preaching. If you really want it, you will get it on your own without any persuasion.
Epilogue: Phew, long post is long and I took me almost a week just to finish it! And just now, Ryan called me back again. I was only able to give him short, mostly monosyllabic reply to his question. Apparently, he want to have dinner with me. Hmmm, I wonder what did he want to preach to me again.
Oh, for anybody else involve in these business and feel that it was rather unjustified to smear them in this manner, too bad because I JUST HATE IT TO THE CORE. So for my friend who were involved, you better don’t try to do any sales pitch on me. Exploiting FRIENDSHIP for personal gain is LOW and I will go HULK on you if you can’t stick to proper topic.
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