Businesses with a cult of personality-like following

[kphoger]

Wait, are you saying we go to Seattle when we die?  I thought it was Pittsburgh.

Tel, that to Angelo71.

Didn't you read the last panel, though?

[Max Rockatansky]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

[kphoger]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

Well yeah, I assume that's what |abefroman329| meant by 'selling salvation'.   

[kphoger]

Also, granted, it just occurred to me, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned a MLM yet.

Oh wow, that's quite true–and the degree to which it resembles a cult of personality varies greatly by MLM.

The one my wife sells for isn't very cult-like at all.  But LuLaRoe, on the other hand?  I don't know if it's still available on Amazon Prime Video, but, if you have that service, it's worth watching LuLaRich.

[abefroman329]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

Well yeah, I assume that's what |abefroman329| meant by 'selling salvation'.   

I was talking about a ticket to heaven, not purgatory. Do Protestants even believe purgatory exists? Even the Catholic Church seems to be leaning away from it.

[formulanone]

Re. selling salvation:

... Seattle ...

Wait, are you saying we go to Seattle when we die?  I thought it was Pittsburgh.

Frank Black claims it's Pittsburgh:

https://youtu.be/8fVClzhD4Pc

[roadman65]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

Well yeah, I assume that's what |abefroman329| meant by 'selling salvation'.   

I was talking about a ticket to heaven, not purgatory. Do Protestants even believe purgatory exists? Even the Catholic Church seems to be leaning away from it.

It's up to individual opinion even in organized religion. The Catholics are to be named after Universal Church ( hence Catholic is Greek for Universal) but that religious group is so divided.  You have some that believe that the Eucharist is not the true Jesus as some other Catholics believe it is Jesus. Same Church with same beliefs but different.

Yes Purgatory is not believed to exist by all Catholics in same manner. One priest said from the Pulpit (or Ambo @as they can't even agree on what to call that) that Purgatory didn't exist back in my old Church.

The issue is there is no set in ways even in an organized hierarchy as people generally interpret the same things differently.

[kphoger]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

Well yeah, I assume that's what |abefroman329| meant by 'selling salvation'.   

I was talking about a ticket to heaven, not purgatory.

Oh, I know what you meant.  I was hoping to keep the tone kind of light, so I was just continuing Max's joke.

[Max Rockatansky]

Wait, how are people ending up in the CHOP/CHAZ zone in Seattle after they die?  Is this a form of purgatory?

Well yeah, I assume that's what |abefroman329| meant by 'selling salvation'.   

I was talking about a ticket to heaven, not purgatory.

Oh, I know what you meant.  I was hoping to keep the tone kind of light, so I was just continuing Max's joke.

To which I'm kind of surprised someone got. 

[hbelkins]

Tastykakes used to have a cult following in the northeast -- well, northeast of here, as most of the love I saw directed at them came from Pennsylvania.

I'm not sure if it's still like it was, given that Tastykakes are now available across a wider area. Indeed, one of their bakeries is located in London, Ky. now, where a number of other goodies are made (Mrs. Freshley's and a few other brands.)

Speaking of Cheerwine, it's available at Food City locations in SE Kentucky. But the closest place I've seen that carries Diet Cheerwine is the Food City in Richlands, Va.

[kphoger]

My best friend considers my love of Braum's to be cult-like behavior.

The product at Whataburger is great but the service sucks so I rarely bother to buy it.

I'm not crazy about either one.  I think they both have decent burgers (not phenomenal, just decent), but I don't really care for crinkle-cut fries.

Braum's food side is just okay. It's the ice cream and, especially, the grocery side that shine. I don't buy milk or bread anywhere else because it blows Hiland and Sara Lee or whatever out of the water.

As for the bolded portions...

Is this just true of local dairies?  When I lived in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oberweis was the best milk around.  When I lived in southern Illinois, Farm Fresh was the best milk around.  And here in Wichita, plenty of people rave about Braum's milk.

[abefroman329]

When I lived in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oberweis was the best milk around.

I mean, it's still very good, but pretty much any store-brand organic milk is better in terms of both quality and price.

[skluth]

When I lived in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oberweis was the best milk around.

I mean, it's still very good, but pretty much any store-brand organic milk is better in terms of both quality and price.

I rarely buy milk anymore because my body can only consume small amounts of it and I prefer 2% over whole. For my money, it's only a matter of freshness. The closer it is to the "best by" date, the less fresh it is. I honestly haven't noticed the difference between milk from my grocery vs a 7-11 vs a dairy like Oberweis (I grew up with Hanson's in NE WI). I'm fine as long as it's fresh.

[abefroman329]

When I lived in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oberweis was the best milk around.

I mean, it's still very good, but pretty much any store-brand organic milk is better in terms of both quality and price.

I rarely buy milk anymore because my body can only consume small amounts of it and I prefer 2% over whole. For my money, it's only a matter of freshness. The closer it is to the "best by" date, the less fresh it is. I honestly haven't noticed the difference between milk from my grocery vs a 7-11 vs a dairy like Oberweis (I grew up with Hanson's in NE WI). I'm fine as long as it's fresh.

If you're consuming milk in small quantities anyway, I highly recommend organic.  2% organic tastes like whole conventional.  Probably even better than whole conventional.

[skluth]

I have no problem being part of a cult as far as businesses. I love Costco and Ikea. I'm a Packers fan. They make me happy. But I don't expect everyone to love Ikea or be a Packers fan.

I think the biggest cults are for bands and cars. Heaven help you if you dare to criticize Led Zeppelin or Lynyrd Skynyrd around one of their fans. With cars, it used to be Ford vs GM. Now, the cults of Subaru, Toyota, and Mini are bigger than Tesla. And I say this as someone who's only owned Toyotas for the last 20+ years.

I don't understand the cults of fast food at all. Being excited over mediocre food may be the most mind-blowing thing about this thread.

[skluth]

When I lived in the western suburbs of Chicago, Oberweis was the best milk around.

I mean, it's still very good, but pretty much any store-brand organic milk is better in terms of both quality and price.

I rarely buy milk anymore because my body can only consume small amounts of it and I prefer 2% over whole. For my money, it's only a matter of freshness. The closer it is to the "best by" date, the less fresh it is. I honestly haven't noticed the difference between milk from my grocery vs a 7-11 vs a dairy like Oberweis (I grew up with Hanson's in NE WI). I'm fine as long as it's fresh.

If you're consuming milk in small quantities anyway, I highly recommend organic.  2% organic tastes like whole conventional.  Probably even better than whole conventional.

Organic is another cult but not part of this thread. If 2% organic tastes like whole milk, I'd probably think it tastes like drinking yogurt. I like yogurt but I eat it with a spoon, not drink it. I don't care for kefir for that reason.

[kphoger]

I buy 1% ultra-pasteurized milk by the quart (https://www.kroger.com/p/kroger-1-lowfat-milk/0001111050324?fulfillment=SHIP).

Reasons for that:
  1%, because I have borderline cholesterol
  Quart, because I don't consume very much milk in a week–just over my granola in the morning
  Ultra-pasteurized, because (a) that's how quarts come and (2) it doesn't really start to spoil until I open it

And I have yet to find 1% ultra-pasteurized milk by the quart in anything except the Kroger store brand.

[abefroman329]

The one my wife sells for isn't very cult-like at all.  But LuLaRoe, on the other hand?  I don't know if it's still available on Amazon Prime Video, but, if you have that service, it's worth watching LuLaRich.

Which one does your wife sell for?

And I find it absolutely fascinating that nearly all of the MLMs recruit women to sell.  Over the past 20-25 years, I've had one or two people try to sell me prepaid legal coverage, but that's it.

[Max Rockatansky]

Now that you guys are mentioning MLM my brother has been part of the sham that is Herbalife for over a decade.

[J N Winkler]

And I find it absolutely fascinating that nearly all of the MLMs recruit women to sell.  Over the past 20-25 years, I've had one or two people try to sell me prepaid legal coverage, but that's it.

I have had exposure to a couple of MLM enterprises that operate in presumptively male-dominated spheres.  Amsoil, for example, sells synthetic lubricants and greases for road vehicles, and although it's increasingly common to see women working behind parts counters and as service writers, I think it's still the case that fewer than 15% of auto mechanics are female.  And I've been sent literature for another MLM business that focuses on vitamins and whose sales literature is clearly aimed at an audience of middle-aged men.  (I don't think it was Herbalife, though.)

This said, I am sure there are senses in which these companies are exceptions that honor the rule.

My own approach to MLMs, which I feel are under-regulated in this country (and yes, I'm aware of the FTC decision that says they are permissible as long as they don't operate as pyramid schemes), is to limit myself to buying over the counter.

[Bruce]

Re. selling salvation:

... Seattle ...

Wait, are you saying we go to Seattle when we die?  I thought it was Pittsburgh.

Your life insurance payout might be just enough for a downpayment on a little house in the exurbs.

[abefroman329]

Now that you guys are mentioning MLM my brother has been part of the sham that is Herbalife for over a decade.

I am so, so sorry.

[Max Rockatansky]

Now that you guys are mentioning MLM my brother has been part of the sham that is Herbalife for over a decade.

I am so, so sorry.

Fortunately I have about an 800 mile buffer from recruitment attempts.  Some decency came into play and he (and my sister in law) didn't try to recruit my wife.

[kphoger]

Which one does your wife sell for?

Scentsy.

At some of the gatherings/conferences, I've witnessed some calls to brand hype or whatever you want to call it, but not outside of that environment.

I think it's still the case that fewer than 15% of auto mechanics are female.

Heck, I just saw this sign from a bus window a month ago.  It's a list of positions available for the Ã"mnibus de México carrier group, and three out of the six positions listed specify "Sexo:  masculino" as a requirement.  Those are the two driving positions and the mechanic position.

[kphoger]

And I find it absolutely fascinating that nearly all of the MLMs recruit women to sell.  Over the past 20-25 years, I've had one or two people try to sell me prepaid legal coverage, but that's it.

I've just always assumed it was because earning income while still staying at home is something that appeals directly to mothers.  Plus, home parties with women in attendance has been a cultural 'thing' in this country since at least Amway.