Reviews Nobody Ever Asked For: THE DREAM

What if I told you I had a business opportunity for you that would change your life? With a minor investment of only a few hundred dollars, you can be earning thousands from the comfort of your living room.

Okay, well, I don't have that kind of job opportunity for you, because it doesn't really exist. But I do have a kick-ass podcast to share about these kinds of sales schemes!

THE DREAM is a stunning 11-episode podcast series by Stitcher & Little Everywhere, written and hosted by Jane Marie.

How many times have you seen one of your friends from high school post about "life-changing" body wraps, weird healthy smoothie machines, and crappy makeup lines? How many people have announced ~~FLASH SALES~~ with about fifty different emojis, claiming they need to sell 6 more tubes of lipstick before they qualify for a free cruise?

These are called multi-level marketing "businesses," which are the 21st-century equivalent of pyramid schemes. Basically, in an MLM, the companies that sell these products make the brunt of their money off of their distributors -- many people who join MLMs think they're going to get richer than they've ever dreamed, faster than they could ever imagine, but instead find themselves victims of debt and dishonest marketing techniques. The people who DO succeed often only do well because they're recruiting other distributors -- and making a commission off of their friends' debt.

The Dream analyzes all kinds of different MLMs and dives into the history behind this style of marketing, this mindset, and why people are SO drawn to these business models, even when something smells fishy. It's absolutely fascinating, and also hilarious because Jane Marie is a fantastic writer and host. And it's also terrifying, because the history of MLMs is significantly more far-reaching than you'd ever imagine.

I listened to the whole 11-episode series in about three days, and caught myself actually laughing out loud, gasping, or yelling "OH MY GOD" at various points of each episode. That's new for me, especially if I'm listening to a podcast by myself.

Can't recommend it enough. The only real downside is that once all eleven episodes are finished, there isn't another season to binge. I am sad.

It's available for free on iTunes or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Enjoy!