Besides the scam nature of MLM, there’s the matter of his discipline and maturity. If he doesn’t have enough for college, he definitely won’t cut it in any self-directed enterprise. It’s very hard to convince men his age, but a stint in the military will give him enough of both to manage a lot more successfully. And hopefully see the folly of MLM.
There are a number of good universities that run themselves in a military tradition, or have a civilian and a military side. VMI, The Citadel, Norwich all fill this role in the east. Texas A&M also.
That is a viable alternative to consider. He won’t have much partying around in his 1st year for sure and the academics and the military is a challenge.
The military is not child care, a nanny, or a surrogate parent. It’s an organization that trains people in the use of deadly force against other people in order to serve the geopolitical interests of the state (in theory, of course. In practice they are often used for much less justifiable ends.)
Do not look to the military to help your child grow up to be a responsible, independent adult. That’s your job as a parent.
And if he’s gotten to age 17 with such little sense—thinking that college is for partying or that MLM schemes are a good idea—then it might be a good idea to persuade him to stay at home and be supervised attending a local college or being trained for a trade, or getting a job and being taught more practical lessons about adult life.
Or let loose to make his mistakes in as safe a situation as possible—like don’t give him any cash to sink into this nonsense.
I know folks who thought the military was some kind of free school-for-adults got their older children and instead saw them die, suffer horrible physical injuries, become addicts, suffer debilitating emotional or mental wounds, etc.
Violence changes you. And the military is first of all, the state’s tool for the use of violence. They have no obligation to send him back as a functioning human being, much less to make him a responsible member of society.
As for partying, the military is a fantastic place for him to learn how to abuse alcohol of other intoxicants.
What is this, the 12th drive-by poster since January 1st?
I blame the search engines.
He can always join the military after his MLM experience ends in disillusionment.
The scene: Fort Zinerneuf. Parched and exhausted legionaries man the parapets, anticipating yet another attack by the Rif.
“Why did you enlist, mon frère?”
“To forget a woman, et vou?”
“Multi-level-marketing disaster.”
It sounds like what he’s really after is a life that requires as little actual hard work as possible. So I can see why he’s gun shy about college and the military and naturally attracted to the MLM dream.
I can heartily recommend “trust fund baby” as his best-fit career. (Not that I have any personal experience with it myself).
Although it does seem he’s blown the deadline on correct parent selection to make it happen. Oh well … lazy folks are like that; always blowing deadlines.
I don’t know if this is possible, but you should look into whatever options there may be for him to get out because he wasn’t an adult when he signed up. In other words, see if you can revoke your permission to have him join, even though NOW he’s 18.
no no no -
He should join the Marines as a way to ensure success in the MLM experience - tehre will be lots of other folks interested in joining the plan.
he should start by enlisting the help of the TI as soon as he gets off the bus.
The key is what are his legal obligations at this point. If he has signed a contract with a scheduled date to show up for basic training he is potentially subject to the military justice system and would be AWOL if he doesn’t go.
From the OP, it doesn’t sound like he actually signed up, just that he expressed interest, and talked to a couple of people. Now he isn’t interested any longer.
Drill Instructor: Private!
Private: Sir, yes, sir!
Drill Instructor: How many Amway memberships did you sell this week?
Private: Sir, two, sir!
Drill Instructor: Did I just hear the word “two” come out of your pie-hole, son? Did you just disgrace the entire Amway corporation with that piece-of-shit number, private?
Private: Sir -
Drill Instructor: What the hell do you think this is, a goddamn Tupperware party? The shit that comes out of my dog’s ass could sell more memberships than that! When I was your age, I sold twenty-five memberships every day before I even got out of bed! Now, you are gonna raise these numbers, private, and you are gonna raise them now — or else I’m gonna make you use the products we sell!
Private: Sir, no, please! Not that, sir!
Drill Instructor: Then you’d best get your shit together, private, before I decide you’re only fit to sell Avon! Now, get out of my sight!
Right before I separated there was a guy in my squadron (young guy) who got involved in some pyramid scheme with phones and videos and, I don’t know. All I know is he spoke to our squadron commander to see if he could be released from his service commitment because he was going to be rich in his new business venture.
Yeah, the commander forbade the guy from ever talking to his “business” contact.