In Reply to: A piece of the pie. posted by jo on January 11, 2004 at 11:52:25:
I don't think yours is a good analogy but I see your point. My analogy was different, one where the buyers are looking at some benefit. That is what con men thrive to use. In your example, the new home owners have a recourse to get their investment bach if the rules were not followed but no way out if rules were followed. With con men, the target normally looses property.
We were idealistic and wanted to do something, the product presented to us seemed to be just right and we bought it. We bought it because we wanted to do something which would fulfill us. We invested in a future we wanted without knowing Berg was misrepresenting that future. What we gave, our time, our youth, our idealism, was lost for the most part.
I commend you for feeling good about yourself as a result of your experience in TF. I do to feel good about many of those things too, but not of all of it. I feel bad for having participated in their proselitizing efforts and I take full responsibility for it. I don't go slashing myself for it but just like you I try to warn others about similar things.