Karpa(i)naigal

There once was a businessman whose products were loved so deeply by his customers that they began buying everything he sold. Even when he released poor-quality items, loyalty kept them coming back. The devotion grew so intense that people started sourcing new products from his associates on the black market.The businessman grew immensely rich, not just from his legitimate business but also from these underground sales. His consumers' loyalty turned fierce; they aggressively trashed and denigrated every competitor in the market, refusing to even consider alternatives.His profits soared to such heights that he spent only about 10% of his turnover on the workforce producing his goods. Yet his greed knew no bounds. He began evading taxes and eventually got caught. When dragged to court, he pleaded for a penalty exception.Before the courts could grant him any relief, a multinational corporation approached him with an intriguing proposal. They wanted him to sell one of their products under his own brand, banking on the blind and aggressive loyalty of his consumer base.In exchange, the MNC offered their premium legal services to handle his ongoing issues with the tax department. The deal was signed. The businessman began aggressively advertising the MNC’s old product as his own.Unlike his earlier ventures, this new product faced stiff competition. He had built his empire in the tarot card business, but now he was stepping into the oil market — specifically, an unadulterated snake oil business.Still, he placed complete faith in his young and enthusiastic followers, who had proven willing to buy anything from him: flame throwers, tarot cards, cooker whistles, leaf blowers, or squirrel trimmers. He was confident they would carry him through the tough competition.The established sunflower oil company was a major pain, but he bet everything on the blind loyalty of his base. The snake oil was launched, and sure enough, his consumers started buying it in droves.It didn’t stop there. His loyal customers began cooking with the snake oil, applying it to their hair and body, and even using it to fuel their vehicles. They marveled at how versatile this oil was — it seemed perfect for anything that had the word “oil” in it.The businessman, never imagining anyone would actually buy a rebranded product so enthusiastically, later went to the MNC to demand his cut. Instead, they showed him the fine print of the contract he had signed. It stripped him of control over all his businesses.He rushed to tell his consumers the truth, but by then it was too late. They had already shifted their fierce loyalty to the new MNC in town.What they were buying wasn’t just snake oil — it was a psychedelic potion designed to bind the masses in a shared delusion. The MNC reigned supreme until, a decade later, the sunflower oil company finally developed an antidote.

22-Apr-2026