Pros and cons of massage chains

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lee Edelberg on January 4, 2011 at 6:28pm

The article about massage chains in Massage and Bodywork Magazine a few months back was a fawning, uncritical promo for corporate massage.

 

I almost cancelled my membership to ABMP.

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alexei Levine on January 4, 2011 at 8:09pm

The massage chains do seem like a way for corporations to suck money out of massage therapy.  Remember, corporations have a legal obligation to make money for their shareholders.  A purely profit driven agenda can conflict with a healing mission.  Also, the wages paid to the massage therapists seem to be too low.  When I was in grad school I was taught that the only true professions were medicine and law, because only doctors and lawyers could own their practices.  The intention here was to reinforce the power of professional ethics over the profit motive.  In massage and physical therapy any corporation can own the practice.  Of course this issue is not black and white, and I'm sure that there are many therapists happily working for these corporations. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jordan Meyer on January 5, 2011 at 9:43am

I completely agree with you but I also think massage chains have helped the industry grow. And from a consumers perspective I think they get affordable massages.

Alexei Levine said:

The massage chains do seem like a way for corporations to suck money out of massage therapy.  Remember, corporations have a legal obligation to make money for their shareholders.  A purely profit driven agenda can conflict with a healing mission.  Also, the wages paid to the massage therapists seem to be too low.  When I was in grad school I was taught that the only true professions were medicine and law, because only doctors and lawyers could own their practices.  The intention here was to reinforce the power of professional ethics over the profit motive.  In massage and physical therapy any corporation can own the practice.  Of course this issue is not black and white, and I'm sure that there are many therapists happily working for these corporations. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Bob on June 11, 2012 at 3:45am

I read this article and it is really interesting and i also wants to know about the pros and cons of massage chains?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Relax & Rejuvenate on June 17, 2012 at 1:05pm

Alexei Levine said:

The massage chains do seem like a way for corporations to suck money out of massage therapy. 

I am confused. Money should be left IN massage therapy, unsucked by anyone? What does this mean?

Remember, corporations have a legal obligation to make money for their shareholders.  A purely profit driven agenda can conflict with a healing mission. 

Good lord!  A sole proprietor has a moral obligation -- and eventually a legal one if you ask his/her creditors -- to make money for themselves (a sole proprietorship is really just a small corporation with one shareholder), and their families, otherwise they end up leeching off the rest of society. At least an evil corporation merely goes bankrupt when it fails, and does not get assistance from the tax payers (unless you are GM and the President is in bed with your main union).  And an unprofitable massage practice -- owned by evil corporations or benevolent healers -- heals no one.

When I was in grad school I was taught that the only true professions were medicine and law, because only doctors and lawyers could own their practices. 

What is a TRUE PROFESSION and what institution of higher learning sold you that load of crapola?

The intention here was to reinforce the power of professional ethics over the profit motive. 

Right...those trial lawyers certainly are restrained from profiting off a spilled up of coffee at a McDonalds drive-through due to being one of the CHOSEN TRUE PROFESSIONS. Or maybe its defense attorneys who help murders and rapists and child-molesters get off with minimal punishment while billing clients -- or often the state -- $100ks. 

 

You should have your tuition refunded!

 

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on June 17, 2012 at 8:15pm

I have yet to understand the visceral objection many in this country have to people or corporations making money.  A business must make money - otherwise there's no point in being in business.

Oh and by the way isn't a professional someone who charges for their services?  Otherwise they'd be classed as an amateur - it works that way in sports at least.  So it seems that if one is going to talk about professional ethics the assumption must be that a professional is making money.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion