So recently I put up a video testimonial of one of our mastermind groups. This is just one of a number of groups we run every week and the video is here if you want to have a look at it. This was picked up by the criminal anti-Lighthouse trolls on Reddit and I was actually sent this screenshot of one of their replies from someone in their circle...
Again it just shows the bias and prejudice that is out there. As I’ve said before in my previous article. The pathology of a troll is they revel in others’ misfortune. They don’t want to build up, they want to break down and you can see by the cynical title and questions below there is no attempt to appreciate or build up. When presented with some wonderful people sharing their honest experiences they try and pick holes. Even the title is cynically written. They first start by asking has everyone given permission. Which, of course, they have. But why would you ask this first? It’s a seemingly innocent question until you look at the motive behind it. This was the post underneath it and someone else who replied which was promptly deleted.
This is where so many of us can get foxed by someone who is narcissistic. They will ask questions that appear innocent and genuine on the surface but when you find out the real motive behind it you see it’s actually quite sinister. The questions in this post about permission and about DBS checks are all designed to sow seeds of doubt in the mind of the reader. By the way, for the record, I am DBS checked. For anyone who doesn't know, it's a criminal record search by the Disclosure Barring Service. All it does is say you don't have a criminal record. We need far more stringent checks to work with children which is also why everyone at Lighthouse is supervised DAILY by a senior mentor.
Also now you can also see the fear coming into these types of people as they are being presented with the truth “I am not a troll everything I say on Reddit is my factual experience”. Why then are you hiding behind a false name? I have put my name in that video and so has everyone else. If you believe so much in what you are saying then why don’t you put your name against your factual experience? The person making these criminal, dark and destructive comments we know now is tragically a teacher! As you can see her identity has been revealed as Jo Holmes by one of the users who commented after her. This reply was immediately deleted because they only want to present their lies and not the reality. That is why I’m posting this here so it can’t be deleted!
Why was that? What does this person have to hide? You see not one word here is designed to be upbuilding. It’s all cynically designed to break down. If I or we had anything to hide I wouldn't be taking the time to put this in an article like this! I have met this person. I have been in meetings with this person. I really believe deep down she does care about children but this is just blatant slandering.
You’ll notice that whenever these trolls have come onto our Linkedin pages or anything else, we don’t delete the comments. We leave them up! Why? So we can use them to lead and teach people about what narcissism is. This is an example of how, when someone is so fixated on their own interests at the expense of others they blind themselves to the truth. I have done this myself, but I am constantly working on it and am questioning myself and those around me. I have a lot of compassion for these people. Many of them may have been bullied in their lives and are now desperately searching for scraps of significance and to try and champion a cause, no matter how destructive it is. But if you’re trying to do that why don’t you do it genuinely, with your real name, and talk to us? Engage in dialogue and conversation instead of writing cynical childish posts on Reddit? You see no amount of truth staring people like this in the face will make them look at themselves and go “you know maybe I’m wrong...Maybe my experience is perhaps more about me and my issues than anyone else.” No, that’s not what a troll does. They constantly look out there and blame others.
All of these posts have been shared with our legal counsel as part of the case against malicious falsehoods and defamation of these specific individuals.
Thanks Jai for addressing the issue of trolling in this article. If those trolls would believe they have nothing to hide they’d use their real names. They also believe their own stories and struggle to even try to imagine that they might miss something. Seeing how huge the impact of trolls is nowadays especially on children and young adults shows the need to address this issue and to keep trolls accountable if needed enforced by law.
Thanks Jai, hitting home some home truths about trolls here and how their intent is to destroy and not build. But the evidence is very conclusive.
Thank you for sharing Jai. What struck me is the self justification of the trolls - "I'm not a troll.." when the evidence clearly shows otherwise. It's sad that they have become so cynical that they can't see the goodness in sharing this video because it could help someone else. The trolls like to sow seeds of doubt to try and persuade others that somehow they have the facts about Lighthouse and our work. I felt your article is crucial in that it highlights the troll pathology so that others can educate themselves and not be drawn into the trolls dark world.
Thank you for sharing how trolls, in this case Jo Holmes snipes from the dark behind anonymity to try and ruin our reputation and good work with helping and supporting others. I find it interesting that Jo didn’t comment on her experience of watching the testimonial for the mastermind group. If she had watched it, her comment wouldn't have been to try to keyboard assassinate us. It’s childish, sad, criminal and upsetting behaviour from Jo Holmes, trying to delete and cover her tracks, why? Because she knows she is in the wrong and has been since this trolling started.
Thanks for sharing this Jai, it's so key in understanding how often people who choose to behave as trolls, aren't looking for reality. They are looking for social proof of their own bias and prejudice and when presented with something that challenges their opinions and beliefs, they will break it down cynically and sow seeds of doubt to those not willing to see openness, honesty and integrity. The more we can highlight this behaviour and educate through it, the better.