A real-life example of how troll pathology is self-seeking and self-destructive.
Photo credit: Brett Jordan, courtesy of www.pexels.com
Documenting Criminal Behaviour & Building a Legal Case
Over the better part of the last year we have warned the small group of online criminal trolling cohort that if they do not work through the grievances they have with us maturely and they instead continue to try and destroy us and our work then we will be required to go down the legal route, which will involve contacting their employers about the criminal investigation into them and the potential consequences for both them as their employers and for all individuals concerned (click this link for the consequences that firms face for employing trolls). The trolls (a tiny handful of people compared to the 70,000 we have worked with) have been warned repeatedly for the better part of a year about the potential consequences of this, but they continue to think that they are a law unto themselves, so we have had to take further steps.
It is very unfortunate that we have had to take such steps but this type of pathology which causes such damage anonymously, hurting children, individuals, families, and businesses cannot be left to run amok! There is at present a whole report dossier being finalised now by Lighthouse Global on those who have criminally trolled and continue to troll the organisation and its partners, including a Mr Thomas who was brazen enough to do so publicly on LinkedIn. This has been built up and added to consistently over the course of the last year and there will be ongoing updates to the report which will be shared with the relevant parties as a result of these actions. Lighthouse will also be sharing this information with every other person and organisation that needs to hear or ought to know about this, including senior people at Reddit and other authorities.
Lighthouse has been working on building our case legally for the better part of a year, which is going very well, and despite us encouraging members/clients not to go on to sites like Reddit where the criminal trolling has been taking place against Lighthouse. However, one potential partner and others have felt compelled to go online independently with an aim to set the record straight.
Third Party Intervention on Reddit
At the end of this article, you will find a copy of a post that was shared with us from one of the members of the greater Lighthouse community who is exploring becoming an Associate Partner. He had tried to post this message as a comment to a Reddit post by one of the trolls but found it was either banned or removed, which serves as evidence there is also a concerted effort by the criminal trolling contingent on Reddit to hide anything that confronts the reality of their stories and gives another perspective that would undermine and discredit the biased and prejudiced things they are writing.
This individual, who is senior partner in another business himself, has been in the process of exploring becoming an Associate Partner with Lighthouse for some time and was very concerned by some of the accusations being made online. In order to work through this the individual concerned has been having extensive interactions with members of the core Lighthouse team over months as well as speaking to members of our legal counsel where required. They have been kept up to date with developments in relation to the criminality of the trolling against Lighthouse and its members, as well as the specific steps we are taking.
This individual's concerns about Lighthouse have been completely allayed over many months by getting together and working through them and their only two major outstanding concerns were: firstly, how did we let people with this type of pathology into the organisation in the first place? (In short we have learnt a lot that will enable us to ensure against this in future as much as possible and a post to share about the changes we have made on this will follow in the next few days!). Secondly, the potential partner concerned wanted to know that we would be holding those trying to destroy Lighthouse accountable because this person wanted to know that any investment they make here will be safe!
In light of this, the following was posted by this individual on Reddit: (For your information, when this person refers to "Throwaway" he clarified with us that this is an anonymous pseudonym of another Reddit user who has had absolutely nothing to do with Lighthouse previously, but is now involved in the trolls' dogpiling, which is a phenomenon amongst trolls and is a criminal act). The type of pathology being dealt with here in such trolls is so desperate to create an enemy and to then try to destroy this manufactured enemy that, from what has been shared with us, we are really concerned about this individual. The person referred to as "Throwaway" is apparently claiming to be some sort of professional or expert in the field of narcissism and 'cults' and yet they display highly narcissistic traits themselves, toxic and malicious behaviour and give no credence or credibility to their self imposed status and claims, whilst remaining anonymous. It is concerning to us because, people such as Mr Thomas who has a family to support and who is already in a very vulnerable place with his criminal behaviour, is only being further influenced by this toxic pathology in a very destructive direction. We really do hope this changes and would love to help wherever possible in line with this. Below is the post mentioned.
Reddit post:
"I have spoken to the relevant leadership at Lighthouse and I can tell you now Mr Thomas, you may be looking forward to your conversation with your current firm’s (Kibo) HR next week as you stated in a recent post but believe you me, so will the hierarchy of Lighthouse who have been invited into a meeting by Kibo, in particular the head of HR Marjorie Edwards who recently contacted Lighthouse. The email sent to them on the 24th December was opened more than 20 times by members of the Kibo senior team as it was shared around your employer’s leadership. You see Mr Thomas the first thing that you need to acknowledge is that what you and your hateful cohorts are doing is utterly criminal. I know you may think that you might get away with your criminal online activity designed and intended to damage Lighthouse and its hardworking law abiding people and their families, but I can tell you something for sure, throwaway (very appropriately pseudo named) is encouraging you to throw away a lot. Will your fellow partner in crime be there to pick up the pieces of your life for you? For your family? I really don’t think they will! They may be ready to go to prison for their criminal activity (trolling efforts) as they have posted on here, but are you? Look at this person's past posts and comments.
Spreading malicious falsehoods designed to destroy people’s lives and hard work online are both illegal and disgraceful. If you have a legitimate legal issue with Lighthouse criminal or otherwise as an organisation, take them to court, do it legally! The fact that you do not do so proves your claims on here to be false and defamatory more than probably anything else. If your claims and accusations were true you would be holding the leadership of Lighthouse to account by law. The police and the courts would be involved. You can’t prosecute (because you are a criminal and a disgraceful liar with no legitimate case), so you attempt to persecute and ruin people’s lives as a criminal online troll. You also bring reproach on Kibo your employer who recently took your company Monetate over. They are now learning of your character and your pathology first hand.
Lighthouse are consistently updating Kibo on all your criminal activity as a troll in relation to your persistent attempts to cause Lighthouse and it’s people harm, pain and suffering.
Furthermore there is now a campaign as part of the case Lighthouse are building against you and other criminal trolls on here that are holding companies accountable by law to them employing active criminals that hurt innocent people, including the online criminals that are trolls. They, Lighthouse, will now also be helping and training staff of companies around the world to handle malicious attacks from people like yourself online. It’s what I love about the people of Lighthouse. They literally turn every problem and challenge into an opportunity. Goodness I love these guys.
Lastly the criminal fines and compensation payouts to victims of trolling and custodial sentences that are now being handed out to trolls are now becoming common public knowledge. The legal costs will also be covered by the criminal perpetrators like yourself. You are already being held accountable to Kibo, your employer. This holding you to account is the first proactive step to taking you all the way Mr Thomas to the justice you and your fellow online criminals deserve. You will soon like the others be virtually unemployable. You were warned.
Reddit (otherwise known as Redirt) is well known for being a seedy underbelly of the internet and the Wild West nature of its moderation is well documented through the following:
"“At its core, what's happening on Reddit feels evocative of this moment on the internet — and society — as a whole: a deep mistrust of authority yields a relentless and potentially destabilizing search for the secretly powerful hand keeping people down. In this case, some users say they've identified a cabal of "PowerMods" who control everything that happens on Reddit and manipulate the platform to their advantage. Moderators say they're receiving death threats because of a misleading list and for simply trying to do their part to make Reddit better. When Reddit's corporate team steps in, it only seems to make things worse.”
As you can see from the above, Reddit is practically a free-for-all so we are not surprised that posts counteracting what the trolls are posting are being deleted and we can understand why this potential Associate Partner is as fiercely protective of Lighthouse and its members as they are. This is very understandable when many of those involved here have literally been pulled back from the brink of desperation in deeply damaging life-decimating situations and in many cases considered or even attempted suicide.
Where does Lighthouse Stand With All This?
We are certain that we are imperfect as individuals and as an organisation, but we really want to learn in every opportunity in order to create the very best outcome for all involved in every situation wherever possible! This is a core part of our culture and value system based on principle, so if people believe that we are making mistakes, which we definitely are, then the best way to go about that isn't to attack us anonymously online, it would be to consult with us in a calm, open and mature way.
We would love to use this situation productively and we continue to invite those with grievances to come and talk to us! Let's work through these things together. If there is anything about us that is cult-like, as a tiny minority of trolls have claimed, then we want to fix that because we have no interest whatsoever in being a 'cult' in any way. That would go entirely against the culture and values we have and are building. We know there is a lot for us to learn and there always will be, but those who want to help must also realise that they too may have things to learn as well, which is why we encourage mutual cooperation with us, not acrimonious online sniping and mud-slinging. Those who have been ruggedly individual for their whole lives can very often mistake genuine community for a cult, while not knowing what either of these truly are, such that, if they were asked to define them and the key differences, they would not be able to make the proper distinctions. (A post to follow on this soon also!)
Really, at the heart of this situation is a simple financial dispute, something that all companies have and need to work through all the time. The fact that such a dispute exists does not make Lighthouse a terrible place full of horrible and manipulative people, although such disputes, especially when money is in contention, can drive those who feel aggrieved to resort to such low-level slurs and smears as we all know. All this existing situation means is that we have a disagreement with a few ex-partners who have left the company and decided to try and slander and destroy our business, our reputation and opportunities in retaliation because they know they have no case for a financial refund. Rather than working through this sensibly and maturely with us, using the proper processes as they could have done, they have taken the course they have that only worsens their position and will only end up hurting them more, financially and otherwise, because the approach they have taken is a criminal one. Such is the sad consequence such unhealthy pathology drives people to.
Are we a dishonest company? Of course not and we believe our characters and actions back this up greatly. But are we a perfect one? Again, no, of course we aren't.. but we hold ourselves to extraordinary standards in seeking that and we will genuinely reward anyone who can show us where we have got it wrong and genuinely need to make things right, which we will do. We have been incredibly measured and patient during this whole process, issuing various warnings to those involved and giving ample time for a more mutually amicable process to be sought out and undertaken. Rather than jumping in to defend ourselves or take immediate legal action, we have patiently stood by and allowed these trolls time to have their say whilst monitoring that carefully under the advisement of our legal counsel. There are so many people's lives who are impacted directly and indirectly by this work and we are desperate to get it increasingly right! So much so that our Chief Mentor has invited anyone who wants to speak about any of these issues to come to his home.
It was our legal counsel who confirmed our own expectations that, given time, those trolling us would only reveal more and more of their selfish motives along with their bias and prejudice and malicious pathology in a way that increasingly discredited themselves to any sensible and measured objective observers, as they have and as we have described here. All they have served to do in this time is help us to build more and more collateral against them for legal prosecution if it came to that, whilst taunting and mocking our lack of legal action and warnings to them of our investigation into their trolling. As a word of warning to any online trolls, just because you haven't heard anything doesn't mean the consequences of your behaviour won't catch up with you. The wheels of justice may turn slowly, but turn they do.
Sadly when those consequences eventually catch up with people like this they are the first to complain, whine and play the victim about the impact that is having on them and their families too (something we've wanted as much as possible to avoid), whilst vilifying those holding them accountable. But such is the pathology of such people who professionals in psychology, psychotherapy and psychiatry would describe as 'old infants', i.e. people who have grown up physically but remained emotionally immature and infantile. These are people who fail to consider the potential damage and negative impacts of their behaviour on those they are trolling, feeling totally justified in their behaviour as though they are a law unto themselves, a judge, jury and executioner with their own opinions, but when objective accountability eventually catches up with them, they feel even more aggrieved and victimised. We hope that those who are willing and able to can see this self-defeating nature of their behaviours and can come to humbly accept their wrongs and make them right with us in cooperation to seek a win-win or no-deal outcome.
Regardless of the action of our trolls we will use this experience to both expand our business whilst helping families to stand up to trolls through initiatives like Parents Against Trolls which Lighthouse Global Head Mentor Paul S. Waugh introduces in this video below.
Additionally you can learn about what we’ve explored over the last 18 years from our pioneering research into human potential.
This article is shedding light on the online terrorists, trolls, with very destructive and murderous motivations. It’s shameful, not to mention selfish how trolls will try to control peoples behaviour and thoughts. In an attempt to block other peoples transition and transformation because they couldn’t grow themselves. Moving back into where they were trying so hard to escape from initially, like a criminal wanting to go back to prison because of the comfort with destruction.
I like how Lighthouse is setting an example for others to stand up and face their trolls. To provide and encourage support where possible because of the learning experience and knowledge in how to face dark and evil pathology. Not with retaliation but with…
What a powerful account and as they say, the truth is incontrovertible. Thank you to all those that are standing for children through their support of what we are doing here.
Thank you for sharing. The first thing that struck me reading this article is the manner in which Lighthouse International has conducted itself as opposed to the trolls. What a difference in pathology and position. Being prepared to and indeed offering to sit down and discuss like healthy grown adults and that invitation being declined is so revealing. Accountability lessons are forthcoming.
What I really value about this article is the focus on understanding the underlying motives of a troll. What is their pathology? They are not open to and able to work through challenges in a mature way but instead they go online and post anonymously with the purpose to destroy - not considering the impact this has on those involved in Lighthouse and their families but instead making it all about themselves.
People with that kind of behaviour need to be kept accountable to stop their trolling and destructiveness. They ought to know better as they are as well responsible for their own families who will suffer unnecessary through those actions.
I appreciate the way Lighthouse deals with these kind…
Thank you all for the time and effort to put this so needed article together. What has been happening on sites like Reddit is very disturbing, especially as these posts are coming from people who were involved with Lighthouse and we have all interacted with at some level. Bless the anonymous person who is speaking out for Lighthouse, someone who cares enough and wants to see justice. My time in Lighthouse has been one that I will never take for granted for the people in this community, my mentors Paul Waugh, Warren Vaughn and Sukh Singh have shown me what it really feels like to be loved. thank you for sharing this and for caring enough to want to share.