Twenty-Five Predatory Tactics

From Karen Mitchell's persistent predatory personality model

Jussie Smollett crying over a fake assault he manufactured for sympathy.

The persistent predatory personality (PPP) tactics are covered briefly in the main text of Mitchell’s thesis, but more extensively in the final appendix (O). She lists 25 of them, which DPs (dark personalities) “use to punish, harm, humiliate, demean, and destroy others; to win; to control; and to avoid transparency and accountability.” I’ve chosen to break them up into categories of my own, culled from Lobaczewski’s work.

While normal people might use some of these same tactics on occasion, PPPs use them “far more potently and brazenly.” Additionally, “The propensity of people of DP to know of, understand, and use these tactics is high and surprisingly common across the population of adult people of DP.” Lobaczewski called this the psychopath’s “special psychological knowledge,” about which he wrote: “In spite of their deficiencies in normal psychological and moral knowledge, they develop and then have at their disposal a knowledge of their own, something lacked by people with a natural worldview.” This knowledge concerns “the weaknesses of human nature and the art of leading others into error.”

Lobaczewski describes two broad categories of tactics—paralogisms and paramoralisms—and two examples of them: reversive blockades and projection. Paralogisms are essentially distortions of logical thought processes that lead to incorrect conclusions, e.g., by misrepresenting or discrediting evidence or facts. Paramoralisms are moral substitutions, making evil seem good, and good evil. This can take the form of “paranormal indignation,” which is emotionally infectious and can turn people against the innocent or the virtuous. Both methods block an average person’s mind from being able to perceive the truth.

Reversive blockades are big lies, like gaslighting or “swamp-gassing.” The brazenness of the lie catches people off guard and they assume it must be at least partially true. Additionally, “If the counterfeit of the truth is the opposite of a moral truth, it simultaneously represents an extreme paramoralism, and bears its peculiar suggestiveness.”

Lobaczewski called the second tactic “projection of self-referential associations (or qualities or intentions) onto other persons,” which he classified as a paralogistic method. Since it typically involves painting that other person as bad, it acquires the quality of a paramoralism. It can also count as a reversive blockade, since it involves telling a bald-faced lie about someone.

Mitchell calls this “reverse attribution,” writing that “people of DP always attribute their nefarious behaviours to the target/victim.”

Accuses the victim of their own nefarious deeds (‘reverse attribution’), blames others

This tactic is used universally by people of dark personality and involves accusing the victim of doing what they themselves are doing and posing as the victim of behaviours they inflict on others. This is often referred to as transference, but it is strategic in nature, so ‘reverse attribution’ is a more accurate term. As the real victim maintains and continues to fight for their innocence onlookers remain confused and may ultimately become bored with the prolonged battle which just seems like 2 warring parties, both with different perspectives, in which case the person of dark personality often avoids culpability and the victim’s reputation is tarnished. Regardless, the victim’s life is profoundly negatively impacted.

Often, the person of DP is so compelling that they are believed and seen as the victim when they are in fact the aggressor. Reverse attribution creates confusion and uncertainty. It ultimately provides a smokescreen, meaning that at worst, the issue is seen as a conflict between two parties, and the person of DP is never held to account.

The data indicate that even where evidence is available, and the person of DP is the perpetrator, they are still often believed and supported, leaving the target/victim desolate.

Here we see all the above qualities. As a reversive blockade, many are either compelled to believe the lie or become confused. As a paramoralism, the aggressor is seen as the victim, and the victim as the aggressor, with all the emotional and moral consequences of this attribution. And as a paralogism, it blocks people from seeing the truth. It also has the quality of a para-appropriate response, which will be covered a bit further on.

Pathocrats do this so consistently (both with foreign adversaries and domestic dissent) that Lobaczewski suggests that you can get a decent picture of the truth by simply reversing all their statements, thus uncovering their own intentions.

Mitchell quotes some examples from her study participants:

‘One situation I was exposed to involved different people all being told the same discrediting untruth about someone by the dark personality and doing it so convincingly that people were genuinely convinced the dark personality was the victim and the victim was the dark personality. It destroyed the life of the victim and even though they had an excellent professional track record, they could not convince others of the truth. It only came out much later when the dark personality was exposed for fraud and even then, people struggled to believe this person could have done the things they did.’

‘On one occasion I was forced to apologise to him for what he had done to me.’

Pathological Egotism/Terrorization

Lobaczewski links these together, writing: “The kind of excessive egotism which hampers the development of human values and leads to misjudgment and terrorizing of others well deserves the title ‘king of human faults.’” In his mind, terrorization proceeds from pathological egotism: the unshakable conviction that the PPP/DP/psychopath is normal and superior, and that the world must conform to his wishes. Mitchell provides a few examples of this terrorization:

Intimidates with an intent to create fear

This includes the type of physical intimidation discussed earlier, e.g., finger jabbing, bringing their face close to yours, unleashing their “controlled ferocity,” eyes “turning black” and speaking slowly and menacingly.

‘Whatever comes out of their mouth at that time is not a threat, it is a promise. They always follow through on the destruction.’

Blackmails and bribes

They often achieve goals through illegal or morally bereft exchange of resources.

Forces, coerces, and bullies

They use physical, emotional, financial, or political force to create an outcome.

Diminishes, degrades, disempowers, and discredits

The relentlessly engage in actions and words that compromise the core of the target/victim’s sense of confidence, security, accomplishment, joy and/or self.

Paralogisms

Next are the paralogisms, which involve the deliberate confusion of premises and conclusions using various means or, in other words, control of information.

Blocks, evades, and deflects

They use stalwart non-response to a request, demand, contracted agreement and/or legal requirement, far beyond general avoidance.

‘Stonewalls, refuses to cooperate, evades, refuses to comply, changes the topic, conveniently forgets details, is inter-personally unresponsive.’

Focusses on evidence reduction and avoidance of transparency

They can go to great lengths and devise intricate plans to ensure there is no evidence of actions. They dwell in the shadows. They are never fully transparent and compel others to maintain secrecy. They lead double lives.

‘Psychopaths are extremely careful that they leave no evidence, extremely careful. Certainly, nothing in writing. They’re very careful what they say on the telephone. They say it in a way that they can claim it was all said innocently and really [has] meaning.’

‘The dark personality formulated an elaborate plan that involved disposal of his victim’s body, vehicle and evidence while under law enforcement surveillance.’

Uses convoluted discussion

They use circular, long-winded narrative to divert dialogue away from their own nefariousness.

‘When trying to resolve a problem or address their abusive behaviour these dark personalities take over the conversation, and quickly drift from one topic to the next, which frequently involves attacking the listener. The topic/issue/problem that was supposed to get resolved gets lost in the argument/discussion and never ends up getting resolved.’

Lobaczewski described it like this: “Our first contact with a psychopath is characterized by a talkative stream which flows with ease and avoids truly important matters with equal ease if they are uncomfortable for the speaker.”

Dismisses, denies, and minimises

They will vigorously challenge accusations, making light of them, addressing them humorously or refusing to acknowledge them.

Justifies and excuses

They convincingly validate their behaviours which break regulations, agreements, laws, and/or moral codes, usually with the use of a false narrative that sounds legitimate.

Paramoralisms

The following tactic adds an element of moral inversion (reverse attribution fits in this category):

Attacks process and the qualifications, experience and integrity of professionals who challenge them

Rather than respond to allegations, a person of DP finds fault with the process intended to bring accountability and/or the professionals engaged in the process.

Para-appropriate Responses

This involves invoking a response that is helpful in normal situations, but which becomes inappropriate or maladaptive in a situation engineered by the PPP.

Creates a contrived deep sense of connection

They are exceptionally talented at having another person feel profoundly ‘known’.

‘They listen to what type of person you want, and then present themselves as that so they kind of present you with the idea that’s the fantasy.’

Pretends to be the victim

They often feign distress and create false victim narratives, claiming they have been compromised by another person and/or fakes illnesses such as cancer or heart attacks to elicit sympathy.

‘There are certain things, moral things people will not do, like say your spouse has terminal cancer so you don’t have to go to a meeting. Nobody is going to challenge that. No one has the heart to. It would be so easy to check but no one would.’

Publicly and privately provokes

They say and do things that are designed to provoke an overreaction from the target/victim, often in front of others. This usually involves purposely ‘triggering’ the target/victim based on knowledge of target/victim vulnerabilities, while also playing to the judgements and values of others. It is often done just prior to a public or social appearance so the target/victim is flustered and seen to be the aggressor.

‘They bait the victim either privately or in front of others which confirms the DP’s claims that the victim is crazy because of the way they react’.

Moves in and out of supportive and non-supportive approaches

To use a dance metaphor, the person of DP does a tango with the target/victim which looks great, then the person of DP suddenly refuses to dance but it is not evident as to who made the decision to stop, then the person of DP starts a beautiful waltz with the target, then the DP switches play again and starts covertly treading on the target’s toes. The target is always anxious, trying to catch up, and/or expressing inappropriate sentiment at the wrong times.

‘Psychopathic abusers have an ability to show extreme love and kindness after bizarre times of aggressive behaviour. The victims are usually, by this time, “programmed” to wait for and enjoy those times whilst accepting that they must be prepared that anger in him remains high and could take over at any time. Hence the term “walking on eggshells”.’

Ingratiates themself to people in power

They cultivate relationships with people who have power and are highly self-effacing to those that are senior to them.

Obligates

They do things for other people purely to secure leverage if needed.

Creates and capitalises on divisiveness and conflict, divides, and conquers

They play people off against each other, creating conflicts which gives them power.

Other Tactics

The rest of the tactics didn’t fit nicely into the above categories, though they have elements in common.

Isolates

They isolate the target/victim from their own children, family members, colleagues, friends, school parents and/or others, and which is one of the most destructive and important of the tactics, orchestrated through a complex web of lies and manipulations.

‘Psychological harm has included loss of family relationships, previous friendships, school or work communities, perception that they are crazy or unstable. Sometimes the devastation is so severe that the individual victim is bordering on going crazy because they cannot get others to believe their private experience and they feel extremely socially isolated and alone and despairing.’

This is a predatory tactic, and can include the use of other tactics, such as paramoralisms demonizing either the target or the people around them, paralogisms that convince them that the target is crazy.

Weaponises the justice system

They use the justice system to attack, intimidate, maintain control, divert suspicion from themselves, destroy others and/or prolong ‘the game’ of manipulation.

‘I exposed a person of dark personality at work. I had emails which showed they had been lying. There were witnesses who had been exposed to the intimidation and other issues. The dark personality did not allow HR to take normal course of action. They sued for defamation, even though they were guilty.’

‘Enjoys and instigates repeated lawsuits to cause distress to others.’

Here we see elements of reversive blockades, para-appropriate responses, pathological egotism, and paramoralisms.

Capitalises on data, monitors, stalks

They actively seek out and hoard information and use it as a weapon.

‘They have an incredible tenacity to get information about their victims and understand their victim’s vulnerabilities.’

‘They encourage sharing then uses it to threaten later’.

‘They insist someone share secrets to prove loyalty.’

This information can then be used in the service of other tactics, like blackmail, character assassination, creating a contrived sense of connection, etc.

Engages in a complex set of behaviours which are difficult to ‘see through’ and understand collectively

The extent, subtleness and deviousness of the actions taken by people of DP are usually unable to be recounted by a victim in a way that portrays the totality of the approach and the cumulative destructiveness. Even exceptionally bright and aware people can ‘have the wool pulled over their eyes’ as a person of DP engages them in a narrative which seems reasonable and yet is not grounded in evidence, serving to undermine the target/victim.

‘They keep themselves ingrained in their victim’s life through extremely complex manoeuvring of other people, of circumstances, of facts such that the other person is eventually “destroyed” professionally, reputationally, socially, and/or financially. It can extend for years.’

The result of the above is the production of para-appropriate responses in others. Because we do not have their “special psychological knowledge,” we’re not even sure what is going on when PPPs engage in manipulations of this complexity.

Confuses and creates chaos

They deliberately cause confusion and/or chaos so as not to be held accountable, to maintain control, and to derive pleasure from manipulating others.

‘Will phone for appointments or harass reception until the desired outcome. He was often speaking to different receptionists ensuring they create confusion within the team so that complaints follow, and the outcome the dark personality wants is granted because internal work processes have apparently failed.’

‘Within the family court system, the dark personality will confuse the system by creating a paper trail that becomes too complex to follow.’

This is information control and exploiting para-appropriate responses; same with the next tactic.

Delays and postpones

They create circumstances and reasons which prolong a process intended to make a person of DP accountable. This strategy is used very frequently and in many different forms.

‘To control in relation to timing they postpone and delay constantly, they involve different people which may require more time getting them up to speed, they debate circumstances even when there is evidence to the contrary, they provide falsified information which then needs to be debated, they accuse the victim of doing what they are doing that then needs time to be disproved, they are dismissive of accusations.’

Mirrors and copies

People of DP do not emote and so struggle to create their own expressions of passion and persuasion. They therefore mirror and/or copy the emotional responses, behavioural mannerisms, words, and even clothing of other people. They also copy to ‘trigger’, intimidate, and cause pain to their victims/targets.

‘Once the social mirroring is removed, like you’re not in the presence of each other, these people don’t have any creativity or originality. I think they are also attracted to people who are creative and original. Once you’re removed from their presence, they can’t kind of mirror that. They can’t kind of copy it and present it as if that’s what they are, so they use the legal system to get that material from you, and then they do it back to you because there’s no creativity or original ideas. So, they just take your material and turn it back on you.’

The entire psychopathic persona is a paralogical and paramoral substitution. It is a “big lie” designed to exploit your normal tendencies and weaknesses. And all of this is in the service of the PPP’s egotism, egoism, sadism, and drive for control.

Pathocrats use all of these tactics on a wide scale. Scroll up and re-read the list with this in mind. It will give you a better understanding of the true nature of totalitarianism, not to mention geopolitics.

Now that we’ve covered the tactics, next time we’ll look at the differentiators.