In a somewhat unexpected line-up, Canadian clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, former US President George W. Bush, basketball star Kobe Bryant, and Oakland Athletics executive Billy Beane will be brought together in July at the People Helping People Conference in July, The Daily Beast reported.
READ MORE: Jordan Peterson Reveals What Could 'Fatally Undermine the Radical Left'
The guest speakers of the convention, organised by insurance sales company PHP Agency, were announced on the firm’s website, as well as via a poster shared by a Twitter user that features the orators arranged around Patrick Bet-David, the firm’s CEO.
Keynote speakers at the 2019 @PHPAgency convention have officially been announced! Beyond grateful to be apart of this company/movement 😈 you guys still think it’s a pyramid scheme?😄 pic.twitter.com/eCI5RFls1c
— Greg🦁 (@Gregxfitness) 21 мая 2019 г.
The Daily Beast has doubled down on long-running rumours that PHP Agency is a multilevel marketing company, which means that it encourages existing employees to recruit new, lower-ranking, ones, who will then funnel their sales commissions upwards – something which Bet-David denied in a conversation with the media outlet.
The publication then referred to a whole Reddit forum devoted to discussions of multilevel marketing companies, with numerous users accusing PHP Agency of being a pyramid scheme – something which Bet-David denied in a conversation with the media outlet.
Still, social media users likewise tend to think that the company is a scam, and have expressed their surprise at learning that those celebrities, in particular Peterson, have joined “the dark side”:
Is multi-level marketing what we call pyramid schemes now?
— Michael Huckins (@MichaelEHuck) 30 мая 2019 г.
@jordanbpeterson Didnt expect you to join the dark side
— Faded Vader (@VaderFaded) 31 мая 2019 г.
The Daily Beast: George W. Bush, Kobe Bryant, Jordan Peterson Promote Shady Multilevel Marketing Company PHP Agency.https://t.co/XyQCsiQL6a
Some netizens directly addressed the author of “12 Rules for Life”, wondering whether the information about his participation was true:
@jordanbpeterson Apparently you're a keynote speaker at a PHP agency convention. is this true or part of a scam?
— Simon Walker (@Simawesome) 22 мая 2019 г.
Why is @JordanBPeterson promoting a pyramid scheme?https://t.co/PIjDU2iebG
— カーリバン (@wFfYMFfpxf46vwj) 31 мая 2019 г.
What's up with that PHP business? They look sleazy.
— Jason Kauppinen (@JasonKauppinen) 30 мая 2019 г.
Others suggested that the logo on the poster was ripped off from the Autobots, the good robots from the biopic “Transformers”:
Totally a pyramid scheme.
— カーリバン (@wFfYMFfpxf46vwj) 30 мая 2019 г.
The Autobots are going to be mad you stole their logo, pal.
The multilevel marketing company hosting a conference with Jordan Peterson and George W. Bush appears to have ripped off its logo from the Autobots, the good robots from "Transformers." https://t.co/hOwPGFCRA3 pic.twitter.com/21LVvQig7R
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) 30 мая 2019 г.
That is also the same font used in the movie poster for the 2007 Michael Bay Transformers movie, which tells me that at no point did anyone say, "Hey that kinda looks familiar…" during whatever design phase this went through.
— Ron Garza (@RonJohnOnline) 30 мая 2019 г.
Aside from criticism, many made jokes about Peterson’s anticipated speech, and suggested that the professor would share some advice with attendees from his bestselling book on the need to make their beds every day:
looking forward to jordo telling this finance dipshits to make their beds
— stillbevens (@stillbevens) 30 мая 2019 г.
Jordan's followers are autobots. pic.twitter.com/znNvj0RZQy
— Andre The Giant Ground Sloth (@THEflyinglibrl) 30 мая 2019 г.
Peterson always looks like he’s a day after death.
— Samwell Gnarly 🏴 ☭ (@gnarlysamwell) 30 мая 2019 г.
Can’t wait for Kobe-nodding-reaction shots as Jordan Peterson explains his all blood diet.
— Sean Fitzgerald (@SeanBFitzgerald) 30 мая 2019 г.
.jpg){kind=link}