In this episode, we are joined by journalist Sam Venis, a contributor to The Point magazine whose current work investigates the radical ideological foundations of Silicon Valley’s most influential power brokers. By documenting the “network state” movement and the rise of the tech-right through firsthand reporting, Venis’s work aims to bridge the gap between the balance sheets of tech titans and the classical and reactionary philosophies driving their long-term vision for society.
Who is Peter Thiel, and what are the “secrets” at the heart of his world-building? How do the theories of thinkers like René Girard, Leo Strauss, and Carl Schmitt shape the development of technologies like Palantir and Bitcoin? This episode hopes to shed light on the mysterious character of Peter Thiel and the movement to build new nations in the shadow of a declining Liberal order.
