The thing I like about Thiel is that he recognizes that there exist people outside of the dozen or so bubbles of prosperity, and that they aren't doing so hot,

The thing I like about Thiel is that he recognizes that there exist people outside of the dozen or so bubbles of prosperity, and that they aren't doing so hot, by and large. We can rail on about how those people are deplorable, racist sexist, XYZist awful people, or we can try to have a little empathy and realize that things aren't so rosy from where they are standing, and their communities are crumbling, their industries have dried up, their best and brightest are fleeing to the cities to chase what opportunity there is, and despair is on the rise.