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I find Peter Thiel's thinking absolutely fascinating despite controversial opinions in the circles here. I highly recommend listening to his interviews even if

I find Peter Thiel's thinking absolutely fascinating despite controversial opinions in the circles here. I highly recommend listening to his interviews even if you disagree with him and possibly have made up the mind.

jacobolus 5y ago
> Interesting and unfashionable is where the real fun is ... Credit: Peter Thiel This guy is dumping millions into funding fascist politicians, with the hopes of making fascism the next big thing and corrupting/subverting the US republic. Not sure that’s the best inspiration, though if it works out I’m sure he’ll profit. Pretty much the opposite of picking the right thing vs. the comfortable [personally profitable] thing.
- Bilal_io 5y ago
  As they say, the rich profit from war and from peace.
- galacticaactual 5y ago
  Really. Because only one side has a repeated pattern of silencing the other. And it’s not the side that Peter supports.
  - unclebucknasty 5y ago
    Peter doesn't support the side that ejects anyone (e.g. Kinzinger, Cheney) who dares to disagree with Trump? He doesn't support the side whose existential litmus test is allegiance to a massive lie? He doesn't support the side that is currently banning books? His "side" has literally become a thought-policing cult, infected with conspiracy theorists and white supremacists who rabidly attack anyone with whom they disagree. They do this with vitriol and threats of real violence, including planned militia-style assaults on elected officials (Whitmer), even in their own party (Pence). As well, their own reps (Cawthorn, Gosar, Trump, etc.) purposely use the language of violence against those who disagree with them. Their openly fascist dream-becoming-reality is to enforce their will at gunpoint. So what, exactly, are you talking about?
    - systemvoltage 5y ago
      This is a very toxic exchange. All I was saying is to give a try to his interviews. Think on your own and make up your mind. I really don’t sense any fascist tones. I guess I’m interested in the intellectual aspects, not political. Peter cuts through the BS that conformity teaches me. That was the point of the original comment - think like a contrarian. FWIW with regards to politics, Peter isn't quite a Republican or a Democrat. He is mostly Liberatarian. Often his arguments include all 3 sides and he makes a case for liberatarian. He also supports liberal policies as well as conservative policies, but the approach towards it is quite fascinating to me.
      - jacobolus 5y ago
        What Thiel means by “libertarian” is that he wants to be able to do whatever he wants without anyone constraining his actions in any way; here “libertarian” is more or less a euphemism for “antisocial narcissist”. He wants to bring his preferred racist, authoritarian, reactionary government to unchecked power so they can dismantle those parts of the state or any other social institutions which protect the disempowered from corporate abuses, without any care for the rights and lives of millions of less wealthy and connected people that get trampled in the process. What we are talking about here: corrupting elected officials, the civil service, and the judiciary; undermining elections and nullifying their results; diverting public money and property into private hands; erecting barriers to competitive markets to entrench the power of the already powerful; turning law enforcement against peaceful dissenters; encouraging the use of private political violence and threats of political violence as a tool to suppress dissent; etc.
        systemvoltage 5y ago
        I've probably heard every single interview of his - I completely disagree with your charaterization or rather mischaracterization of him. If anything he wants to bring prosperity by various means and lift the lower classes into a productive society. Absolutely zero hint of any white supremacy or racism. Can you point me to a thing he wrote or spoke to support your accusations? I almost guarantee, you won't be able to. What have you been reading?
- Wolfenstein98k 5y ago
  No he isn't.

jacobolus 5y ago

> Interesting and unfashionable is where the real fun is ... Credit: Peter Thiel This guy is dumping millions into funding fascist politicians, with the hopes of making fascism the next big thing and corrupting/subverting the US republic. Not sure that’s the best inspiration, though if it works out I’m sure he’ll profit. Pretty much the opposite of picking the right thing vs. the comfortable [personally profitable] thing.

Bilal_io 5y ago
As they say, the rich profit from war and from peace.
galacticaactual 5y ago
Really. Because only one side has a repeated pattern of silencing the other. And it’s not the side that Peter supports.
- unclebucknasty 5y ago
  Peter doesn't support the side that ejects anyone (e.g. Kinzinger, Cheney) who dares to disagree with Trump? He doesn't support the side whose existential litmus test is allegiance to a massive lie? He doesn't support the side that is currently banning books? His "side" has literally become a thought-policing cult, infected with conspiracy theorists and white supremacists who rabidly attack anyone with whom they disagree. They do this with vitriol and threats of real violence, including planned militia-style assaults on elected officials (Whitmer), even in their own party (Pence). As well, their own reps (Cawthorn, Gosar, Trump, etc.) purposely use the language of violence against those who disagree with them. Their openly fascist dream-becoming-reality is to enforce their will at gunpoint. So what, exactly, are you talking about?
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    This is a very toxic exchange. All I was saying is to give a try to his interviews. Think on your own and make up your mind. I really don’t sense any fascist tones. I guess I’m interested in the intellectual aspects, not political. Peter cuts through the BS that conformity teaches me. That was the point of the original comment - think like a contrarian. FWIW with regards to politics, Peter isn't quite a Republican or a Democrat. He is mostly Liberatarian. Often his arguments include all 3 sides and he makes a case for liberatarian. He also supports liberal policies as well as conservative policies, but the approach towards it is quite fascinating to me.
    - jacobolus 5y ago
      What Thiel means by “libertarian” is that he wants to be able to do whatever he wants without anyone constraining his actions in any way; here “libertarian” is more or less a euphemism for “antisocial narcissist”. He wants to bring his preferred racist, authoritarian, reactionary government to unchecked power so they can dismantle those parts of the state or any other social institutions which protect the disempowered from corporate abuses, without any care for the rights and lives of millions of less wealthy and connected people that get trampled in the process. What we are talking about here: corrupting elected officials, the civil service, and the judiciary; undermining elections and nullifying their results; diverting public money and property into private hands; erecting barriers to competitive markets to entrench the power of the already powerful; turning law enforcement against peaceful dissenters; encouraging the use of private political violence and threats of political violence as a tool to suppress dissent; etc.
      - systemvoltage 5y ago
        I've probably heard every single interview of his - I completely disagree with your charaterization or rather mischaracterization of him. If anything he wants to bring prosperity by various means and lift the lower classes into a productive society. Absolutely zero hint of any white supremacy or racism. Can you point me to a thing he wrote or spoke to support your accusations? I almost guarantee, you won't be able to. What have you been reading?
Wolfenstein98k 5y ago
No he isn't.