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Thiel did not actually coin that phrase, as he has noted many times. It was coined by some writer or editor at (I think) WSJ as a catchy headline for a synopsis

Thiel did not actually coin that phrase, as he has noted many times. It was coined by some writer or editor at (I think) WSJ as a catchy headline for a synopsis/excerpt of Zero to One. He thereafter adopted it due to its catchy, provocative nature. Thiel's point is that our memetic instinct is to compete in existing industries on an incremental basis. But in perfect competition, profit margins are destroyed for all participants. Thiel believes that the goal of a capitalist is to seek monopoly via innovation (i.e. zero to one, not 1 to n) in order to capture massive growth and profits. It is then the job of regulators and competition to erode that monopoly. Thiel also argues that innovation is our only portal to a brighter future. Globalization has not worked. Over regulation and wealth re-distribution alone do not work. We need growth, new solutions, and innovation. The corollary here is another quote attributed to Thiel: " Peter Thiel at Yale: We wanted flying cars, instead we got 140 characters". None of this, btw, is a "scam".

dgellow 3y ago
> Globalization has not worked It’s true that’s something Thiel points out but I will never understand how that point is supposed to stand by itself. Globalization has been ridiculously effective at creating worldwide value over the past 70+ years. Thiel is instead promoting his weird type of conservative nationalism, definitely not something that results in innovation or value creation. His whole philosophy is pretty incoherent IMHO. Anti capitalism at least brings some interesting and meaningful critics regarding liberal globalization shortcomings, but Thiel doesn’t even take that angle. He’s fine with the exploitative nature of capitalism but wants to be in charge of controlling the market and culture.
- next_xibalba 3y ago
  You might have a different perspective if you lived and worked in a region whose once vibrant manufacturing industries had decimated by globalization. Or if you invented something valuable and had it instantly ripped off by a Chinese competitor beyond the reach of western IP laws. Etc. etc. You may not like Thiel's "nationalism", but there is certainly a coherent through line from a society whose middle class has been eroded by globalization to its increasingly polarized and manic politics. Trump voters, for example, feel he speaks directly to their pain, which has its roots in globalization. Thiel's view on globalization seems to be that it has not been good on a number of dimensions, but that the real problem for the U.S. (and all of humanity) is the stalling out of real technological innovation.

dgellow 3y ago

> Globalization has not worked It’s true that’s something Thiel points out but I will never understand how that point is supposed to stand by itself. Globalization has been ridiculously effective at creating worldwide value over the past 70+ years. Thiel is instead promoting his weird type of conservative nationalism, definitely not something that results in innovation or value creation. His whole philosophy is pretty incoherent IMHO. Anti capitalism at least brings some interesting and meaningful critics regarding liberal globalization shortcomings, but Thiel doesn’t even take that angle. He’s fine with the exploitative nature of capitalism but wants to be in charge of controlling the market and culture.

next_xibalba 3y ago
You might have a different perspective if you lived and worked in a region whose once vibrant manufacturing industries had decimated by globalization. Or if you invented something valuable and had it instantly ripped off by a Chinese competitor beyond the reach of western IP laws. Etc. etc. You may not like Thiel's "nationalism", but there is certainly a coherent through line from a society whose middle class has been eroded by globalization to its increasingly polarized and manic politics. Trump voters, for example, feel he speaks directly to their pain, which has its roots in globalization. Thiel's view on globalization seems to be that it has not been good on a number of dimensions, but that the real problem for the U.S. (and all of humanity) is the stalling out of real technological innovation.