Behind the Bastards: Part Three - How Peter Thiel Became the Gravedigger of Democracy

Hosted by Robert Evans of Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts, featuring guest Noah Shachtman, a contributing writer at Rolling Stone and Wired.

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Behind the Bastards, Robert Evans delves deep into the enigmatic personality and influential actions of Peter Thiel, a prominent billionaire, venture capitalist, and contrarian thinker. Joined by Noah Shachtman, a seasoned journalist, they explore how Thiel's unique blend of libertarian ideologies, strategic investments, and personal philosophies have positioned him as a significant disruptor in the landscape of modern democracy.

Thiel vs. Gawker: The Outing and Its Consequences

The episode begins with a retrospective look at the 2007 incident where Gawker Media's Valleywag published an article insinuating that Peter Thiel is gay. This move, perceived as a personal attack by Thiel, ignited a long-standing feud that would later culminate in Thiel financing lawsuits against Gawker, ultimately leading to its downfall.

Notable Quote:

Robert Evans [07:12]: "When you read the comment, it doesn't feel that way. But Thiel thought, here is the publisher of a media outlet, not just a blogger going after me. The blog post felt like the first article after years of negative Gawker coverage against Thiel."

Noah Shachtman [10:51]: "I mean, look, I do think it feels weird when you're on the other side of it. And I think, you know, for those of us that like writing broadcast, you sometimes want to take a spin on the other side of the camera, so to speak, and see how that stuff feels."

This conflict not only strained Thiel's relationship with media but also influenced investor confidence in his ventures, particularly Clarium Capital.

Investment Strategies: Successes and Missteps

Thiel's investment prowess is juxtaposed with several notable missteps. While he made accurate predictions about the impending 2008 financial crisis, his personal biases and ideological beliefs led him to make questionable investment choices.

Key Points:

• Clarium Capital's Rise and Fall: Thiel's hedge fund saw exponential growth, managing over $2 billion by 2008. However, his belief in an inevitable economic collapse led him to make poor investment decisions, such as heavily investing in banks expecting nationalization and missing out on lucrative opportunities like YouTube and Tesla.

• Missed Opportunities:

  • YouTube: Thiel passed on investing in YouTube during its early stages, a decision that cost him significant returns.
  • Tesla: His strained relationship with Elon Musk caused him to overlook Tesla's potential.

Notable Quote:

Robert Evans [69:41]: "He invests like a million dollars in the stupid tech company project Yarvan has. And I think there's probably an additional chunk of dark money that he. And this is where we can laugh about how inconsistent or unethical his motivations are."

These investment missteps not only drained Clarium's assets but also highlighted the tension between Thiel's contrarian beliefs and practical financial strategies.

Libertarian Ventures: Seasteading and Beyond

Thiel's fascination with libertarian ideals led him to fund ambitious projects like seasteading—the creation of autonomous floating cities. His support for Curtis Yarvin (Mincius Moldbug) and the Seasteading Institute exemplifies his desire to reshape societal structures outside traditional governmental frameworks.

Key Points:

• Seasteading Institute: Thiel's investment aimed to create self-sustaining floating cities, promoting libertarian governance free from national regulations.
• Ideological Alignment: Yarvin's vision of polycentric governance resonated with Thiel's disdain for established democratic institutions.

Notable Quote:

Robert Evans [19:40]: "Peter Thiel, Peter Thiel, who has now been revealed as gay, can reveal himself also as a weirdo libertarian and be like, look, you know, I've been outed on this thing that I actually wanted to keep quiet. So I might as well be open about the fact that I think that we can replace governments by living on the ocean and building floating cities. Why not?"

Thiel's ventures into libertarian projects underscore his broader intent to undermine and eventually replace democratic institutions with alternative governance models.

Palantir and the Surveillance State

One of Thiel's most influential creations, Palantir Technologies, embodies his vision of data-driven governance and surveillance. Developed with the aim of combating terrorist activities, Palantir's software has been both lauded for its capabilities and criticized for its invasive applications.

Key Points:

• Creation of Palantir: Named after the "seeing stones" in The Lord of the Rings, Palantir was designed to aggregate and analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and potential threats.
• Controversial Uses: The software's deployment by agencies like the CIA and NYPD raised significant privacy concerns. Instances of misuse, such as the harassment of innocent individuals and internal spying scandals at JP Morgan, highlighted ethical dilemmas.

Notable Quote:

Robert Evans [83:46]: "Palantir is a way of doing that on the computer, where you're plugging in... And it also is pulling from... you can have it pull from... everyone who fits that. Right. And we can add them to the crates board."

The episode sheds light on how Palantir, under Thiel's vision, became a tool for both surveillance and control, reinforcing his influence over democratic institutions and personal freedoms.

Thiel's Obsession with Immortality and Control

Thiel's personal philosophies extend beyond business into his pursuit of immortality and control over his destiny. His investments in life extension projects and cryogenics reflect a desire to transcend human mortality, aligning with his broader quest for power and influence.

Key Points:

• Methuselah Institute: Thiel's funding of Aubrey de Grey's life extension research signifies his commitment to overcoming death.
• Cryogenics and Beyond: Investments in technologies aimed at prolonging life indicate Thiel's fixation on personal immortality and his rejection of natural human limitations.

Notable Quote:

Robert Evans [40:19]: "The most offensive part of this to him is that it kind of forever locks him in as one of the herd... When it all comes down into it, you wind up in the dirt like everybody else. That is the most offensive part of this to him."

Thiel's pursuit of immortality is portrayed as a manifestation of his desire to maintain power indefinitely, further destabilizing democratic norms and societal structures.

Personality Traits: The Contrarian and the Anti-Social Architect

Thiel's personality is dissected as being inherently contrarian, driven by a disdain for conventional systems and a yearning to establish his own ideologies and structures.

Key Points:

• Contrarian Nature: Thiel consistently opposes mainstream beliefs and prefers to create his own path, often clashing with established institutions.
• Desire for Control: His actions indicate a preference for being in a position of power, where he can influence and dictate societal norms without opposition.

Notable Quote:

Noah Shachtman [55:13]: "This is the toughest part of the Peter Thiel story for me here, because I have to report on this and I don't like Peter, obviously. I wrote like 17, 18,000 words on why he's a bad guy."

The hosts illustrate how Thiel's contrarianism not only shapes his investment strategies but also fuels his broader ambitions to redefine governance and societal norms.

Conclusion

Behind the Bastards paints a multifaceted portrait of Peter Thiel as a visionary disruptor whose blend of libertarian ideologies, contrarian investment strategies, and personal obsessions have positioned him as a formidable force against democratic institutions. Through his ventures like Clarium Capital, Seasteading Institute, and Palantir Technologies, Thiel embodies the archetype of a "gravedigger" for modern democracy, challenging and redefining the structures that underpin societal governance.

Final Quote:

Noah Shachtman [95:27]: "And so on the data side it's like, oh yeah, we were really for civil liberties, but now that privacy is dead, you might as well. Have."

This episode serves as a critical examination of how individual ambition and ideological extremism can threaten the very foundations of democratic societies.

For more insightful analyses and detailed explorations of historical "bastards," tune into Behind the Bastards on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.