The Nerd Reich: How Silicon Valley's true politics are unmasked
'The Nerd Reich' tracks the 'unmasking of Silicon Valley's true politics'
In his new book, journalist Gil Duran argues that a small circle of Silicon Valley billionaires and venture capitalists have concluded that democracy is in their way and should be replaced by corporate rule. Drawing on their own public statements and writings, Duran traces the influence of the 1997 book 'The Sovereign Individual' on Peter Thiel and his protege JD Vance, showing how Thiel's ideas have permeated the Trump administration. The book contends that the breaking of democracy is not collateral damage but the goal.
I think we were witnessing the unmasking of Silicon Valley's true politics.
- metabagel
> DURAN: In April 2009, Peter Thiel wrote an essay in which he said he no longer believed that freedom and democracy were compatible and suggested that women and other people getting the right to vote marked the end of freedom being a thing you can have with democracy. At least, of course, as we can see for white men, he was talking about. Well, this caused a lot of outcry and criticism of Thiel, who had to go back and say, I didn't mean to say - I'm not saying that women shouldn't have the vote, etc.
- metabagel
I believe this topic was flagged for political reasons, which constitutes an abuse of the system. This is an important topic for the tech industry. Avoiding it won't make it go away.
- latexr
Text-only version: https://text.npr.org/nx-s1-5925350
- ChrisArchitect
Previously on the book (2025):
- elktown
Very much applies to this place too.
The filtering process that’s been happening here over the years could be studied.