Noah Schachtman

Noah Schachman, a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and Wired, sheds light on Peter Thiel's unorthodox rise as PayPal's CEO and his fractured relationship with Elon Musk. They dive into Thiel’s selective hiring practices and early PayPal's quirky culture. The discussion also reveals Thiel’s investment strategies post-9/11, intertwining personal beliefs with societal implications. Throughout, they humorously address pop culture and the ethical dilemmas of wealth and power in shaping democracy.

Noah Schachman, a contributing writer for Rolling Stone and Wired, dives into the complex legacy of Peter Thiel. They discuss Thiel's vendetta against Gawker after an article questioning his sexuality, and the ethical dilemmas of media outing. The conversation shifts to Thiel’s controversial investments in anti-democratic tech and his peculiar beliefs regarding society's future. Moreover, they examine his failures during the 2008 financial crisis and how Palantir's surveillance technologies reflect troubling moral choices.

In this fascinating discussion, Noah Schachtman, a contributing writer at Rolling Stone and Wired, delves deep into Peter Thiel's controversial life. They explore Thiel's significant influence in politics, particularly his support for Republican candidates. Schachtman unpacks Thiel's unconventional upbringing and how it shaped his libertarian ideologies. The episode is rich with insights on Thiel's formative experiences, his peculiar quirks, and the philosophical beliefs that underlie his actions, revealing a complex figure at the heart of modern democracy's struggles.