Musk, Thiel & their dark worldview.

Written By Alana Moran

Data to Inform the Resistance

I have been thinking about the connection between the men in Silicon Valley, slashing and burning the United States government while lamenting against empathy as a guiding concept when they receive push back for ruining lives and dismantling the fragile world order. Running around with chainsaws and pale, exposed stomachs to distract us from the fallout from their slash and burn DOGE campaign, as we sleepwalk into the violent crumbling of our democracy. Why are they burning it all down? What is their end goal? It’s difficult to know since they have not proposed what they will replace our functioning government with. The end game may be darker than we can grasp as we are overwhelmed the midst of the “flood the zone with shit” theory of Steve Bannon meant to overwhelm, distract and terrify. Are we sleepwalking into Authoritarianism because fragile men with far too much power and wealth do not want to be told no?

1. "Godfather of DOGE: Peter Thiel Laid the Groundwork for Musk's Cuts" (Business Insider)

This article delves into Peter Thiel's longstanding libertarian vision of minimizing government intervention, as articulated in his 2009 essay "The Education of a Libertarian." Thiel criticized the expansion of welfare and the extension of voting rights, suggesting that these factors hindered libertarian objectives. His ideas have significantly influenced current initiatives, particularly the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, aiming to drastically reduce federal spending and streamline government operations. This is an excellent article and overview of Thiel’s worldview:

Thiel argued that the great task facing the world was "to find an escape from politics in all its forms." For Thiel, that doesn't just mean bad government — it means any government, even the democratic kind. He blamed what he viewed as the sorry state of things on two culprits — "the vast increase in welfare beneficiaries" and "the extension of the franchise to women." The growing ranks of poor and female voters, he lamented, had made it virtually impossible for libertarians to prevail at the ballot box. The solution? Reject the "unthinking demos" and create a world "not bounded by historical nation-states."

Here's the money quote from Thiel: “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible."

2. "How the roots of the 'PayPal mafia' extend to apartheid South Africa" (The Guardian)

This piece examines the early lives of key "PayPal Mafia" members, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, highlighting how their experiences in apartheid-era South Africa shaped their worldviews and business philosophies. The article suggests that growing up in a society with systemic inequalities may have influenced their libertarian ideologies and their approaches to business and governance.

3. "The Technological Republic: Review - Power in a Silicon World" (The Wall Street Journal)

This book review discusses the growing influence of technology companies and their leaders on global politics and society. It highlights how figures like Thiel and Musk leverage their technological ventures to exert political influence, challenging traditional governmental structures and advocating for a technocratic approach to policy and governance.

4. "Musk, Thiel and the shadow of apartheid South Africa" (Financial Times)

This article explores the backgrounds of Musk and Thiel, focusing on how their upbringings in South Africa during apartheid may have shaped their perspectives on authority, governance, and societal structures. It draws connections between their early environments and their current efforts to reform or dismantle existing governmental frameworks, such as through initiatives like DOGE.

Correlation and Analysis

Collectively, these articles illustrate a narrative where the personal histories and ideological beliefs of tech magnates like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk have led to a dark and dangerous shift in their thinking. Their libertarian philosophies, possibly rooted in their formative years in South Africa, have driven them to challenge and seek to overhaul what they see as traditional government operations, instead bending them to achieve their own enrichment and ends. One could argue that the establishment of DOGE is a manifestation of such beliefs, aiming to reduce government size and increase efficiency, reflecting a preference for technocratic solutions over bureaucratic processes. It is also plausible that their belief in their superiority over others and vast accumulation of wealth makes them the de facto leaders of the globe and pushes them to target the government agencies that hold them morally and ethically responsible, removing the agencies as guardrails against the wholesale destruction of the rights of workers and selling off the Government of the People for parts just so they can avoid paying taxes.

This convergence of technology, personal ideology, and political influence underscores the complex dynamics at play as Silicon Valley leaders extend their reach beyond business into the realm of governance, reshaping policy and administrative structures in line with their visions.

Sources

  1. Business Insider ArticleBusiness Insider. (2025, February 24). Godfather of DOGE: Peter Thiel laid the groundwork for Musk’s government funding cuts. https://www.businessinsider.com/godfather-of-doge-peter-thiel-elon-musk-government-funding-cuts-2025-2

  2. The Guardian (UK) – PayPal Mafia & South Africa How the roots of the ‘PayPal mafia’ extend to apartheid South Africa

  3. Wall Street Journal Book Review – The Technological RepublicEpstein, J. (2024, February 15). ‘The Technological Republic’ Review: Power in a Silicon world. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/the-technological-republic-review-power-in-a-silicon-world-19adbb1b

  4. Financial Times ArticleCook, J. (2024, February 29). Musk, Thiel and the shadow of apartheid South Africa. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/cfbfa1e8-d8f8-42b9-b74c-dae6cc6185a0

Alana Moran