The cleanest or at least the clearest lesson, illustrated in word but mostly in deed by Thiel, is in the power of secrecy, of coordination, and of pushing past those situations where “nothing can be done.” In a time when computers are replacing many basic human functions, it will eventually come to be that audaciousness, vision, courage, creativity, a sense of justice—these will be the only tasks left to us. A computer can’t practice secrecy or misdirection, a computer can’t feel an urge to remake the world. Only humans can be that crazy. What you will do with this lesson, what ends you will
...more
