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Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

perell.com

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Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#41

Post by d3vmax »

Zigurd wrote: post #36
bambax wrote: post #4

> Sometimes, our sense-making machinery has a glitch too. Many years ago, a McKinsey study concluded that nobody in the developing world would buy smartphones because they were too expensive. Based on that study, they held off on launching a smartphone for another three years. Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable…

Many years ago I was traveling with an Ericsson executive who knew exactly the opposite: Mobile networks and phones were how the developing world would connect to the internet's resources. I'm certain Nokia's leadership knew exactly the same thing. I am familiar enough with Nokia's early smartphones to know they held nothing back, even though, at the time, Series 40 was the mass-market device, Series 60, was high-end…

Nokia was already failing prior to MS coming into the picture.

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#42

Post by Bradlinc »

burrows wrote: post #33
jdrc wrote: post #25

Remote education is going to be huge, especially if sufficient numbers of people move after the pandemic. It's just that teachers are not the right people for it.

I’m furiously speculating that in person pre-college public American education was mostly bad and this badness just carried over to remote education, but for whatever reason the badness is more apparent when conducted remotely.

I agree. Perhaps it was just easier to ignore when we weren't sitting directly next to our children. At least it was for me.

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#43

Post by mmastrac »

squarefoot wrote: post #26
tartoran wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was surprised by that too and am wondering what he could have gained out of that. Thiel is an intelligent guy but something about him seems dubious but can’t really point my finger at it.

Stupid people can do bad things without thinking, but when intelligent ones do it's always because there is an agenda.

Perhaps to tear down the society we have now to replace it with a Libertarian paradise.

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#44

Post by someperson »

shalmanese wrote: post #39
bambax wrote: post #4

> Sometimes, our sense-making machinery has a glitch too. Many years ago, a McKinsey study concluded that nobody in the developing world would buy smartphones because they were too expensive. Based on that study, they held off on launching a smartphone for another three years. Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable…

> Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable income just to own an iPhone. Wait, what Chinese refugee camp? Where? From what war? China hasn't had a mass displacement event since well before the iPhone came out. The reason I'm harping on this is because the author is committing the exact same sin they're accusing the Mc…

Likely referring to the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake that killed a reported 87,000 people (but likely far higher given what we know about the government of China).

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#45

Post by magicjosh »

counternotions wrote: post #12

While I am intrigued by the tease of what kind of secrets could possibly have been discussed, this piece comes off as kind of try-hard, an excuse to flex that David took part in a private dinner with his #1 hero.

A neat follow up article would be "I was so excited about my dinner with Pete, it overwhelmed my ability to write about it and here's what I learned about myself and my needs"

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#46

Post by civilized »

magicjosh wrote: post #7

Huh I usually like Perell's stuff but this one seems a bit empty, like a cream puff without filling. The examples seem weak, for example the McKinsey story about smartphones is vague. Sure, people get things wrong, and groups certainly do. I wonder what the purpose of this piece is. Maybe there's 100 more pieces coming influenced by this dinner, this was just getting the crumbly cork out of the wine bottle. Or maybe…

Maybe this is petty, but any time the word "learnings" appears, my brain goes "this will be Business Blather, nothing of value will be said here, feel free to turn me off"

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#47

Post by bambax »

meowface wrote: post #32
bambax wrote: post #4

> Sometimes, our sense-making machinery has a glitch too. Many years ago, a McKinsey study concluded that nobody in the developing world would buy smartphones because they were too expensive. Based on that study, they held off on launching a smartphone for another three years. Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable…

>The second sentence of that paragraph is misplaced; "they" doesn't refer to anything, as Nokia is only mentioned later in the paragraph. This would benefit from a bit of proofreading. I was confused by what you meant until I realized you were referring to the third sentence, not the second sentence. [Insert sentence here warding off replies about irony.]

Ah sorry yes you're right! I edited my comment accordingly (but mentioned the edit so as to try to not confuse people more).

Re: Why Peter Thiel Searches for Reality-Bending ‘Secrets’

#50

Post by ectopod »

someperson wrote: post #44
shalmanese wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Around that time, an anthropologist who had recently returned from Chinese refugee camps saw how people would sacrifice half their disposable income just to own an iPhone. Wait, what Chinese refugee camp? Where? From what war? China hasn't had a mass displacement event since well before the iPhone came out. The reason I'm harping on this is because the author is committing the exact same sin they're accusing the Mc…

Likely referring to the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake that killed a reported 87,000 people (but likely far higher given what we know about the government of China).

"Around that time" is referring to 2004.
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