this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2026
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cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/54149315

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Peter Thiel's visit to the Institute of France, a learned society in the heart of Paris, was kept secret until the very last moment. There, behind closed doors, he was due to speak at a meeting of members of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, a working group intended to discuss "the future of democracy." The group, chaired by former minister Hervé Gaymard, has previously interviewed 25 figures, all French, mainly legal scholars, political scientists and historians.

Even Xavier Darcos, chancellor of the Institute of France, who oversees all five of its academies, was only informed of Thiel's invitation at the last minute. The invitation has caused a stir within the institution, not only because Thiel, the American billionaire who co-founded the online payment system PayPal and Palantir Technologies, a data analytics giant that works for many governments, is one of the biggest investors in the American tech sector. Rather, it is Thiel's political ideas, which openly contest democracy, that make his presence at the academy event decidedly provocative.

According to an outline of his speech sent to the academy, of which Le Monde obtained a copy in French, Thiel intended to introduce himself as "a moderate Orthodox Christian and a humble classical liberal, with one seemingly minor deviation from classical liberal orthodoxy: I worry about the Antichrist."

Through Thiel, however, the academy is about to encounter a far more radical worldview. The Antichrist, a figure he has given sometimes-cryptic talks on, drawing from both the Book of Daniel in the Bible and the writings of 16th-century English philosopher Francis Bacon, does not, according to him, refer to the rise of artificial intelligence or the proliferation of imperialist leaders. Thiel claims that today's Antichrist is anyone who expresses alarm about climate change, stokes fears of nuclear war or seeks to regulate the use of screens and social media platforms, all in order to promote the emergence of a "world government" – something libertarians, who are hostile to all forms of state regulation, dread above all.

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[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 54 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (5 children)

He’s trying to create a new christianity where the rich are seen as holy. Thats all this is.

[–] leftzero@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 12 hours ago

OK. Let's celebrate the eucharist by consuming their flesh and blood, then.

[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I mean to be fair that's what all the billionaires are doing:

Musks wants a white nazi jesus who forces women to carry children at gunpoint, break up striking workers and lower taxes while giving musk subsidies.

Theil thinks the antichrist should be anyone opposed to his investment portfolio.

And the Mercers think Jesus was warning us about the dangers of caring for our neighbors.

Trump of course thinks Epstein is jesus and will return to earth soon to rapture all the pedophiles to pedophile heaven.

[–] Gsus4@programming.dev 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

But they've had that since Reagan. Now they just seem to be more foolish about it.

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah, IDK. Our rich are all kids that grew up within the oligarchy. They didn’t have to try as hard. They’re all drooling fucking morons that think they’re geniuses because everything always goes their way because they’ve always had money.

[–] Psaldorn@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

They realise that being rich when it all collapses won't save them. They need to be reversed so people don't eat them.

It won't work.

[–] Cruxifux@feddit.nl 8 points 1 day ago

Of course it wont. It’s the dumbest plan I’ve ever seen to avoid murder from revolution. It makes “let them eat cake” seem smart.

[–] boonhet@sopuli.xyz 5 points 1 day ago

Tbf that's the same as medieval Christianity kinda, except the holiness begot the richness, not the reverse.