Silicon‑Valley firebrand Peter Thiel sat down with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat on the new “Interesting Times” podcast and let fly a torrent of sweeping, even apocalyptic ideas and predictions.
Below, we unpack the hottest sound bites from the though-provoking discussion between two of the right’s most influential minds.
Progress Has Stopped—Collapse Is Next
Thiel doubles down on his long‑running “great stagnation” thesis, warning Douthat that a society which quits pursuing moon‑shot tech risks “systemic breakdown.”
A.I. Is Too Modest an Ambition
Yes, he invests in OpenAI and Palantir—but Thiel still calls today’s AI wave “more than a nothing‑burger, less than total transformation,” pushing for bolder bets like curing dementia or colonizing Mars.
The Antichrist Will Preach Doom
He tells Douthat the real danger isn’t killer robots but a charismatic prophet who keeps us in perpetual “existential‑risk” panic—Thiel’s recipe for an Antichrist‑run one‑world state.
The Palantir Paradox
Douthat notes the irony: Thiel warns about all‑seeing techno‑authoritarianism while selling the very surveillance tools that could enable it. Thiel dodges, saying “I obviously don’t think that’s what I’m doing.”
Trump: The Missed Moon‑Shot
Asked if Donald Trump fulfilled his 2016 hopes, Thiel concedes progress was limited—especially on ambitious tech projects—reinforcing his fear that U.S. politics lacks “civilizational nerve.”
Defeating Death Is the Real Frontier
Forget diet apps—Thiel urges radical life‑extension research and says society’s aversion to “playing God” is itself a sign of stagnation.
Mars or Bust—Because Survival Isn’t Guaranteed
He insists humanity needs “way more risk” missions—Mars first among them—or risk unraveling altogether. It’s progress or perish.
