In a recent dialogue with New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel explored a range of provocative topics, from innovation to the ominous implications of transhumanism and even the concept of the Antichrist.
When Douthat posed the question, “Should the human race survive?” Thiel enthusiastically affirmed, “Yes. But I also would like us to radically solve these problems. And so it’s always, I don’t know, yeah — transhumanism.” This enthusiastic endorsement of transhumanism reveals Thiel’s vision of a future where the human body could be transformed into an immortal vessel.
Thiel provocatively suggested that current discussions around gender identity and transgenderism fall short of this radical transformation, stating, “We want more than cross-dressing or changing your sex organs. We want you to be able to change your heart and change your mind and change your whole body.” It’s a bold call for a level of bodily autonomy that extends far beyond contemporary debates.
In a striking display of public sentiment, Twitter user Hunter Ash chimed in with support for Thiel’s vision, tweeting, “I completely agree with Thiel. Of course we want to improve ourselves. Of course we want to achieve mastery over our flesh. Of course we want to advance so far that one day we might not be recognizable as human.”
For those unacquainted with transhumanism, it is an ideology that advocates for the enhancement of human capabilities through advanced technology and science. Essentially, it envisions an era where human beings merge seamlessly with machines, leading to enhanced physical and cognitive abilities.
As the conversation evolved, Douthat and Thiel tackled the enigmatic figure of the Antichrist. Thiel articulated a rather chilling perspective: “The way the Antichrist would take over the world is you talk about Armageddon nonstop. You talk about existential risk nonstop, and this is what you need to regulate.”
In an excerpt from their discussion, Douthat inquired about Thiel’s views on the Antichrist, a concept deeply rooted in Christian apocalyptic thought. Thiel elaborated, “I think there’s always a question of how we articulate some of these existential risks, some of the challenges we have… There’s a risk of nuclear war, there’s a risk of environmental disaster. Maybe something specific, like climate change. And then something like this is also: What do we do about A.I.?”
Thiel warned against what he perceives as a potential trajectory toward a one-world totalitarian state, arguing that global governance is often presented as the solution to existential threats. He cautioned, “I’ve been wondering whether that’s going from the frying pan into the fire.”
In his assessment, the philosophical framing of “One World or None” mirrors the apocalyptic choices presented by the Antichrist: the looming threat of a global authoritarian regime versus the chaos of Armageddon. Thiel quipped, “The way the Antichrist would take over the world is not through some evil genius but by creating a culture of fear around science.”
In a rather ironic twist, Thiel was confronted with the question of why he is not considered the Antichrist if he is actively developing technologies that could lead to authoritarianism. His response was characteristically evasive: “These are different scenarios…obviously I don’t think that that’s what I’m doing.”
To delve deeper into this thought-provoking interview, the full discussion is available for viewing below:
