Really interesting article. I work on Stanford's campus and regularly check the Daily, and occasionally check the Review. Not because I have a problem with their viewpoints, but because they don't have as frequent or regular a publishing schedule. It's doubtful the economics will make it possible for the Review to be larger or to have a print edition. I wonder if Thiel has donated or considered giving a large donation (but one that would be trivial to him) not just out of nostalgia but to strengthen the Review as an institution that influences future Stanfordians?<p>I skimmed the story (`wc` says it is 5,700+ words). The most interesting thing I picked up on was how Thiel remains in surprisingly frequent contact with the Review staff over the years, even hosting dinners at his home.<p>According to a former Review editor, <i>“he obviously had zero interest in getting to know us as individuals. He was there to figure out what was going on on the campus.”</i> Another staffer adds:<p>> <i>the thing which most Review alums are really interested in, not just or specifically Peter, is: they want to know what the issues de jour are, what the average Stanford student is like, and what we are doing to try and ensure that viewpoints that are usually not heard as heard</i><p>That's both impressive and...quaint? I mean, it'd be the equivalent of Barack Obama, now done with being President, hosting regular dinners and chats with the Harvard Law Review (he was the first black to lead the publication in its 104-years). Besides engaging conversation and socializing, what does Thiel have to gain from meeting up with students besides maybe being slightly earlier to sense a new political/societal movement (which is something he could get a gauge on in a variety of other ways off campus) .<p>Assuming his motives are as altruistic and casual as wanting to be a supporter of the Review and future generations, what strikes me is how much risk this social engagement is for Thiel given his public stature. An example of what I mean presents itself in the latter half of the article: an anonymous Review staffer spills the beans about the things Thiel said at a particular 2014 dinner (which was presumably off-the-record).<p>Thiel is smart enough to know this risk but seems to accept it anyway. If he's that sentimental about the Review, maybe he <i>will</i> make a donation.
This is one laborious read. We all know how Peter Thiel built his SV empire but there is nothing in the article which suggests the title in question. There are some tidbits under section VII. And that is the whole story about. This lines sums everything up (and probably much better title than current title):<p>> And in Silicon Valley, <i>Review alumni have built an infrastructure that spans many billions of dollars in both company market value and personal wealth.</i>
A network graph would have been more efficient than the bulk of 5k words in the article.<p>The article goes in depth on the first part (Thiel and Stanford Review) but doesn't go into the _how they built a silicon valley empire_ part.<p>Main takeaway is Thiel has been politically active since his sophomore years and his involvement in the current administration is in agreement with his past. So for most people who knew Thiel, it may not have come as a surprise.
It's really interesting to me that Premal Shah, the CEO of Kiva, was a part of the Stanford Review. It always seemed to me that a prime philosophy of many in Thiel's orbit was "to keep government out of the way so I have the freedom to get rich." But, (clearly?) Kiva is not a vehicle for Shah to do that. Or, maybe another one of my mistaken assumptions. A thought provoking article for me at least.
<i>>>Gawker, which had covered his political activities negatively and outed him as gay in 2007</i><p>I know it's not good for free pres when a billionaire funds whatever lawsuit he can find against you, but outing someone, is really, really sleazy. So I guess they're even. Kinda.