HackerTubewatch
Surprise me
Frame from Peter Thiel on “The Straussian Moment” Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

Peter Thiel on “The Straussian Moment”

Hoover Institution
Interviews
YouTube
3 HN users recommended this interview3 months2019–2021 score 3
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN points to it as a primer on Thiel's thinking and as an example of Peter Robinson's skill as an interviewer.

Peter Robinson interviews Peter Thiel at the Hoover Institution about Thiel's essay The Straussian Moment. Thiel discusses how people trust the will more than the intellect and reason, and how the question of human nature has been abandoned.

“There is a Peter Robinson interview about the essay that can serve as a good primer[1].” (HN, 2021)

3 recommendations · 2 citations · Interviews · intermediate · partly dated

5 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@personlurking Oct 2019 Recommends
on HN thread Edward Snowden on The Joe Rogan Experience [video]
Peter Robinson (of the Hoover Institution) is a good example of a master interviewer, with his Uncommon Knowledge series. Here's one of the last ones I saw: Peter Thiel on “The Straussian Moment” (Sept 2019) [this video]
Example of a masterful interview by Peter Robinson
@hacknat Sep 2021 Recommends
on HN thread Peter Thiel, Scourge of Silicon Valley
I don't disagree, but I think there is a lot of nuance to it. Thiel is an ardent disciple of Rene Girard. If people want insight into how Thiel sees the world, I would strongly recommend reading The Straussian Moment . There is a Peter Robinson interview about the essay that can serve as a good primer[1]. [1] [this video]
Interview serving as primer on Thiel's Straussian Moment essay

Citations, criticism and jokes

@biscotti Feb 2020 Cites it
on HN thread No visas for low-skilled workers, UK government says
Read more
It is not hypocritical at all if the OP intends to fully mix and integrate. Germany has a large Turkish demographic that the governing class is intent on expanding on that does not mix nor integrate, even after 2 or 3 generations. This culture encourages their women to procreate at a young age, denies them their own agency and forces them to subside on benefits. The same is true in the UK with Pakistanis / Bangladeshis, with more than half receiving state support [1]. I'm not sure if Germany has towns like Bradford [2] or Luton but I'd wager this was the deciding factor why the Brits voted out, given that the majority of refugees during the crisis were from Islamic countries. Current trends will see Britons in the minority by 2066 [3]. I was in Berlin not too long ago, and as myself and a few coworkers returned from lunch near Spandau, a middle aged woman in full dress stopped in the middle of the road and dramatically traced a line along her neck whilst staring directly at the four of us. Not the behavior I would expect from someone grateful to find themselves in the country of another. I have no idea why Western countries have persued this policy, or allowed the funding of mosques by foreign actors. I know in the UK there was a scandal that suggested that the Labour party might have done so to increase their voting base [4], but with the spousal rights that immigration brings it's been extremely difficult to get a handle on ever since. In the case of Germany, since infinite
@biscotti Jul 2020 Cites it
on HN thread Xinjiang is prototype for fully totalitarian state: Taiwan minister
Read more
I've read the guidelines. I do not see how what I wrote breaches them. The first half enquires on reckless group-think in tech that would bring about a situation such as Xinjlang, I wrote this in the hope those behind it could engage to allay my fears, provide context or offer links to discussions on the recent politicisation of our software. I made a submission when purges were enacted 50 days ago - it was instantly flagged. [1] I've designed systems in place in both defence and telecommunications. I don't trust any aspect now that updates without thorough audit, you might not like it, but that is undeniably relevant to this place. I did not post it to wage some political battle, it is in response to one waged upon us all. [2] The second half responds directly to the submitted article, offering a rational position on why China might persue active measures while speculating on why media bylines might push disgust. I've not minced words, I am from the UK so the burden is upon you to tell us what the ideal replacement population is in a country which rejects theocracy, believes in equality before the law and loves its pets to bits? Theil and so Palantir predict it as a potential destiny of ours, our loved ones and our descendants. [3] Now, if we were to search 'racist' here on HN, over the last month there's over 100 pages of unchallenged comment. When this term is used carelessly without justification or applied to groups it is most insidious, we can accurately label it psycho

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Search
j k
Next / previous video
r
Surprise me
l
Like (video page)
w
Watch later (video page)
?
This help
Esc
Close