Content Cast

Finally, someone makes sense of Peter Thiel

It was announced this week that PayPal co-founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel decided, at this point in the presidential campaign, to donate $1.25 million in support of Donald Trump. It was a polarizing choice if you can believe it. In Silicon Valley, a lot of people aren’t sure what to do about this guy.

Thiel’s critics say this seems like the start of a pattern of behavior. A few months ago, Thiel was making headlines for privately bankrolling Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker, the culmination of which was the site’s shuttering in August. Should it be this easy for privately wealthy individuals to influence our justice system? Our political process? And, less importantly, what does it say about the tech industry if one of the main dudes seems so… sinister and bad?

Partners have started pulling out from working with Thiel’s businesses, publicly citing creative and ethical differences, but other people’s feathers are less ruffled. “Who are we to care what a billionaire does with his vast hoard of money in a capitalist economy?” they ask. It’s tough to say.

Luckily, the first episode of Casey Johnston’s podcast, “Destination Content,” tackles these exact issues, and frankly, I’m inclined to agree with her.

Make sure you stick around for her review of the Soylent Food Bar at 3:20.