The Philosophy of Peter Thiel’s “Zero to One”

You would be mistaken to think it’s a book about business

“Wanting is the clearest, most accessible introduction to René Girard available.” — Peter Thiel

Peter Thiel’s book, Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future, is one of the most brilliant and subversive books on startups — and on business in general — ever written.

It is ostensibly about startups, but it’s really a Straussian masterpiece that disguises difficult truths in a text that appears, on the surface, to be talking merely about business.

It’s more interesting to read it at different layers, or levels, and the deepest one is philosophical: it puts forward a different kind of worldview shaped heavily by the French Social theorist René Girard.

The first principles in the book, drawn largely from Girard’s mimetic theory, could be applied just as easily to politics, education, or art.

I know this because I’m a student of René Girard myself. I had the opportunity to sit down with Thiel at his house in L.A. in 2019 when I was in the process of writing my own book on mimetic theory (Wanting) — a general, more explicit introduction to the ideas for a general audience.

A few people have picked up on the relationship between our two books. The No Rules Berlin podcast even wondered if it’s “Zero to One Part II”.

Wanting is not Zero to One Part II, but it may be something like a prequel since it explains the first principles that helped shape many of the ideas (admittedly, not all of them) in Zero to One.

In this series, I’m going to start working my way through Zero to One and sharing my own perspective and interpretation about what Peter is saying, using connections from my own work and others that I think have something to offer.

If this receives a positive response, I’ll continue through the whole book. There’s a lot to say.

I’d also be happy to host a book club on the topic, but I would need someone with experience…