Nostr notes by Gil Duran

I was sunning by the pool when the boxes arrived. And here in my ...

2026-07-12T19:13:58Z

I was sunning by the pool when the boxes arrived.

And here in my hand is my life’s work: “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War On Democracy.”

Coming 8/18. Pre-orders make a huge difference! Make a fascist sweat—pre-order today!

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Nerd-Reich/Gil-Duran/9781668221402?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24006513995&gbraid=0AAAAADv-uEkWp8z8v90-41_7yjIScppnq&gclid=CjwKCAjw9szSBhBNEiwAC57Sq98sKrETXDsUcZLl5hzGLTLhCA4PJF9fUPpP8JG47cR5vGkP-8--4BoCDXAQAvD_BwE

AI, Argentina, Antichrist. Peter Thiel’s decision to plant ...

2026-06-06T15:17:36Z

AI, Argentina, Antichrist.

Peter Thiel’s decision to plant roots in Argentina makes a lot more sense now that President Javier Milei has unveiled plans to ban AI regulation and allow "non-human" corporations.

The "Network State" rears its ugly head.

https://www.thenerdreich.com/ai-argentina-and-the-antichrist-thiels-vision-blooms/

I AM talking to multiple audiences. I even post on the despicable ...

2026-06-03T05:35:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…hgwq
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I AM talking to multiple audiences. I even post on the despicable depressing Threads. My job is to get the word out. I'm doing that best I can.

It's been a bit of a campaign, and it's annoying. This ...

2026-06-03T05:33:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…00df
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It's been a bit of a campaign, and it's annoying. This thread has 2k reposts on Bluesky, where I have 42k followers. I'll post where I post when I want to post.

See: https://journa.host/@gilduran/116683870694397107 ...

2026-06-03T05:25:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…rnvg
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See: https://journa.host/@gilduran/116683870694397107

quoting
note1e47…9j08

That's Network State shorthand for parallel strategy: Do to (institution) what Elon did to Twitter.

Buy it, gut it, purge it, and create a twisted version that serves tech fascist oligarchy. We will see this over and over again, so it's crucial to know it's a strategy with a name.

Silicon Valley's plan to buy up all the power and remake the world is the subject of my forthcoming book, "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy."

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Nerd-Reich/Gil-Duran/9781668221402

This platform is too dead to get the word out properly.. Whining ...

2026-06-03T05:19:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…4ezy
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This platform is too dead to get the word out properly.. Whining about it does not make me more interested in posting here.

That's Network State shorthand for parallel strategy: Do to ...

2026-06-03T02:42:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…yvf9
_________________________

That's Network State shorthand for parallel strategy: Do to (institution) what Elon did to Twitter.

Buy it, gut it, purge it, and create a twisted version that serves tech fascist oligarchy. We will see this over and over again, so it's crucial to know it's a strategy with a name.

Silicon Valley's plan to buy up all the power and remake the world is the subject of my forthcoming book, "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy."

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Nerd-Reich/Gil-Duran/9781668221402

In 2024, I mentioned Bari Weiss as one of the people trying to ...

2026-06-03T02:42:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…aswg
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In 2024, I mentioned Bari Weiss as one of the people trying to "circle-jerk this parallel world into being." At the time, she was heading Joe Lonsdale's faux "University of Austin."

But she has moved up in the world—doing to CBS what Elon Musk did to Twitter.

https://newrepublic.com/article/178675/garry-tan-tech-san-francisco

What's happening to CBS News is what the tech oligarchs call ...

2026-06-03T02:41:32Z

What's happening to CBS News is what the tech oligarchs call "parallel" strategy.

Buy an existing institution, gut it, and convert it into a right-wing zombie version of itself. They are doing this to media, government, education, biotech, defense tech, etc.

Some call it the "Network State."

Peter Thiel’s move to Argentina tells you everything you need ...

2026-06-02T00:02:36Z

Peter Thiel’s move to Argentina tells you everything you need to know about how billionaires see the future.

But it's important to understand where he got the idea.

The Sovereign Individual: Peter Thiel, Argentina, and the Network State.

https://www.thenerdreich.com/the-sovereign-individual-thiel-argentina-and-the-network-state/

Weird how it's all the same interconnected group of ...

2026-05-13T04:04:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…gjew
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Weird how it's all the same interconnected group of billionaires pushing the same concepts in different parts of the world simultaneously, in the exact same way. Surely just coincidence, amirite?
My California Forever piece was the 1st thing I wrote about the Network State. I did not realize it would be the next few years of my life.

You don't reach CF until the middle of the book. By the time you do, you know exactly what it is and where it comes from.

The very smart East Coast podcasters never seem to question why ...

2026-05-13T04:04:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…qumv
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The very smart East Coast podcasters never seem to question why venture capitalists would give $900 million to a guy with no experience in real estate...to build a city from scratch...in a place where nobody wants it...in a way that actual developers say does not make any sense.

Also, Balaji Srinivasan said California Forever is a Network State project. So, there's that.

My book will contain more eyebrow-raising details about the ...

2026-05-13T04:03:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…5gqu
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My book will contain more eyebrow-raising details about the project and its very curious and undeniable connections to the Network State cult.

For context: 70% of Solano County residents opposed the project, but the billionaires are going to force it on them anyway.
https://www.thenerdreich.com/solano-county-poll-republicans-democrats-california-forever/

East Coast podcasters are pumping California Forever, the massive ...

2026-05-13T04:02:53Z

East Coast podcasters are pumping California Forever, the massive private city tech billionaires seek to build in Solano County.

But the project aligns suspiciously with a cultish dystopian movement to build so-called “network states.”

They don't mention this:
https://newrepublic.com/article/177733/billionaire-solano-california-tech-secession

This seems to be a concern for about .00001% of the population.

2026-04-29T00:13:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…9mlp
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This seems to be a concern for about .00001% of the population.

Peter Thiel Flees To Argentina. As Trump falters, the Palantir ...

2026-04-25T14:11:50Z

Peter Thiel Flees To Argentina.

As Trump falters, the Palantir billionaire and Antichrist enthusiast buys a $12 million mansion and heads south for an extended stay.

Is he chasing prophecy again?

https://www.thenerdreich.com/peter-thiel-flees-to-argentina/

Pre-Order Here: ...

2026-04-24T18:30:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…zcun
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Pre-Order Here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Nerd-Reich/Gil-Duran/9781668221402

My first book, "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and ...

2026-04-24T18:29:58Z

My first book, "The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and The War On Democracy," will publish on August 18.

It tells the true story of how a small cult of venture capitalists embraced a grim prophecy in which technology will destroy the United States in the 21st century.

And they worked to make it true, pushing their ideas all the way into the core of the Trump regime.

My book is being published in the USA, UK/Commonwealth, Italy and Poland.

Account just got suspended.

2026-01-03T23:08:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…kd2f
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Account just got suspended.

Please join me in reporting this fake George Lakoff impersonation ...

2026-01-03T23:08:27Z

Please join me in reporting this fake George Lakoff impersonation account, which is spreading scam sites via@georgelakof@mastondon.social

The Antichrist Playbook: Peter Thiel & Silicon Valley ...

2025-09-13T21:03:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…wj9e
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The Antichrist Playbook: Peter Thiel & Silicon Valley Apocalypse Hype

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KegSMO9XcIY&t=460s

On Sept. 15, Peter Thiel begins a secret four-part Antichrist ...

2025-09-13T21:01:27Z

On Sept. 15, Peter Thiel begins a secret four-part Antichrist lecture series in San Francisco.

What the hell is going on? Why all this Bible doom talk?

I talked to an Antichrist historian & a theologian about this outbreak of tech apocalypse hype:

https://www.thenerdreich.com/peter-thiel-the-antichrist-silicon-valley-apocalypse-hype/

“We’re witnessing, in real-time, a profound consolidation of ...

2025-08-25T23:25:49Z

“We’re witnessing, in real-time, a profound consolidation of power and collusion among political and tech elites—the ruling class of this country, and the world—wherein the tools and technologies that this industry has built, and continues to build, can now be deployed in service of an authoritarian regime.”

Katie Drummond of WIRED, says the American press is failing to cover the rise of tech authoritarianism. And she has some suggestions for how to fix the problem:

https://www.thenerdreich.com/wired-editor-tech-billionaires-threaten-us-democracy/

That is sadly the name of the game

2025-08-24T21:55:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…tj4j
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That is sadly the name of the game

Whether you like him or not (and I don't), Gavin Newsom is ...

2025-08-24T18:43:02Z

Whether you like him or not (and I don't), Gavin Newsom is one of the few Democrats who understands that this is an Information War.

But can a Trump copycat save democracy? My thoughts on Newsom's journey from MAGA lapdog to resistance memelord.

https://www.theframelab.org/from-maga-lapdog-to-trumps-worst-enemy/

Tech Fascists: We shall weaken the nation, destroy the economy, ...

2025-04-03T04:15:01Z

Tech Fascists: We shall weaken the nation, destroy the economy, replace the dollar with crypto, replace people with AI, and create new Network State cities everywhere.

Normie Journalists: Folks, this is total chaos and incompetence with no structure or plan.

Last week, a board member of Politico’s parent company blasted ...

2025-03-25T17:49:19Z

Last week, a board member of Politico’s parent company blasted its reporters for alleged bias.

Meanwhile, Peter Thiel quietly invested $50M in the son of Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner.

The younger Döpfner's nickname?

“The German JD Vance.”

Let's talk about it 👇
https://www.thenerdreich.com/politico-peter-thiel-problem-dopfner-jd-vance/

The United States is evolving into an AI-controlled "Network ...

2025-03-07T16:55:31Z

The United States is evolving into an AI-controlled "Network State," says a respected military analyst.

Get ready for increased turmoil and "bursts of authoritarianism." https://www.thenerdreich.com/network-state-government-ai-tech-takeover-united-states/

"While many initially suspected the shooter would be a Bernie ...

2024-12-11T21:24:53Z

"While many initially suspected the shooter would be a Bernie Sanders-style leftist, Mangione’s social media feeds reveal an Ivy League...tech bro who disavows 'wokeism' & venerates Elon Musk; a former fraternity member equally as dedicated to AI as he is to psychedelics & self-improvement.

And so began the quest to label Mangione, to pin him down. Is he a tech accelerationist? A Dimes Square neo-trad fascist? A dirtbag anarchist?"

One subgroup comes out on top:

https://sfstandard.com/2024/12/10/this-one-internet-subculture-explains-murder-suspect-luigi-mangiones-odd-politics/

Destruction Of Government (by) Elon. That’s what DOGE really ...

2024-12-10T18:58:57Z

Destruction Of Government (by) Elon.

That’s what DOGE really means. Say it!

A simple lesson on framing:

https://www.theframelab.org/destruction-of-government-by-elon-doge/

We need a massive public communications campaign to warn the ...

2024-12-06T06:09:22Z

We need a massive public communications campaign to warn the public about crypto.

It should highlight 1st-person accounts of everyday people who lost their money due to the #cryptoscam.

To strike crypto is to stab the heart of the tech fascist movement swallowing our nation.

To start with, we must make "crypto" synonymous with "scam."

The very word must make people reach for their wallets (to make sure they're still there).

Crypto is still small. Most don't trust it.

Why did so many Americans lurch to the right over the last few ...

2024-11-07T02:07:05Z

Why did so many Americans lurch to the right over the last few years?

Hmm. It's truly a big mystery.

Anybody got any ideas?

ANYBODY?!?!

Here's one: Maybe activating these particular neural networks wasn't so dang clever after all.

On the bright side, now the mainstream press will have no choice ...

2024-11-07T01:51:37Z

On the bright side, now the mainstream press will have no choice but to write about network states, algorithm warfare, tech fascism & the plan to replace everything (media, currency, education, government) with crooked crypto versions.

Right?!

Stop me if you’ve heard his one before … Peter Thiel, Marc ...

2024-10-19T00:37:11Z

Stop me if you’ve heard his one before …

Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, Curtis Yarvin, Elon Musk, J.D. Vance & the tech billionaire plot to merge with Trump and end democracy as we know it.

Plus all this terrifying stuff 👇

Gift Link to NYT Mag: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/18/magazine/trump-donors-silicon-valley.html?unlocked_article_code=1.TE4.L0LY.jq1SUZUFf4pv&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&tgrp=ctr

Crypto bros used to buy Lamborghinis as status symbols. Now they ...

2024-10-07T16:07:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…0q2g
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Crypto bros used to buy Lamborghinis as status symbols.

Now they want to buy their own countries.

A disturbing and anti-democratic trend — and Coinbase billionaire Brian Armstrong calls it “crypto’s destiny.”

https://newrepublic.com/article/185738/coinbase-brian-armstrong-crypto-lobbying-washington-politicians

Reminder that Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen and Sam Altman are ...

2024-10-07T16:06:40Z

Reminder that Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen and Sam Altman are building their own authoritarian “nation.”

They market it as “the next America.”

Something has gone very, very wrong in Silicon Valley. This is brazenly bizarre.

A “freedom” party founded by a former Nazi SS officer just ...

2024-09-30T21:25:36Z

A “freedom” party founded by a former Nazi SS officer just won the most votes in Austria.

Among its winning message points:

-Anti-immigrant
-COVID conspiracies
-Global warming denialism
-Pro-Russia
-Anti-“woke”

Good thing this could never happen in the USA.

Only 7% of Americans held crypto in 2023. Yet crypto corps have ...

2024-09-28T16:42:55Z

Only 7% of Americans held crypto in 2023.

Yet crypto corps have become a major player in American politics, pointing a $200 million gun at this election.

It's bad enough when companies with popular products (like oil) do this. With crypto, we're being held hostage by a cult.

Trump -- who says drug dealers deserve the death penalty -- ...

2024-09-15T20:37:16Z

Trump -- who says drug dealers deserve the death penalty -- promises to free the creator of Silk Road, an online marketplace for illegal drugs and guns.

Ross Ulbricht's case is a popular cause among crypto bros and libertarians.

For the San Francisco Chronicle, I wrote about his extreme anti-government views and why the Bitcoin drug kingpin belongs in prison.

Gift Link:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/crypto-silk-road-trump-19755604.php?utm_source=marketing&utm_medium=copy-url-link&utm_campaign=article-share&hash=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2ZjaHJvbmljbGUuY29tL29waW5pb24vb3BlbmZvcnVtL2FydGljbGUvY3J5cHRvLXNpbGstcm9hZC10cnVtcC0xOTc1NTYwNC5waHA%3D&time=MTcyNjQzMjUzODQxOQ%3D%3D&rid=ZDBhY2NhMjQtNzY2Ny00MWYzLWExNzktMGVmMjljNTdjNDE0&sharecount=NA%3D%3D

1. Like "Pizzagate," the racist attack on Haitian ...

2024-09-11T20:25:34Z

1. Like "Pizzagate," the racist attack on Haitian migrants is a deranged conspiracy theory.

2. The main pusher of Pizzagate just wrote a book depicting Haitians as bloodythirsty killers.

3. J.D. Vance wrote the foreword.

Coincidence? Or strategy?

https://www.theframelab.org/jd-vances-racist-attack-on-haitians-is-strategic/

The NYT ran a story depicting tech CEO Garry Tan as a paragon of ...

2024-08-19T19:56:02Z

The NYT ran a story depicting tech CEO Garry Tan as a paragon of mental health success (thanks to executive coaching).

One big problem: Tan recently made headlines for *tweeting “die slow” at San Francisco politicians while drunk*

But this crucial fact wasn’t mentioned. Why?

Tan’s death threat outburst in January undermines the entire premise of the story. So I wrote a request for correction…

More at The Nerd Reich:

https://www.thenerdreich.com/new-york-times-erases-garry-tans-die-slow-tweet-explosion/

Thoughts and prayers! ...

2024-08-18T21:43:38Z

Thoughts and prayers!

https://theonion.com/elon-musk-rushed-to-hospital-after-attempting-to-impreg-1851106889/

Peter Thiel is a dreadfully inarticulate speaker. But his writing ...

2024-08-18T21:40:02Z

Peter Thiel is a dreadfully inarticulate speaker. But his writing is clear:

“I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.”

This sums up the anti-democracy extremism in today’s GOP.

Power and privilege for the few, servitude and suffering for the many.

"Others in San Francisco are calling it The Nerd Reich.” ...

2024-08-08T15:58:50Z

"Others in San Francisco are calling it The Nerd Reich.”

The Hollywood Reporter examines the weird tech fascist plot to topple democracy:

“F*** These Trump-Loving Techies”: Hollywood Takes on Silicon Valley in an Epic Presidential Brawl https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/politics-news/election-2024-hollywood-silicon-valley-1235967050/

J.D. Vance is a dangerous extremist. Latest example: He ...

2024-08-07T19:26:16Z

J.D. Vance is a dangerous extremist.

Latest example: He enthusiastically promotes a book that uses *genocidal* language to stoke hatred toward liberals and progressives.

"Unhumans" grooms Republicans for civil war and, possibly, something far worse: https://www.thenerdreich.com/unhumans-jd-vance-and-the-language-of-genocide/

J.D. Vance wrote a positive review of this book. I just read it. ...

2024-08-07T13:28:31Z

J.D. Vance wrote a positive review of this book.

I just read it. Cover to cover. Full review to come.

But let me urgently reinforce the fact that Vance is a dangerous extremist…totally unhinged.

No sane politician would seek to connect himself to this murderous screed.

It takes a lot to still be shocked by anything in 2024. But this is a new low.

My review will post at http://www.thenerdreich.com

Subscribe for free to get it straight to your inbox.

The language of dehumanization — and of purging political ...

2024-08-03T15:40:35Z

The language of dehumanization — and of purging political enemies — has become popular on the extremist right.

At one time, praising a book like “Unhumans” might have ended JD Vance’s career. But incendiary beliefs are now a basic GOP qualification.

👉🏼 https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-horrifying-fascist-manifesto-endorsed-by-j.d.-vance

12. Some people refer to these tech authoritarians as "The ...

2024-07-31T21:15:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…w6s7
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12. Some people refer to these tech authoritarians as
"The Nerd Reich."
That's also the name of my newsletter on this topic. Please subscribe -- it's paywall-free!
Here's this entire thread in newsletter format:
https://www.thenerdreich.com/with-j-d-vance-on-trump-ticket-the-nerd-reich-goes-national/

10. This story by @npub1rj8…7fcn goes deep into the weird ...

2024-07-31T21:13:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…9m63
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10. This story by Dave Troy (npub1rj8…7fcn) goes deep into the weird collection of ideas called TESCREAL. Many of these tech guys backing Trump have been working on this project for a long, long time. https://washingtonspectator.org/understanding-tescreal-silicon-valleys-rightward-turn/

9. Transhumanism is another -- a belief in merging with machines ...

2024-07-31T21:12:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…gghp
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9. Transhumanism is another -- a belief in merging with machines to obtain eternal life.
That's gonna sound pretty weird to fundamentalist Christians. . .
Lots of tech cults!

The tech billionaires behind Trump already have money. Now they want power -- to create their own countries, to change what it means to be human, to control the fate of the world. Their interest is mainly *ideological,* not economic.

Anyone saying otherwise has not done the reading.

8. For example, tech authoritarians see technology as being above ...

2024-07-31T21:12:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…k7y5
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8. For example, tech authoritarians see technology as being above God (if they even believe God exists).

As tech founders and investors, they see themselves as the top of the hierarchy -- the masters of the universe. These beliefs have resulted in some strange sub-cults...

The Network State is one sub-cult -- the idea of replacing existing countries with tech-run countries.

7. This is not an exhaustive list. But you can see here how many ...

2024-07-31T21:11:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…xx22
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7. This is not an exhaustive list. But you can see here how many of the tech authoritarian goals align with MAGA.

Antipathy toward taxes and regulations may be the root of their alliance, but there are many branches. But there are key ways in which tech diverges from MAGA...

6. MAGA/Tech overlaps: - Collapse. They believe in an impending ...

2024-07-31T21:10:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…c449
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6. MAGA/Tech overlaps:
- Collapse. They believe in an impending societal collapse.

- Messiah complex. They believe they alone can save humanity. They "alone can fix it."

- Supremacy. They share a believe in the supremacy of rich white (mostly straight) males over everyone else.

- Anti-Empathy. They abhor empathy/care.

- Anti-Public. They detest the idea of the public and seek to privatize most functions of government.

- Anti-Worker. They believe employers are superior to employees.

5. Most newspaper analyses suggest that these tech authoritarian ...

2024-07-31T21:09:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…yyau
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5. Most newspaper analyses suggest that these tech authoritarian guys just want lower taxes and friendly regulations, but that's only part of the story. They have developed their own weird sci-fi influenced tech authoritarian IDEOLOGY.
It overlaps with MAGA in multiple ways...

4. JD Vance is ONE OF THEM. Vance was literally put on ...

2024-07-31T21:09:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…7nfa
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4. JD Vance is ONE OF THEM. Vance was literally put on Trump's ticket by the same group of people - Peter Thiel, David Sacks, Elon Musk, Marc Andreessen - who are behind all of the weirdness I've been writing about. https://newrepublic.com/article/183971/jd-vance-weird-terrifying-techno-authoritarian-ideas

3. They want to punish Democrats in weird ways. One of their main ...

2024-07-31T21:08:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…ua5p
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3. They want to punish Democrats in weird ways. One of their main influencers has suggested that tech bros should form a "gray tribe," purge Democrats from San Francisco and build statues to remind people of how bad Democrats supposedly are... https://newrepublic.com/article/180487/balaji-srinivasan-network-state-plutocrat

#2. They want control over existing governments. In addition to ...

2024-07-31T21:08:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…pfyf
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#2. They want control over existing governments. In addition to building weirdo colonies, they're also trying to capture existing governments. In San Francisco, a group of these tech zillionaires is trying to win control of City Hall ...(and now, by supporting Trump, they want control of the USA!) https://newrepublic.com/article/178675/garry-tan-tech-san-francisco

#1: They despise democracy. These Trump-loving billionaires ...

2024-07-31T21:07:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…2s9r
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#1: They despise democracy. These Trump-loving billionaires believe democracy is bad. They want to create their own corporate dictatorships called Network States. They are actively trying to build these weird little dictator cities all over the world.https://newrepublic.com/article/177733/billionaire-solano-california-tech-secession

🧵 I've spent this year writing for the ...

2024-07-31T21:06:42Z

🧵 I've spent this year writing for the [@newrepublic](https://threads.net/@newrepublic/ ) about how a group of Silicon Valley billionaires has gone WEIRD. Now their weirdness is mating up with Trump's MAGA weirdness in the 2024 election.
Here's a few things to understand about these guys: