A few days ago I came across the attached video, which argued that Peter Thiel played a significant role in JD Vance's political rise and broader election dynamics. Even though the facts in the attached video may or may not be correct, that's not in scope of this document. What's in scope of this document is, To discuss why is the increasing sentiment on the internet against the ones in power and why people like Thiel don't care about it, even though similar anti-establishment sentiments have led for empires to fall in history.
1. Why is the "Anti-Capitalist" Sentiment the Leading Sentiment Online?
We should always remember the Algorithm is nothing, but what people actually like and want to watch. So if the algorithm is promoting some sort of content, we shouldn't just blame the algorithm. Instead we should look at the insights provided by the Algorithm, and try to understand what's the sentiment among the people. Here are the factors why Anti-Capitalist sentiment is rising.
The Great Divide
The gap between the rich, and the middle class has increased at unprecedented pace. The top 10% in the USA have ~67% of all wealth. And as people can't afford basic living expenses, some people have wealth more than they would ever earn in their life.
Source note: wealth share figure sourced from ChatGPT.
People Have Been Sold A Lie
The strongest driver is not ideology, but material reality. For the post-war generation (Boomers), capitalism offered a reliable deal, "If you get an education and work hard, you will be able to afford a home, raise a family, and retire."
But for the younger generations (Primary consumers of social media), that's not how things went. They went to college, and got a degree. And now they can't find a job that can even pay for their rents. The American Dream they were sold true is turning out to just be a Dream now.
The Better Story To Sell
If you had 2 options,
- 1st one said, "you can live your dream life if you just work hard for 20 years of your life, and then reap the rewards"
- 2nd one said, "you don't have to work hard, the stronger section of the society will take care of ones looking for excuses"
You know which the masses would choose, even though know one will publicly say that they would choose the 2nd one. Everyone knows what they are gonna choose.
2. Consequences of this Sentiment
We have seen similar Anti-Establishment sentiments throughout history. And those sentiments are the major drivers of the society we have today. Those sentiments were about fighting the Establishments which suppressed and oppressed peoples. In the french revolution, people weren't fond of the elites. And people didn't just say "Eat the Rich" they actually meant it.
But the difference between the French revolution V.S. Jan 2, 2026 is, people aren't fighting someone who is oppressing them. Many people are reacting less from ideology than from frustration, insecurity, and a sense that the promised social contract has failed.
3. The Rich Don't Need to Care
There are many reasons which make the current "Anti-Capitalist" sentiment similar to the "Anti-Elites" sentiment during the French Revolution. But we must realize that even though the sentiments are similar, the world around us has changed a lot since the French Revolution. This changing of the world is the exact reason why the sentiments don't matter, Let me explain.
The Thunderstorm Analogy
The people at the top simply do not view the world the way you do. To understand the mindset of a tech oligarch like Peter Thiel, you must stop viewing the internet as a town square and start viewing it as weather.
When you scream at a thunderstorm, the storm does not care. It does not hear you. It operates on the laws of physics, not human emotion. The top 1% view global macro-economics and the internet as chaotic, violent forces of nature.
- The Internet is the Storm: It is loud, dangerous, and unpredictable.
- You are the Observer: You can tweet, create video essays, and get angry at the clouds.
- They are the Architect: They are building the shelter (or the machine that harnesses the storm).
The Concept of "Exit Velocity"
The most common counter argument is: "If the masses come after him, can't they actually cost him his life?". This fear is rooted in 1789. During the French Revolution, the aristocracy lived among the people in Paris or Versailles. When the mob marched, the elites had nowhere to go.
Today, billionaires possess what is known as Exit Velocity. They maintain three layers of immunity:
- Geography is Optional: They hold citizenship in multiple countries (e.g., New Zealand) and own land in remote zones.
- Physical Insulation: They do not live behind gates that can be stormed; they live in secure zones, travel via private terminals, and employ military-grade security.
- The Digital Moat: You cannot "cancel" a venture capitalist. A celebrity can be cancelled because their income relies on public affection. A VC's power comes from equity and ownership. As long as their investments compound, public opinion is irrelevant.
The Distraction
The Intellect might argue that if the elites don't provide a distraction, the public anger will eventually burst. Well here comes the best armour of 21st century. Even though we might see the outrage online, and think that the masses need a distraction. The ironical truth, is that the very platforms they are using to outrage is the distraction. The internet has transformed political rage into a consumer product. It acts as a pressure release valve, not a pressure cooker.
In the Past: Anger required physical organization. You talked to neighbors, met in squares, fought revolutions, wars, marched at town squares, etc. You had to put in real efforts.
Today: You leave a furious comment, fight a stranger on Twitter, feel a dopamine rush, and then go to sleep. By the time you are done typing, you are too exhausted to riot. political outrage keeps you busy feeling important while changing nothing.