Peter Thiel's Antichrist Lecture: Unpacking the Contrarian Venture Capitalist's Latest Venture

Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, is preparing a four-part lecture series on the Antichrist. The PayPal cofounder has talked about the subject publicly, suggesting that the Antichrist is less a demonic figure and more a symbol of false messiahs who lead the world astray. Thiel's series is expected to be 8 hours long, including time for mingling. The lecture series has been mocked on social media, but Thiel has not denied or confessed to being the Antichrist.

Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel is set to deliver a four-part lecture series on the Antichrist, a topic he has previously discussed publicly. The series, scheduled to be 8 hours long, including time for mingling, has sparked curiosity and mockery on social media. Thiel has not denied or confessed to being the Antichrist, but his lectures are expected to be a strategic move to rebrand himself as the tech industry's lone free thinker.

In his public discussions, Thiel has suggested that the Antichrist is less a demonic figure and more a symbol of false messiahs who lead the world astray. He has specifically targeted tech skeptics and climate activists, including Greta Thunberg, as potential "Antichrists" promoting a "totalitarian one-world government."

The lecture series comes at a time when Thiel is distancing himself from politics, a move that has been observed in his career. He has a history of taking money off the table after a big win, and his support for former President Donald Trump created a model for Elon Musk to follow in the 2024 campaign. Thiel's influence in Washington is still significant, with a network of protégés and former employees holding powerful positions.

The series is expected to be a branding exercise for Thiel, positioning him as the tech industry's contrarian voice. Despite the mockery on social media, Thiel has successfully played the heel throughout his career, branding Palantir as a potential "Big Brother" and bragging about his destruction of the media company Gawker as "the most philanthropic thing I’ve ever done."

As Thiel's influence in Washington remains significant, his lecture series could be seen as a strategic move to maintain his political clout while positioning himself as a free thinker in the tech industry. The series is expected to be a platform for Thiel to discuss his views on various topics, including politics, technology, and society.

References:
Peter Thiel Tries On the Antichrist for Size^[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-09-09/peter-thiel-s-antichrist-lectures-are-a-safe-move-for-the-palantir-billionaire
Anthropic Endorses California’s SB 53, Breaking Ranks with Silicon Valley Opposition to State AI Regulation^[2] https://www.tekedia.com/anthropic-endorses-californias-sb-53-breaking-ranks-with-silicon-valley-opposition-to-state-ai-regulation/