Peter Thiel Compares Woke California To Wahhabi Saudi Arabia. Argues Big Tech Wields Similar Power To Saudi Oil — 'It Pays For Everything'

Peter Thiel, a billionaire with strong opinions and political ties, stirred things up recently on Joe Rogan's podcast. During their three-and-a-half-hour-long conversation, Thiel made a bold comparison between California and Saudi Arabia, which grabbed a lot of attention.

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Thiel believes that California, much like Saudi Arabia, is driven by a powerful force. In Saudi Arabia, it’s a strict religious movement called Wahhabism. In California, Thiel says it’s “Wokeism,” which he uses to describe the state's progressive and liberal culture. He thinks this ideology has a huge influence on how things are run in the state, saying, “Not that many people believe it, but it distorts everything.”

In the same breath, he also compared Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth to California’s tech industry. He argues that in California, big tech companies like Apple, Google, and Nvidia play a comparable role to oil companies on the Arabian Peninsula. Both industries make unbelievable amounts of money, which helps keep the respective economies strong, even when the government is poorly run.

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Thiel said that California has a massive economy, with a GDP as large as that of entire countries like Germany or Japan, but admitted that, despite the state's problems with taxes and governance, it's still thriving economically. “The big tech companies in California and the oil pay for everything,” he said.

At the same time, some would reason that it’s California's culture and powerful tech industry impact the world and drive innovation worldwide. Thiel himself admits that thanks to these tech companies, the state's economy is still going strong.

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The Man Behind The Curtain

Thiel is a man who’s deeply involved in shaping U.S. politics and technology, notably through his company Palantir Technologies and support for J.D. Vance. While one Reddit commenter shrewdly said, “Peter Thiel does all the stuff Rogan thinks George Soros does,” another one added, “The vast majority of Joe’s guests have received direct funding from Peter Thiel. It’s about time Joe just brought on the source instead of another hundred of Peter’s paid mouthpieces.”

Thiel poured millions of dollars into Vance’s campaign during the Ohio Senate race to help him rise in politics. This strong backing helped Vance bounce back from early challenges, including his past criticisms of Donald Trump, who he now backs. Thiel also did more than just give money to Vance. He connected him with important people in Trump's circle, helping to smooth over old issues and secure Trump's endorsement​.

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Thiel’s company, Palantir, is another source of controversy. Co-founded by Thiel, Palantir is known for doing secretive data analysis work for U.S. government agencies like the CIA and NSA. 

On the flip side, a lot of people admire Thiel for being a smart investor and entrepreneur. He helped start PayPal, which changed how we make online payments, and he was one of the first to invest in Facebook, helping it grow into one of the biggest social media platforms in the world.

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