4/ Thiel didn't need to recommend a ton of low signal books. He gave the most concise answer possible by recommending the densest book possible. Thiel doesn't want to appeal to the masses. He seeks out esotericists who are willing to spend the effort to uncover hidden meanings.
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5/ "Things Hidden" isn't available as a free ebook. You have to spend the money to buy it. This filters out people who seek the easy path. From the 1st page, you're thrown into an in-depth interview about an unfamiliar topic. This filters out even more people.
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6/ Most people would give up before finishing reading the first 10% of the book. I know I did. But then I delve into other books and interviews to comprehend the prerequisites. Now, after 2 years, I'm finally ready to return to "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World."
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7/ My worldview has completely changed during this process... all because
@peterthiel recommended 1 obscure book that lead me down a rabbithole. Nobody else in the world is as effective at book recommendations. They recommend too many books. Too easy & too common.3 replies 8 retweets 212 likesShow this thread -
8/ In Pre-suasion,
@RobertCialdini noted that mystery stories are among the most effective persuasion techniques. In recommending "Things Hidden" (which implies mystery in the title), Thiel forces the reader to engage in the role of the detective to uncover his secret Truth.3 replies 12 retweets 162 likesShow this thread -
9/ Thus, Thiel demonstrated that he's simultaneously a grandmaster of persuasion, signal filtering, and leadership through only uttering the title of 1 book. He led by example and put himself into the role of the mimetic model for the esotericist innovator.
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10/ Why is the mystery story such a persuasive technique? It's revealed through "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World." It's the practice of uncovering the taboo through the ritual. Taboo and ritual are key mechanisms in mimetic theory.
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11/ Taboo and ritual both manipulate mimetic desire. Persuasion is the manipulation of mimetic desires. All 7 of Cialdini's influence principles are at play in mimetic theory: Reciprocity Commitment Social proof Authority Liking Scarcity Unity It's all there.
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12/ What nobody else will tell you: Sacrifice of the scapegoat isn't merely the founding of culture and religion, but also the origin of influence and marketing. This seems obvious in hindsight. Evangelism is marketing. It's mimetic propagation of a signal in a social network.
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13/ Yet there's danger in Thiel's approach. According to "In Over Our Heads" by Robert Kegan (https://amzn.to/2yODKng ), one should not hand difficult knowledge to these who aren't mentally ready. But perhaps "Things Hidden" turns off people who aren't ready, so it's fine.
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Be careful of unearned knowledge.
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