Zero to One reads far more like a manifesto than a business book.
That was odd to me given that I had always gotten this perception that it would be another gimmicky business book. It isn’t. It’s an exercise in personal philosophy and a brilliant display thereof too.
The whole premise of this book is to provoke thought; it’s to induce in the audience a fresh perspective not only about the world but more specifically about business. You may disagree with his point of view on some issues, but there’s no doubt that his writing is insightful.
Thiel doesn’t just show great admiration for enterprise and startups, he reveres the entire process. In some instances, he compares cults and their obsessions with secrecy to great companies.
It’s odd, and yet fascinating that someone “goes there”; that someone chooses to make use of language and themes that might otherwise provoke anger. It’s even odder given Thiel’s aversion to violence. But it is a contrarian premise through and through.
Providing some unusual answers to some big questions.
While Thiel starts with the premise that there’s been no massive development in Science and Technology. He then goes off on multiple tangents.
He talks about incrementalism in Silicon Valley, indecision and indefiniteness in areas of importance, the power law, distribution of product, personality traits and business founders, and a lot more.
It’s a lot of insight for a book of about 200 pages!
I was particularly attracted to his theories on specialization and distribution. I’d written my manifesto on complexity a while ago primarily overwhelmed by the information I will never be able to digest.
I sat down to meditate, thinking deeply about my time back in high school. I didn’t know why I went back there. I had a fairly good time there, but I didn’t know why I needed to reminisce—that was until I started asking myself some questions.
I asked myself which subject I liked most back in high school. The answer wasn’t readily obvious to me honestly. I was and still am a phenomenal student… But I didn’t understand why this question was so difficult for me. After a few more minutes of contemplation, I came out with Computer Science. Then I asked myself one more question. What was your favorite topic, or theme in that subject? To this, I still have no answer.
Thiel realizes rightfully that there is no such thing as a polymath. And yet, worldwide,
“We teach all students relatively the same subjects, in mostly the same ways, irrespective of individual talents and preferences.”
He particularly emphasizes the detriment this does to the “odd ones”. Students like me who could barely study or learn sitting down. We’ve created this sort of generalized one-shoe fits all approach to education, that reflects the general indecision that has taken a hold of our societies.
This lack of decision is evident in the institutions that matter most; Our political institutions, our labs, our educational institutions, our personal lives… Many a smart student is being deprived of the chance of doing something meaningful in their lives, carving out their paths. In short, we are being deprived of our ability to focus and impact in far more meaningful ways.
But… I didn’t agree with all of it.
This is a book that is very much more opinion like in its presentation and it doesn't try to hide it.
There were instances where I adamantly disagreed with Thiel. His aversion to admitting the fact that growing up in let’s say a rich family is far more likely to put one on a path to “greatness”. His need to eliminate that aspect relevant to success I feel speaks a lot about his perspective on life. I truly doubt this is someone, who has had it easy. High-performing CEOs who go to elite institutions can be miserable, and many simply do not know this. Wealth isn’t a cure-all for everything. But his either/ or approach in his perspective on success is somewhat hypocritical.
There are many other instances I disagreed with Thiel, but I find it best that people read for themselves and make their judgments.
Conclusion.
It’s very difficult writing a review that does this book good. It’s difficult to extract the essence of the book without giving too much away. The language is clear, sometimes poetic, but always precise. As such some abstraction of this book is very difficult to create. But I find this book to be very relevant reading especially for those who want a more contrarian perspective on startups, monopolies, capitalism and so much more.
Rating: Read It at your leisure.
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