How wealthy tech entrepreneurs seek to shape politics, culture and the future - and why we must resist

"In Gilded Rage, journalist Jacob Silverman describes how some of the United States' wealthiest men, who have enriched themselves during the technology boom of the past 20 years, are recasting themselves as ideological 'rage pundits'. In this guided tour of the origins and ascent of "America's self-designated innovator class", Silverman traces how people once seen as outliers in President Donald Trump's orbit - including space mogul Elon Musk and Palantir Technologies co-founder Peter Thiel - became messianic ideologues."

"Their wealth, software platforms and online networks now have begun to influence democratic elections in the United States and around the world. What is the message or world view these individuals promote? According to Silverman, it is one in which ordinary people have little power or hope, democratic agency is hollowed out and political life bends to the will of a self-appointed group of wealthy individuals."

"What distinguishes this era, he suggests, is not merely the technology sector's deference to presidential power, but also its increasingly open advocacy for many of the current president's most controversial policies. This is a matter of deep concern, beca"

Over two decades, major U.S. technology companies have shifted from traditional lobbying to direct political influence. Wealthy tech executives, including Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, have rebranded themselves as ideological 'rage pundits' promoting a worldview where ordinary people lack power and democratic agency is diminished. These self-designated innovators use their wealth, software platforms, and online networks to influence elections domestically and globally. The current era represents a qualitative break from previous industry-government alignments, characterized not just by tech sector deference to presidential power but by open advocacy for controversial policies. This concentration of influence in the hands of self-appointed wealthy individuals fundamentally threatens democratic structures.

Read at Nature