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Business books are entertainment, not strategic tools

(theorthagonist.substack.com)
593 points ZeroTalent | 3 comments | 09 May 25 20:51 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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breppp ◴[10 May 25 04:40 UTC] No.43943278[source]▶
> Skips the part that Peter Thiel was already in the top 1% of the population—Stanford-educated, ex-Credit Suisse, and founder of a small capital firm—before PayPal. He wasn’t a struggling outsider with nothing to lose. His advice is filtered through a lens of early privilege and structural advantage.

> The book wraps fatalism in edgy language and markets it as practical wisdom

First the author embraces fatalism, then criticizes fatalism. I guess only one kind is fashionable

replies(1): >>43943905 #
1. monkeyelite ◴[10 May 25 07:42 UTC] No.43943905[source]▶
And nowhere does zero to one claim to be a book for the every-man. If you’re serious about start ups you probably have job and educational options.

In fact, the book talks about Theil’s experience of almost becoming a Supreme Court clerk.

This article is more reductive and off the mark than the content it wants to criticize.

replies(1): >>43945011 #
2. ZeroTalent ◴[10 May 25 12:09 UTC] No.43945011[source]▶
True. He didn't get everything right, but at least it's not 300 pages long ;)
replies(1): >>43945325 #
3. monkeyelite ◴[10 May 25 13:07 UTC] No.43945325[source]▶
Any essay from that book is more concise and more insightful than this substack. The only reason people are commenting is to share their dislike of some business book they read - that’s why nobody is quoting the actual article.