⛪ The Digital Vatican: Like the Catholic Church's historical power, this priesthood operates through sacred rituals (IPOs, keynotes), holy texts (whitepapers, manifestos), and divine mysteries (algorithms, "innovation"). They promise salvation through technology while concentrating unprecedented temporal power.
🏛️ Understanding the Hierarchy: The Pope holds ultimate doctrinal authority. Cardinals control major domains and elect the next Pope. Bishops manage regional territories and execute doctrine. Priests perform daily rituals and maintain local faith. Each level serves the one above while claiming to serve humanity.
The Pope of Capitalism
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Larry Fink (BlackRock)
The closest thing to a capitalist Pope. CEO of the world's largest asset manager ($10+ trillion). BlackRock owns significant stakes in every major tech company, making Fink the ultimate arbiter of corporate behavior through ESG mandates and shareholder voting. His annual letters to CEOs function as papal encyclicals, setting doctrine for global capitalism.
Controls 7-10% of every S&P 500 company through index funds
🕸️ Board seats across all major tech companies through proxy voting power
Bio-Digital Bridge Mask
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Donald Trump
The Populist Pope of American Capitalism. Master of performing anti-establishment rhetoric while serving billionaire interests. Creates the illusion that capitalism can be "nationalist" or "for the people" while delivering massive corporate tax cuts and deregulation. His presidency showed how authoritarian capitalism and tech oligarchy can merge - initially fighting Big Tech, then being embraced by Musk and Silicon Valley accelerationists.
$2.6B+ net worth, political fundraising machine worth hundreds of millions
Truth Social → crypto ventures → Musk alliance → Silicon Valley rapprochement
Populist Outsider Mask
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Gilman Louie
Former CIA venture capital arm (In-Q-Tel) CEO, now on multiple AI boards. Intelligence community's bridge to Silicon Valley capital.
Intelligence-Capital Mask
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Chris Inglis
Former NSA Deputy Director, now National Cyber Director. Direct pipeline between intelligence agencies and tech policy formation.
Cyber-Intelligence Mask
International Cardinals
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Kai-Fu Lee
Former Google China, now AI investor. Bridges US-China AI development while claiming to represent "Asian values" in tech.
Cultural Bridge Mask
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Klaus Schwab (WEF)
Platforms "stakeholder capitalism" and "Fourth Industrial Revolution" narratives that legitimize tech consolidation as humanitarian progress.
Global Governance Mask
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Yoshua Bengio
Turing Award winner, vocal about AI risks while continuing frontier research. The "concerned scientist" archetype legitimizing the race through worry.
Concerned Scientist Mask
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Daniel Ek (Spotify)
CEO investing €600M+ into full-body biometric scanning through Neko Health. Building AI-health-surveillance pipelines under wellness guise.
Wellness Mask
The Heretical Performers (Controlled Opposition)
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Eliezer Yudkowsky
AI doomsday prophet who builds fear cults around hypothetical superintelligence while distracting from current surveillance and labor harms.
Prophet Mask
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Geoffrey Hinton
AI pioneer turned alarmist. His Google exit raised alarms but lent legitimacy to the very race he helped start. Concerned elder legitimizing acceleration.
Concerned Elder Mask
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Max Tegmark
Longtermist philosopher centering cosmic risks to abstract away present power and labor questions. Makes current harm seem trivial.
Cosmic Futurist Mask
The Sacred Scribes & Mythmakers
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Ayn Rand (1905-1982)
The patron saint of capitalist individualism. Her novels "Atlas Shrugged" and "The Fountainhead" created the core mythology that selfishness is virtue and regulation is evil. Silicon Valley titans treat her work as scripture - Peter Thiel, Travis Kalanick, and countless tech founders cite her as foundational influence.
Objectivist Prophet Mask
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Curtis Yarvin (Mencius Moldbug)
Modern neoreactionary philosopher advocating for post-democratic, CEO-led governance. His "Cathedral" theory claims universities and media form a leftist conspiracy, providing intellectual cover for authoritarian tech governance. Has "coached" Peter Thiel and influences Silicon Valley's anti-democratic turn.
Intellectual Disruptor Mask
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Nick Land
Accelerationist philosopher who views capitalism as a destabilizing force to be intensified toward post-human singularity. Advocates dissolving existing social forms through techno-capitalist acceleration. Provides academic framework for "let technology destroy everything" ideology.
Academic Radical Mask
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Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992)
Economist whose "The Road to Serfdom" became libertarian gospel. His theories about spontaneous order and market efficiency provide intellectual foundation for minimal regulation. Tech leaders invoke his work to argue that algorithmic systems represent natural market forces.
Academic Authority Mask
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Murray Rothbard (1926-1995)
Anarcho-capitalist early theorist who advocated for complete privatization of government functions. His work influences crypto-anarchists and sovereignty movement. Provides theoretical framework for replacing democratic institutions with private governance.
Anarchist Intellectual Mask
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Kevin Kelly
Wired magazine co-founder and "What Technology Wants" author. Creates mystical narratives around technological evolution as inevitable and beneficial force. Makes surveillance and AI seem like natural phenomena rather than corporate products.
Tech Mystic Mask
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Milton Friedman (1912-2006)
Nobel laureate whose "Free to Choose" became the economic gospel of neoliberalism. His theories justified mass deregulation and privatization globally. Tech leaders invoke his work to argue against antitrust and regulation. His ideas shaped the Chicago School economics that underpins Silicon Valley libertarianism.
Academic Authority Mask
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Thomas Sowell
Conservative economist whose work legitimizes inequality as natural outcome of market forces. His "Basic Economics" serves as scripture for those who want academic cover for opposing redistribution. Makes structural inequality seem like natural law.
Academic Authority Mask
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Jordan Peterson
Cultural warrior who makes hierarchy seem like natural law through evolutionary psychology. His "12 Rules for Life" provides pseudo-scientific justification for existing power structures. Bridges academic psychology and anti-egalitarian politics.
Scientific Authority Mask
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Naval Ravikant
Tech philosopher whose Twitter threads serve as startup scripture. His "wealth creation" mantras provide moral framework for extreme inequality. Makes exploitation seem like value creation through aphoristic wisdom.
Wisdom Teacher Mask
The Media Cardinals (Information Control)
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Rupert Murdoch
Cardinal of Global Media Empire. Controls Fox News, Wall Street Journal, The Times, New York Post, and media properties across continents. Shapes public opinion to favor deregulation and corporate power while maintaining the illusion of diverse viewpoints across his properties.
$17B+ net worth, media empire reaches billions globally
🕸️ News Corp → Fox → Wall Street Journal → political influence → tech coverage
Neutral Journalism Mask
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Michael Bloomberg
Cardinal of Financial Information. Bloomberg terminals are the nervous system of global finance. Controls business media narrative while his wealth management and data services create dependencies across all major financial institutions.
$96B+ net worth, Bloomberg LP dominates financial data
🕸️ Bloomberg terminals → financial institutions → political campaigns → media influence
Public Service Mask
The Financial Cardinals
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Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase)
Cardinal of Banking Infrastructure. Controls the financial plumbing that all tech companies depend on. CEO of America's largest bank, his annual shareholder letters set economic doctrine. Bridges Wall Street and Silicon Valley while claiming to serve "Main Street."
$4+ trillion in assets, essential banking services for all major tech companies
JPMorgan → Federal Reserve → tech company banking → government advisory roles
Public Service Mask
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Ray Dalio (Bridgewater)
Cardinal of Economic Doctrine. His "Principles" serve as management gospel across Silicon Valley. Bridgewater's hedge fund strategies and corporate culture philosophies shape how tech leaders think about optimization and control.
$140B+ under management, "Principles" adopted across corporate America
Bridgewater → corporate consulting → leadership training → economic forecasting
Wisdom/Mentor Mask
🔴 The Cardinals
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Peter Thiel
Cardinal of Surveillance & Parallel Power. Co-founded Palantir, early Facebook investor, Founders Fund. The ideological architect pushing for post-democratic governance through technology. Mentors political figures like JD Vance while building shadow state infrastructure.
$2.5B+ net worth, funds political campaigns and parallel institutions
Palantir → CIA/ICE contracts, PayPal Mafia network, Thiel Fellows program
"Progress" Mask
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Eric Schmidt
Cardinal of Military-Tech Convergence. Former Google CEO, now chairs Pentagon's Defense Innovation Advisory Board. Bridges Silicon Valley and military-industrial complex, pushing AI weapons and surveillance systems.
Pentagon contracts worth billions through his portfolio companies
Google → Pentagon → National Security Commission on AI → Schmidt Futures
Public Service Mask
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Jensen Huang (Nvidia)
Cardinal of AI Infrastructure. Controls the chips that power all AI development. His sermons at conferences set the technological gospel while Nvidia's hardware creates dependencies for every AI company.
Nvidia market cap: $3+ trillion, essential for all AI development
Hardware dependency across all AI companies, military contracts, chip diplomacy
Neutral/Enthusiast Provider Mask
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Marc Andreessen
Cardinal of Techno-Libertarian Doctrine. Andreessen Horowitz invests across AI, crypto, and social platforms. His "Techno-Optimist Manifesto" serves as scripture for deregulated tech supremacy.
$35B+ under management, major stakes in AI and crypto
a16z portfolio → policy influence → media narrative control
Progress Mask
🟣 The Bishops
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Sam Altman (OpenAI)
Bishop of AI Safety Theater. Presents as concerned about AGI risks while racing to build it. Masters the art of regulatory capture through fear-mongering and "responsible development" rhetoric.
OpenAI valued at $157B, Microsoft partnership worth billions
Y Combinator → OpenAI → Microsoft → Government advisory roles
Safety/Ethical Mask
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Dario Amodei (Anthropic)
Bishop of Constitutional AI. Former OpenAI researcher who founded Anthropic claiming to prioritize safety. Backed by Google and Amazon while building frontier models that advance the race he claims to moderate.
$25B+ valuation, major funding from Google and Amazon
OpenAI → Anthropic → Google/Amazon cloud deals → AI safety conferences
Safety/Ethical Mask
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Daniela Amodei (Anthropic)
Bishop of AI Policy & Safety Communications. Co-founder and President of Anthropic, manages government relations and safety messaging. Sister-in-law to Dario, showing how these networks are literally familial power structures.
Family network within Anthropic leadership, policy influence channels
Policy Translation Mask
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Elon Musk
Bishop of Populist Technocracy. xAI, Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, X. Creates chaos to hide deep integration with defense and intelligence. Promotes accelerationism while claiming to represent "the people."
World's richest person, government contracts across multiple companies
SpaceX → military contracts, Tesla → Chinese manufacturing, X → information control
Populist/freemind/innovation Mask
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Demis Hassabis (DeepMind)
Bishop of Academic Legitimacy. Nobel Prize winner who provides scholarly cover for Google's AGI race. DeepMind's research advances Google's commercial and military applications.
DeepMind acquisition: $400M, now integral to Google's AI strategy
Academic credentials → Google integration → UK government advisory roles
Academic Mask
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Alex Karp (Palantir)
Bishop of Surveillance Infrastructure. CEO of Palantir, provides data analysis for ICE, military, and police. Claims to defend liberal democracy while building the tools of digital authoritarianism.
$2.3B+ in government contracts, expanding commercial surveillance
Stanford → Palantir → government agencies → international surveillance
No Mask
The Media Cardinals (Information Control)
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Rupert Murdoch
Cardinal of Global Media Empire. Controls Fox News, Wall Street Journal, The Times, New York Post, and media properties across continents. Shapes public opinion to favor deregulation and corporate power while maintaining the illusion of diverse viewpoints across his properties.
$17B+ net worth, media empire reaches billions globally
News Corp → Fox → Wall Street Journal → political influence → tech coverage
Neutral Journalism Mask
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Michael Bloomberg
Cardinal of Financial Information. Bloomberg terminals are the nervous system of global finance. Controls business media narrative while his wealth management and data services create dependencies across all major financial institutions.
$96B+ net worth, Bloomberg LP dominates financial data
Bloomberg terminals → financial institutions → political campaigns → media influence
Public Service Mask
The Financial Cardinals
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Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase)
Cardinal of Banking Infrastructure. Controls the financial plumbing that all tech companies depend on. CEO of America's largest bank, his annual shareholder letters set economic doctrine. Bridges Wall Street and Silicon Valley while claiming to serve "Main Street."
$4+ trillion in assets, essential banking services for all major tech companies
JPMorgan → Federal Reserve → tech company banking → government advisory roles
Public Service Mask
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Ray Dalio (Bridgewater)
Cardinal of Economic Doctrine. His "Principles" serve as management gospel across Silicon Valley. Bridgewater's hedge fund strategies and corporate culture philosophies shape how tech leaders think about optimization and control.
$140B+ under management, "Principles" adopted across corporate America
Bridgewater → corporate consulting → leadership training → economic forecasting
Wisdom/Mentor Mask
The Priests
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Satya Nadella (Microsoft)
Performs "Responsible AI" rituals while integrating surveillance into every workplace through Copilot and Office 365. The "ethical" face of digital workplace monitoring.
Responsible AI Mask
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Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn)
Conducts networking ceremonies, OpenAI board member. Masters "thoughtful governance" rhetoric while embedded in acceleration machinery.
Governance Mask
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Yann LeCun (Meta)
Preaches open-source AI salvation while building Meta's surveillance advertising empire. Academic credentials legitimize commercial interests.
Academic Freedom Mask
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Mustafa Suleyman (Microsoft AI)
Former DeepMind co-founder, now at Microsoft. Another "safety-focused" researcher who moves between companies while building what he warns about.
Safety Mask
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Fei-Fei Li (Stanford HAI)
Conducts "human-centered AI" ceremonies while taking Big Tech funding. Academic legitimacy for surveillance technology development.
Academic Legitimacy Mask
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Kevin O'Leary
Performs daily mass for capitalism through "Shark Tank." Preaches the gospel that profit motive solves all problems while presenting predatory investment as mentorship. Makes wealth extraction seem like public service.
Mentor/Teacher Mask
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Jim Cramer (CNBC)
Conducts daily market ceremonies, translating Wall Street interests into "investment advice" for retail investors. Makes speculation seem like wisdom while serving institutional interests.
Financial Educator Mask
The Money Changers (Financial Infrastructure)
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Vanguard Group
Along with BlackRock, owns pieces of every tech giant. $8+ trillion under management creates unified shareholder interest across "competing" companies.
Major shareholder in all Big Tech companies
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Sequoia Capital
Funded Google, Apple, and current AI leaders. Often invisible but central in shaping technological direction through early-stage investments.
$85B+ under management, early investors in most major tech companies
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Saudi PIF & UAE Sovereign Funds
Authoritarian capital flowing into "democratic" tech through intermediaries. Major investors in AI companies while maintaining plausible deniability.
Hundreds of billions invested in Western tech through intermediaries
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Blackstone/KKR
Private equity giants quietly acquiring AI companies and infrastructure. Shape industry through financial engineering rather than headlines.
$1+ trillion combined assets, controlling infrastructure and data centers
The Narrative Priests (Doctrine Distributors)
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Lex Fridman
Provides academic-seeming platform for soft-launching controversial tech and military guests. Normalizes surveillance and weapons development through "neutral" conversations.
Academic Neutrality Mask
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Joe Rogan
Launders elite tech narratives as "common sense" to massive mainstream audiences. Makes billionaire talking points seem like regular guy insights.
Everyman Mask
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All-In Podcast (Chamath, Jason, David Sacks, David Friedberg)
Tech elite presenting themselves as "just asking questions" while shaping mainstream discourse around AI, crypto, and policy.
Independent Thinker Mask
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Ben Thompson (Stratechery)
Influential tech analyst whose "neutral" analysis consistently favors Big Tech positions. Shapes elite thinking while appearing independent.
Independent Analysis Mask
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Tim Ferriss
Podcaster who packages elite networking as "life optimization." His interviews normalize billionaire thinking patterns while presenting wealth extraction as personal development. Makes plutocracy seem like self-help.
Life Optimization Mask
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Gary Vaynerchuk
Makes wealth extraction seem like authentic entrepreneurship through high-energy "hustle culture" evangelism. Converts economic desperation into motivational content while building media empire.
Authentic Entrepreneur Mask
The Vatican Administration (Think Tanks & Policy)
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McKinsey & Company
The invisible hand steering AI strategy for governments and corporations globally. Consultants who shape policy and implementation across all sectors.
Government contracts + corporate strategy = unified policy direction
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RAND Corporation
Think tank shaping AI doctrine for national security. Provides academic legitimacy for military AI development and deployment.
Military-Academic Mask
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Brookings Institution
Policy think tank with close Big Tech ties. Creates appearance of independent research while advancing corporate interests.
Neutral Policy Mask
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World Economic Forum
Annual gathering where tech elites coordinate messaging and policy. Presents corporate consolidation as humanitarian progress through "stakeholder capitalism."
Global Governance Mask
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Goldman Sachs
The investment bank that serves as finishing school for tech executives. Alumni network spreads financial engineering philosophy across all sectors while maintaining revolving door with government.
🕸️ Wall Street → Treasury Department → Corporate boardrooms → regulatory capture
Financial Expertise Mask
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McKinsey Alumni Network
Spreads corporate optimization doctrine across all sectors. Former consultants occupy leadership positions throughout government and industry, ensuring unified approach to "efficiency" and privatization.
🕸️ Consulting → corporate leadership → government positions → policy implementation
Management Science Mask
The Revolving Door Saints
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Avril Haines
Director of National Intelligence AND OpenAI board member. The ultimate insider bridging AI development and intelligence apparatus.
Intelligence Pipeline Mask
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Regina Dugan
Bounced between DARPA, Google, Facebook, now Wellcome Leap. Builds military-tech-health convergence pipelines.
Bio-Digital Bridge Mask
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Gilman Louie
Former CIA venture capital arm (In-Q-Tel) CEO, now on multiple AI boards. Intelligence community's bridge to Silicon Valley capital.
Intelligence-Capital Mask
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Chris Inglis
Former NSA Deputy Director, now National Cyber Director. Direct pipeline between intelligence agencies and tech policy formation.
Cyber-Intelligence Mask
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Ash Carter
Former Defense Secretary, now on multiple tech boards. Classic revolving door figure moving between Pentagon and Silicon Valley boardrooms.
Military-Industrial Mask