@tzimmer_history I would love to see a public debate on Tolkien between Colbert and Thiel. Thiel loves the aesthetics of Tolkien, but seems to have a poor understanding of it. Tolkien's palantiri, for example, were unreliable and untrustworthy, and could be used as easily to deceive as to inform. I don't think Thiel understands that, or he wouldn't have named his company after it.