The Final Act Is Conquest

Tech Billionaires, Political Mythmaking, and The Hero's Journey from New Money to Absolute Power

Abstract

Silicon valley billionaires, particularly figures like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, have ascended beyond their roles as entrepreneurs to become political actors and architects of new power structures. This paper explores how the cultural mythologies of new money—marked by individualism, conquest, and a rejection of democratic constraints—frame these figures as protagonists in self-mythologized hero’s journeys. Using Roland Barthes’ theory of ideological myth and Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical model of self-presentation, the paper examines how billionaires cultivate influence through media spectacle, personal branding, and narrative control. Through the cases of Musk, Thiel, and former president Donald Trump, it traces how silicon valley’s political ethos has evolved from behind-the-scenes lobbying to overt attempts at authoritarian governance. Drawing on investigative reporting and theoretical frameworks, it argues that these figures operate not as a unified political movement but as rival protagonists competing within overlapping myths. Ultimately, the paper contends that understanding these performances is crucial to resisting their consolidation of power—and that exposing the narrative is the first step to reclaiming reality.