What do the founder of PayPal, the French president, and a media tycoon have in common?

Peter Thiel (PayPal, Palantir), George Soros, Carl Icahn, Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn), Bill Clinton, Emmanuel Macron, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and Rupert Murdoch — successful people in public life who, interestingly, studied philosophy.

I think philosophy trains you to think about big problems at a high level of abstraction. More than a skill, it takes a kind of courage: the courage to seriously consider ideas that make us uncomfortable, or conclusions that challenge our opinions — even our identity.

For the famous names above, that capacity to think clearly about fundamentals, paired with realistic, pragmatic strategy, likely helped push them to the top.

Why we are all equal (and why that causes trouble)

This is the point Thomas Hobbes makes in Leviathan, chapter 13, “Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity, and Misery.”

People are equal.

Sure, some are stronger physically. But weaker people can join forces and defeat a stronger one.

Most of us think we are smarter than average — and none of us generally wants to be less smart.

“There is almost always no better sign of equality in the distribution of anything than the fact that each is content with his share.”

Competition, mistrust, glory: three sources of conflict

For Hobbes, this equality explains many miseries, including war.

When equals want the same limited goods, some win and some lose. That creates competition: people try to dominate others to get what they want. It creates mistrust: because equals fear for their safety, they try to protect themselves. And it creates glory: people and groups compete for ideals — honor, reputation, traditional values — which fuels conflict.

The art of navigating an imperfect world

“All successful businesses are different: each one acquires a monopoly by solving a unique problem. All failed businesses are the same: they didn’t escape competition.” — Peter Thiel, Zero to One

In business, Peter Thiel is known for aiming for monopolies. In politics, Pierre Elliott Trudeau defended Canadian unity and order.

Hobbes’s Leviathan proposes that only a state — a rule of law — can cure war and economic misery.

Studying philosophy means daring to think about ideas that often contradict our identity. For Hobbes, that means examining the foundations of society and accepting the need to live under a strong authority.

Defending the power of the state

“The society must use every means at its disposal to defend itself against the emergence of a parallel power which challenges the elected authority in this country.” — Pierre Elliott Trudeau, October Crisis (1970)

This quote shows how a philosopher-politician can apply Hobbes: in times of crisis only a centralized authority can keep order. Trudeau isn’t moralizing — he’s acting in a Hobbesian logic.

But what about ordinary citizens who don’t run states?

Calm and modesty

Here’s the paradox: understanding Hobbes could make you anxious and suspicious. Yet many philosophically trained leaders seem unusually calm.

The key is acceptance. When you stop expecting the world to be fair, you stop being constantly disappointed. When you accept that others keep secrets, you stop feeling personally betrayed.

This clarity isn’t cynicism. It’s seeing the world as it is — and that clarity brings peace of mind.

Intellectual humility as the foundation

A university philosophy education immerses you in big thinkers: Plato in the fall, Aristotle in winter; later Aquinas, Occam, Machiavelli, Descartes, Marx, Rawls, and more.

A philosophy graduate becomes comfortable juggling opposing ideas and, hopefully, gives up dogmatism and fundamentalism.

That exposure builds two essential qualities: the ease of handling contradictory ideas and, crucially, epistemic modesty — the recognition that no single system holds all the truth.

This blend of intellectual humility and Hobbesian clarity likely helped the people we named succeed in finance, entrepreneurship, and politics. Seeing the world as Hobbes did, they used those character traits to their advantage.

Navigating the modern state of nature

Even in modern societies some realities persist.

Information is power. Be discerning: gather information, protect what you know, and be cautious about what you’re told. Rumors and hearsay are often driven by power games. Manipulation and fact distortion are common.

Justice systems are slow and costly. Many social movements rely on shows of force. And acting ethically doesn’t guarantee success.

Calm realism

You can respond to these facts with cynicism or wisdom.

Cynicism abandons ethics in the name of realism. Hobbesian wisdom does the opposite: keep your principles, but stop expecting the world to reward them automatically.

This calm realism lets you study human psychology and history without becoming misanthropic. You can recognize power plays without joining them. You stay humble and cautious without losing the ability to engage.

Hobbes gives us a liberating paradox: by accepting the world’s imperfections, we find the calm to live fully. Not resignation — a clear-eyed serenity.

Maybe that’s the secret shared by Thiel, Soros, Trudeau, and Macron: a philosophical foundation that helps them navigate an imperfect world without losing themselves.

translated from french by a mix of Claude Sonnet 3.5 and ChatGPT-4.1

Sources

Hobbes’s Moral and Political Philosophy

1970: Pierre Trudeau says 'Just watch me' during October Crisis