Book Review: ‘How to Rule the World,’ by Theo Baker

1. 1. Theo Baker's debut book
2. 2. As an undergraduate freshman, Baker experienced an extraordinary series of life events, including the downfall of a university president and winning a George Polk Award, alongside personal challenges.
3. 3. Baker's investigation reveals that Stanford primarily functions as a talent-scouting system for future tech "unicorns," marginalizing other academic pursuits and disciplines like the liberal arts.
4. 4. The book exposes the hypocrisy within Stanford's elite tech-adjacent circles, where students publicly advocate for social justice while privately conspiring to amass billions.
5. 5. Baker actively challenges the pervasive myth of Silicon Valley's meritocracy, illustrating that success is often dictated by connections, ruthless ambition, and insider access, rather than pure talent.
6. 6. Initially drawn to climb the Silicon Valley ladder, Baker ultimately gravitated towards journalism, leading him to investigate and expose university president Marc Tessier-Lavigne for overseeing falsified research.
7. 7. Despite Tessier-Lavigne's resignation due to Baker's investigative work, the former president secured a substantial settlement and successfully raised $1 billion for a new venture, revealing the self-perpetuating nature of this power system.