Capitalism

Alex Karp’s Philosophy Degree

Alex Karp’s philosophy degree didn’t fail him—he failed it, and now he’s desperate to make sure no one else learns how to think critically either.

Odin Halvorson

06 Apr 2026 — 4 min read

A Smokescreen for the Surveillance State’s Architect

Oh, Alex Karp—bless your billionaire heart—you really think we’re going to let you gaslight an entire generation into believing philosophy degrees are useless while your company, Palantir, profits off the systematic destruction of human rights, democracy, and basic decency? Spare me the condescension.

You, a man with not one but three advanced degrees (including that shiny PhD in philosophy from Goethe University), now want to tell Gen Z that the humanities are a dead end? That's a new low for hypocrisy and it as much as amounts to a confession of your own fearful paranoia.

You’re not warning us about the future of work; you’re admitting that your version of the future is threatened by critical thought, and that you're desperate to achieve a world free from ethics or anything that might challenge the surveillance capitalism you’ve spent your career building.

Let’s talk about what Palantir actually does, Alex, since you’re so eager to lecture the rest of us.

Yeah, your company is great at “analyzing data”—in order to fuel genocide. Palantir’s AI platforms are actively used by the Israeli military in its ongoing slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza, enabling real-time targeting, surveillance, and the kind of “data-driven” warfare that human rights groups—you know, the ones you’d probably call “woke”—have labeled as apartheid and genocide.

But sure, Alex, tell us more about how philosophy is the real waste of time.

Palantir’s business model depends on a world where people are too exhausted, too surveilled, and too desperate to question the systems you’ve helped build.

And let’s not forget your cozy relationship with ICE, where Palantir’s software has been instrumental in tracking, detaining, and deporting migrants—including families torn apart at the border. Internal documents show that Palantir did more than simply assist these operations; it accelerated them in grotesque ways, helping ICE expand its capacity for detention and deportation under an administration that's made cruelty its brand.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN have all condemned these practices, but I guess when you’re raking in billions from government contracts, “ethics” is just another word for “bad for business”.

Then there’s the NHS, where Palantir has wormed its way into Britain’s public health system despite widespread protests from doctors, patients, and human rights organizations.

NHS staff have called your company “ethically bankrupt,” and the British Medical Association has urged its members to boycott your software. But why would you care? You’ve already secured a £240 million no-bid contract with the UK’s Ministry of Defence, because nothing says “innovation” like profiting off war and surveillance without so much as a competitive tender.

You want to talk about the future of work? Here’s a reality check: Palantir’s business model depends on a world where people are too exhausted, too surveilled, and too desperate to question the systems you’ve helped build.

Your version of “meritocracy” is a joke—it’s just another way to consolidate power in the hands of people who look and think like you.

You dismiss philosophy degrees as irrelevant, but what you’re really saying is that you don’t want a workforce capable of critical thought. You want cogs in a machine—you want people who will obediently feed your algorithms, build your databases, and look the other way while your technology is used to commit atrocities.

And let’s not pretend your “vocational training or neurodivergence” spiel is anything but a cynical ploy. You’re not championing blue-collar workers, you’re exploiting their hard work for your own benefit. Just like you’re not uplifting neurodivergent people; you’re using them as a PR shield while your company continues to enable some of the most oppressive regimes on the planet.

Your version of “meritocracy” is a joke—it’s just another way to consolidate power in the hands of people who look and think like you.

So here’s my message to you, Alex: Your philosophy degree didn’t fail you. You failed it.

You took the tools of critical thought, ethics, and social theory and used them to build a company that thrives on human suffering.

You’re not a visionary; you’re a merchant of death, wrapped in the veneer of Silicon Valley disruptor-speak. And if you think the rest of us are going to sit back and let you dictate what kind of education or future we deserve, you’re not just delusional, you’re dangerous. You and people like you are the blatant enemy of humanity.

So, philosophy isn’t dead, Alex. It’s the only thing that can save us from the world you’re trying to create. And we’re not going to let you— or Palantir—win.

I’m Odin Halvorson, a librarian, life coach, and fiction author. If you like my work and want to support what we do here at Unenlightened Generalists, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to our newsletter for as little as $2.50 a month!

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