Theo Baker on Stanford, Silicon Valley and an Education in Power
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from August 5, 2026 | Who Gets to Rule the Future? Power, Privilege and the Making of America’s Elite. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, journalist and author Theo Baker examined the unusually close relationship between Stanford University and Silicon Valley and what it means for the students being prepared to become the next generation of technology leaders. Baker, author of How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University, described a campus culture shaped by enormous wealth, entrepreneurial ambition and access to some of the most powerful figures in technology.
The “Stanford Inside Stanford”
Baker arrived at Stanford expecting to find talented young people using technology to build the future. He found that—but he also discovered what he calls the “Stanford inside Stanford.”
Within this parallel world, promising students can attract the attention of venture capitalists and technology executives while they are still teenagers. Investors compete to identify future founders early, sometimes offering students significant amounts of money before they even have an idea for a company.
“The resource to mine is talent,” Baker said of Silicon Valley’s relationship with Stanford.
For students selected for this world, the opportunities can include exclusive gatherings, introductions to powerful investors and what Baker describes as “pre-idea funding”—money offered based largely on an investor’s belief in the student’s future potential.
Learning How to Rule the World
The title of Baker’s book comes from an actual Stanford class called “How to Rule the World.” According to students Baker interviewed, the selective course encouraged extraordinary ambition and taught participants lessons about extracting value and wielding influence.
For Baker, the class became a symbol of a larger question: What are young people learning from those who already possess tremendous power?
Stanford’s connection to Silicon Valley is deeper than a typical relationship between a university and nearby businesses. Technology companies have grown out of Stanford research, professors have invested in student companies, and the university has benefited enormously from its proximity to one of the greatest concentrations of wealth in the world.
Baker argues that those relationships have helped Stanford become an extraordinary institution, but they have also come with costs.
Confronting Success—and Failure
A central theme of Baker’s reporting is institutional reputation. Stanford, he argues, is eager to celebrate groundbreaking discoveries, successful entrepreneurs and prominent faculty but can be much less comfortable publicly confronting failures.
“Stanford is supposed to look perfect,” Baker said, summarizing the reputation-conscious culture he encountered.
Yet Baker does not dismiss Stanford or Silicon Valley. He remains enthusiastic about technology and grateful for his Stanford education. His argument is instead that institutions should examine the values accompanying ambition and success.
That conversation may already be beginning. Baker said Stanford plans to offer a course inspired by his book with a notably different title: “How to Serve the World.”
For Baker, that shift captures the larger challenge facing universities educating future leaders: not simply teaching students how to acquire power, but asking what responsibilities come with it.
About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.