He could do some good for a change...
At least the guilded-age wealthy had some sort of shame which fed into an interest in bettering society
No they didn’t. That’s a ridiculously romantic view of the Gilded Age that has absolutely no bearing on reality.
What a shameful lack of imagination. There is a million ways you could help others.
Thiel contributes to a wide range of organizations, primarily through his private foundation, the Thiel Foundation. His giving focuses on scientific research, technology, and projects that explore new political or social ideas.
Prominent recipients have included: SENS Research Foundation, Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), The Seasteading Institute, The Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Foundation, etc.
That seems uncharitable. Since your lead-in is about politics, I suspect you have a particular political ideology or maybe process in mind that you feel "Western" countries should not advocate for?
I wonder what you have in mind.