Entrepreneur Joe Lonsdale Speaks on Innovation, Leadership, and National Defense at Public Policy Class
Kiron Skinner, Taube Family Chair of International Relations and Politics at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP), welcomed technology entrepreneur and investor Joe Lonsdale to her How to Run the World class last week. In her course, Skinner introduces students to thought leaders across the public and private sector, engaging them in discussions about leadership, policy, and politics both nationally and internationally.
Lonsdale, a serial entrepreneur best known for cofounding Palantir Technologies, highlighted the tension between what he calls “frontier” and “core” dynamics in innovation. He described the frontier as an entrepreneurial terrain for high-risk, high-reward experimentation—often impelled by existential dread. The core dynamic, in contrast, is a much safer place of stability and structure, but can stifle progress when bureaucracy dominates.
He argued that while both dynamics are necessary, excessive reliance on core structures in government and academia has hindered innovation. Lonsdale shared that the frontier dynamic—caused by the existential threat of World War II—united government, private industry, and universities and drove innovation in national defense. However, as the existential threat dissipated, a relativist culture eroded traditional values. Government and academic institutions became increasingly bureaucratic, hindering innovation rather than fostering it.
“The relativist culture thrives in a place without existential issues. Existential dread doesn’t allow time for virtue signaling,” Lonsdale said.
To restore innovation and discussion in universities, Lonsdale advocated for a culture of healthy debate. “Study history, study philosophy. Understand how the West came to be the way it is,” he urged. “We want healthy debates instead of lectures and threatening each other. Are you comfortable being bold in ways that make people uncomfortable?”
Lonsdale also highlighted how the frontier mindset has reshaped national defense. He discussed the recent positive perception of the national defense industry, attributing its newfound relevance to global conflicts, particularly the war in Ukraine.
“Ukraine made the left realize there are still bad guys in the world,” he explained. “There’s a lot of impressive new possibilities that the new defense companies have delivered on. It’s a dangerous world, and now we have a culture that is trending toward a more masculine energy of defending, protecting, and stopping the bad guys.”
He argued for a defense procurement composed of increased competition among newer and smaller companies as well as entrepreneurial involvement, rather than reliance on legacy contractors.
Lonsdale concluded by encouraging students to adopt the frontier mindset, especially with governance.
“We need more entrepreneurs in the government. It’s possible for anyone, if you’re smart enough and work hard enough, to take an idea and make it happen,” he said. “There’s room for entrepreneurs wherever you are; if you see something is broken, there’s room for you to go in and fix it.”