Last month, venture capitalist Balaji Srinivasan announced the launch of the Network School, a three-month educational retreat targeting individuals interested in the concept of “network nations,” a utopian vision for the anarchocapitalist community. The first session, consisting of 150 participants, commenced today.
The specifics of the school have largely remained confidential, even to potential attendees. Applicants were required to place deposits of up to $2,000 without being informed of the school’s location. While Srinivasan has not publicly disclosed the location, social media and reporting by WIRED suggest it is situated in Forest City, Malaysia.
The Network School represents one of the most ambitious endeavors for those interested in forming what Srinivasan describes as a “decentralized country.” The initiative aims to bring together people dissatisfied with their own societies to create “parallel” societies. These societies would feature special economic zones with alternative education systems, media institutions, and currencies, along with favorable tax laws for wealth creation. Securing physical territory is a crucial step in this plan, and the establishment of the Network School marks significant progress. Srinivasan mentioned on Sunday that efforts are underway to develop the real estate with an aim to expand the school.
Srinivasan has been clear about the school’s underlying values, which he expects students to embrace. In a Substack post introducing the Network School, he outlined these values, which include an appreciation for “Western values,” viewing Bitcoin as a successor to the US Federal Reserve, and trusting artificial intelligence over human courts and judges.
“It is for those who believe in technology, harmony, internationalism, and capitalism,” Srinivasan’s post states. “It’s for those who want Silicon Valley without San Francisco.” The school welcomes artists, athletes, and technologists from any country.
The application process required individuals to rate various topics on a scale from negative 10 to positive 10 across several categories. These included “protocols” such as Solana and Bitcoin maximalism, “politics” like Karl Marx and Jordan Peterson, “technology” including AI accelerationism and military tech, “places” such as Dubai and Israel, “culture” including tattoos and traditional masculinity and femininity, “policies” such as Drag Queen Story Hour and carbon credits, and “progress” such as artificial general intelligence and space exploration.
On platforms like X and Reddit, several individuals reported that they were accepted to the Network School and were required to pay the first month’s rent within two business days to secure their spots, a tight deadline that caused stress for some, especially given the lack of information about the living arrangements.
A tech worker accepted into the program shared with WIRED his enthusiasm for the school’s concept but expressed hesitation about committing funds without knowing key details. The applicant, who requested anonymity for privacy reasons, mentioned that his friends also questioned the legitimacy of the arrangement.
In terms of daily life at the Network School, Srinivasan indicated in his Substack post that students will engage in daily problem-solving activities in mini classrooms, which will involve a mix of coding and social media interactions. Students will earn “proof-of-learn” NFTs upon completing these tasks. Additionally, students will have opportunities to win daily “crypto prizes” valued at $1,000 for contributions to open-source projects, AI content creation, and other microtasks.
