How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall reaction to How to Rule the World? Did the book’s title set up certain expectations for you? How did Baker’s story meet or subvert those expectations?

2. Did you find this book’s blend of coming-of-age memoir and high stakes investigative reporting effective? How does it compare to other works of investigative journalism that exposed abuses of power such as She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey or John Carreyrou’s Bad Blood?

3. What part of the narrative was most memorable or shocking to you? What made that element stand out?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Baker begins his freshman year planning to become a coder but finds himself drawn into journalism. Is there a time in your own life when a new interest or unexpected event caused you to pivot from a long-held plan? What prompted the change, and how did it shape your path?

2. The book describes the “Duck Syndrome,” where students project an image of calm success while struggling intensely beneath the surface. Have you ever felt this kind of pressure to appear effortlessly capable in an academic, professional, or social setting? How did it affect you?

3. Elisabeth Bik plays an important role in Theo’s investigation when he needs it most. Has there been a mentor figure in your life who provided guidance or validation at a critical moment? What qualities did you most value in your mentor?

4. The allure of exclusive groups like TreeHacks is a major focus in Baker’s story. Have you ever felt the pull toward an “in-group” in your own life? What was that experience like?

5. Baker’s pursuit of the story comes at a great personal cost to his health, relationships, and academic life. Have you ever felt so committed to a project or a cause that it required significant personal sacrifices? How did you navigate the balance between passionate commitment and personal well-being?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The book offers a detailed critique of the pipeline between Stanford and Silicon Valley. What does this portrayal suggest about the current relationship between higher education and the tech industry? How might this dynamic influence innovation and ethics?

2. Marc Tessier-Lavigne is forced to resign as university president but quickly pivots and raises a billion dollars for a new company. What does this outcome reveal about power and accountability in today’s economic and cultural landscape?

3. How is the digital age, with platforms like PubPeer and the work of independent “scientific sleuths,” changing the way science is held accountable? Do you think this shift creates a more transparent and rigorous scientific community, or does it introduce new challenges?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Baker use his dual position as both an insider in clubs like TreeHacks and an outsider as an investigative journalist to build his critique of Stanford? What unique perspective does this duality give him as a narrator?

2. The motif of “Fear the Tree” is introduced early on as a key to understanding Stanford’s dual nature. How did you see the conflict between Stanford’s charm and innovation and its ruthlessness and exploitative culture play out in the story?

3. What rhetorical devices or literary techniques does Baker use to make the more esoteric specifics of coding and programming accessible to the reader? What significance do the difficult computer science assignments, Binary Bomb and Heap Allocator, hold in the story? 

4. How does Baker balance the personal and professional elements of his story? How does the book compare to other works of narrative journalism where the author is a key figure, such as Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air? What is gained or lost by having the journalist be the protagonist?

5. Do you see MTL as a uniquely unethical individual, or is he better understood as a product of an institutional culture that prioritizes reputation over integrity? How does the author build this complex portrait?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Design a course that serves as an ethical antidote to Justin’s secret How to Rule the World seminar. What would you title it? What three core principles or skills would you want every student to learn?

2. How to Rule the World has been optioned for production as a film. Who would you cast in the roles of Baker and MTL? What scenes from the book would be most important to include in the script?