Introduction: The Empire Behind the Curtain

What if everything you believed about the most powerful companies on Earth—Amazon, Facebook, Google—was based on a seductive illusion?

In The Platform Delusion, Jonathan A. Knee dares to pull back the curtain on the modern tech economy. He reveals that many of the so-called digital empires aren’t winning because of network effects or technological brilliance—but because of old-school strategy, market power, and savvy management. Platforms, he argues, are not magic. They're just another business model, often misunderstood and dangerously overhyped.

This isn’t a book about how to build the next unicorn—it’s a reality check for entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders who want to see clearly in a world fogged by hype. Whether you're navigating your startup, managing a product line, or investing in “the next big thing,” this summary will help you separate signal from noise—and build something real.

Let’s decode the myths, rethink the titans, and reclaim clarity in a world gone platform-crazy.