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Comment by leokennis | Hacker News Reader

I think this is not a lot different than Bezos types visiting Burning Man on a VIP package.

Aren't most of the people at burning man pretty fashionable/wealthy? Peasants compared to Bezos sure, but not the population at large.

More like the king among the minor nobility.

Yes, but “pretty fashionable/wealthy” would also describe most users on this forum.

Wealthy? Sure. Fashionable? LOL.

Fashion here in a broadest sense - fashionable beliefs, hobbies, interests etc.

I don't think it's fashionable to actually dress well anymore.

Who decides what "dress well" actually means?

My finger may not be on the pulse here, but I think we all deep down believe that a classic suit and tie is still dressing well... even if we choose not do it.

I despise suits in general, the pinnacle of boringness

Successful people, because other people imitate them.

Only in the Bay Area.

At least in NYC it is still fashionable to dress well (as in curating one's own style or to the upper-end styling haute couture well). If in NYC it is still fashionable, I am pretty sure it is still fashionable in a lot of places :)

It's pricey but 8 days of burning man is cheaper than 8 concerts. Apparently they have low cost tickets too that are only like $200. I know some festivals like bonnaro let you volunteer for a free ticket.

Yup, the time-honored tradition of the rich LARPing as the commoner is as alive as ever.

And I am reminded of Common People by Shatner

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cMXhWf0vE7c

Shatner was covering the song, which was originally by the English band Pulp.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_People

I was at university when that song was released and it used to amuse me greatly at the number of rich students singing along as if the song was some show of unity with “common people” - not taking a second to actually think about the lyrics.

"Born in the USA" continues to be a staple of Republican rallies.

Michael Douglas' "Greed is Good" movie speech had a bigger cultural impact than the actual plot of the film (Wall Street, 1987), where the exploitative nature of private equity takeovers is shown, and where both Douglas and Sheen eventually land in prison for insider trading.

As a British person, I am delighted and amused that Shatner's cover is better known to many people than Pulp's original.

Even though Shatner's "singing" is pretty mockable, I think in this case he brings a tone of working class anger that elevates the cover above the original.

Shatner's "Has Been" album is a masterpiece.

As if Burning Man itself isn't a LARP.

I was going to say this. Burning man is for those types.

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