Social media seems to be laughing its ass off about this tragedy, is it because the folks at burning man are perceived as frivolous hippies or something? Everyone I’ve ever met who was a regular burning man attendee has been a solid human being with strong morals, personally and financially responsible, a career. Upstanding members of society for sure. I guess all some people know is the sensationalized drugs and sex. A person died. This is a tragedy for an event that brings positivity into the world. Kind of annoyed.

  • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Most of them aren’t rich. They’re middle class. The only reason you think most of them are rich is because of how a lot of the middle class has fallen into poverty. Don’t tear down the people that are still truly middle class.

    The truly wealthy are a problem, but they’re a minority at burning man.

    • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s all relative. If the poor have gotten poorer, then the “almost rich”, just by virtue of hanging on to their wealth, have edged up into “rich” territory

      • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Sure, if you want the extremely rich people who actually made you poor to write your narrative for them. Save your anger for the people who actually suppress wages and equity. Not people who just managed to carve out a middle class life by doing some job. Middle class people and poor people are much much closer in wealth to each other than middle class and the truly wealthy who rule this country.

          • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            Why not be angry at other poor people too then? They deserve it as much as the middle class.

              • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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                1 year ago

                They do though. Neither one of them deserves your anger. Be angry at the people who actually set up the system that makes you poor. Not the middle class who has as much to blame as the poor.

                • Cryophilia@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  The middle class didn’t set up the system, but they love benefiting from it.

                  But even then, my main gripe with the middle class is their insistence that they’re blameless and they like to pretend they’re on the same side as the poor when they’re constantly supporting policies to keep the poor poorer.

                  • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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                    1 year ago

                    Yes, the middle class benefits some form the current system. We want a system that benefits all. That doesn’t mean breaking the system for the people who live a comfortable life. It means making the system support a comfortable life for all.

                    And blaming them as a block is really stupid anyway because they don’t all vote lock step. These divisions along non-ideological divides are a silly distraction meant to keep people fighting people who are actually on the same side.

    • _g_be@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Well, how do you define middle class? Is there a certain income bracket that needs to be met? Or is it the middle slice of 3 equally sliced segments of the US population?

      • shapis@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        The way I always thought about it is if you have to do work for a living you are not rich.

        • cubedsteaks@lemmy.today
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          1 year ago

          What about those of us who are one step below that?

          I’m not salary yet but they’re talking about promotion where I would be required as salary which means -less work but I get paid the same and if there is suddenly more work, no over time.

          But it pays more over all. And would even put me in a different tax bracket. I’m not there yet. So am I like, teetering on the edge of rich?

          What about the cost of living? My rent keeps going up. I can’t be rich if my rent is taking most of my paycheck can I?

    • Wooly@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If you’re spending upwards of $1000 on a few days you’re probably rich.

      • pulaskiwasright@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        It means you’re not poor if you can afford to go on a vacation that costs a few thousand dollars. That’s middle class. People have normalized lowering the standard of living associates with middle class, but being able to spend a few thousand dollars on a vacation is where the middle class should be and used to be.

        • Wooly@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m sure some middle class people can afford to go to burning man. But you’re being wilfully ignorant if you think burning man isn’t catered to the rich. It’s almost purely a status symbol event. It’s definitely where people go to show off their lavish wealth and take pictures for Instagram. I’m pretty sure if they took a survey 80%+ would be wealthy people.

          I’m middle class, and I’m spending a couple hundred dollars on my holiday this week, I almost can’t fathom spending thousands living in a tent in a desert.

          But you’re right, the middle class has been eroded. What was considered middle class in 1970 would be rich today. That’s just because most people are worse off financially.

            • DarthBueller@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              Okay, how about this. My anarchist punk middle aged friend who used to go to Burning Man every year stopped going because it was becoming a wealthy shit-show. Not even the orgy dome was enough of a draw to make it worth going.EDIT: I’m not hating on burners, just noting that he observed a change.

        • Apollo@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          Like a 3rd of the world live in near starvation, objectively if you can afford a vacation you are in the richest 25% in the world.

      • wokehobbit@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Ever heard of budgeting? Saving? Yeah, that’s what people do when they want to take a vacation. Anybody with half a brain can do it. Just takes discipline. Something you clearly don’t have.