The Best One Yet 🌵 “Party on the Playa” — Burning Man’s biz. Reading’s 40% drop. Intel’s Uncle Sam-vestment. + Vacation Update
34 snips
Aug 25, 2025 Burning Man faces a financial crisis despite being a billionaire magnet. The government stakes a claim in Intel, raising eyebrows about corporate influence. Meanwhile, leisure reading plummets 40% over two decades, even as Warren Buffett devours 182 books a year. The hosts get playful with a new culinary trend that supposedly induces labor. Amid personal milestones and vacation plans, they explore the dichotomy of a cultural festival struggling financially while tech giants thrive.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Pregnancy-Inducing Burger Plan
- Nick and Molly plan to induce labor by eating a famous Spruce burger rumored to trigger childbirth.
- The hosts joked this Michelin burger is a go-to hospital takeout in San Francisco.
Cultural Event Facing Structural Money Drag
- Burning Man made $59M in revenue but still lost $20M due to rising costs and not selling out.
- Its nonprofit rules block sponsorships and merch, constraining revenue despite huge cultural value.
Use Income-Based Ticketing
- Charge attendees a percentage of income instead of a flat fee to align pricing with value.
- Target wealthier past attendees who benefited disproportionately from Burning Man's influence.
