4 ms·

I've been to Las Vegas twice, once because I flew in for a triathlon, and once for CES. I do not like Las Vegas. Its existence defies logic and economics. Walk

I've been to Las Vegas twice, once because I flew in for a triathlon, and once for CES. I do not like Las Vegas. Its existence defies logic and economics. Walking around the strip I kept looking at the huge hotels and their serpentine design. It took a while, but I finally understood it... The Las Vegas strip is like if 10-20 cruise ships beached. Each hotel is a mass of rooms, 3-8 mediocre restaurants (I said it, LV restaurants are vastly overrated). The hotels really don't want you going around the strip, that means less revenue for them. Really the entire strip is like a huge cruise ship beached. It's actually pretty hard to get off of the strip. It has these beautiful mountains in the distance, and you ... can't get to them. The lifetime fitness gym is 20 miles from the strip. There's no bike paths, walking paths away from the strip, escape from the hellish cheap crap. But yeah I can go shoot some machine guns somewhere. Just a freak show of capitalism.

scubbo 4y ago
I kind-of enjoy the odd 2-3 day visit to Vegas every 3-5 years for precisely this reason - it is capitalism unleashed, in its fullest expression. It's fascinating (in a horrifying way) to see just how efficiently and completely the whole experience has been crafted to keep you spending _just a little bit more_ (time or money) the way they want you to. Walk around with the mindset of an anthropologist and wonder about the deliberate choices made about the spacing of bars and other facilities, the colour schemes and branding on display, the blend of opulence and opportunity. What are they trying to make you feel, and how are they doing it, and are they successful even when you're aware of it? I respect the dedication to the craft, even if I find the craft itself loathsome.
- nmfisher 4y ago
  I (non-American) haven't been to Las Vegas, but what you described is very similar to my impression of the USA on the whole.
  - scubbo 4y ago
    Eh - Las Vegas is by far the pinnacle of "spend-nudges", most other places the influence is much less subtle and powerful. And there are plenty of areas of pleasant unspoiled nature (especially around the Bay Area, where I am). But, still - yeah, not a million miles off.

scubbo 4y ago

I kind-of enjoy the odd 2-3 day visit to Vegas every 3-5 years for precisely this reason - it is capitalism unleashed, in its fullest expression. It's fascinating (in a horrifying way) to see just how efficiently and completely the whole experience has been crafted to keep you spending _just a little bit more_ (time or money) the way they want you to. Walk around with the mindset of an anthropologist and wonder about the deliberate choices made about the spacing of bars and other facilities, the colour schemes and branding on display, the blend of opulence and opportunity. What are they trying to make you feel, and how are they doing it, and are they successful even when you're aware of it? I respect the dedication to the craft, even if I find the craft itself loathsome.

nmfisher 4y ago
I (non-American) haven't been to Las Vegas, but what you described is very similar to my impression of the USA on the whole.
- scubbo 4y ago
  Eh - Las Vegas is by far the pinnacle of "spend-nudges", most other places the influence is much less subtle and powerful. And there are plenty of areas of pleasant unspoiled nature (especially around the Bay Area, where I am). But, still - yeah, not a million miles off.