Welcome back everyone. This episode ended up orbiting around the idea of being suspended in a universe beyond time and causality. It’ll make sense in context. The podcast is on a monthly schedule now, in case you’ve been wondering where this episode is. Life events have conspired to prevent us from doing more than that, at least for now.
In the news this week: Michael Bloomberg, Michael Milken, and the return of the return of the son of the Business Roundtable.
(20:45) Our first billionaire is Steve Wynn, a Vegas mogul, alleged sex pest, and former finance chair of the RNC. Somehow we end up talking about the ideological function of gambling, seduction, and the end of the world.
8/10 on the David Koch Memorial Asset Liquidation Index
(45:45) Second billionaire: Travis Kalanick. The Uber guy. Chad tries to feel his way into the Kalanick mindset by reading through his Principles of Work. We come to the conclusion that all of the magazine profiles that called Kalanick a douchebag were pretty on the money in their assessment of his character.
7/10 on the David Koch Memorial Asset Liquidation Index
What a weird episode—two already-famous billionaires is a first. Thanks again for listening. Please like and subscribe. Leave a review. Follow us on twitter.com at @empire_sum. Hell, shoot us a DM.
P.S., The global economic meltdown happened after we recorded this episode, so we'll get to it next time.
Links:
David Harvey clip: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/david-harveys-anti-capitalist-chronicles/id1442025854?i=1000466819896
Mean Streets fight scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psMz_i9XfU4
Casino capitalism article: https://www.salon.com/2012/03/09/casino_capitalism_as_gambling_spreads_metaphor_becomes_reality/
The Age of Chance excerpt: https://books.google.com/books?id=T7aEAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=%22The+vertigo+of+seduction%22&source=bl&ots=75EG0zviSI&sig=ACfU3U0BDFpIo42UHR-Faz7nrJjqZWtedw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_4Y7F6IToAhUUVs0KHVVyC4oQ6AEwAXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=%22The%20vertigo%20of%20seduction%22&f=false
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