Schadenfreude is a powerful force, especially when you add class resentment to the mix. As news of the chaotic unraveling of the Fyre music festival has spread, Twitter users have had a field day excoriating the Ja Rule-affiliated event and its largely wealthy attendees.
Those who traveled to a Bahamian island for the exclusive festival, after shelling out $1,200 or more for passes, arrived to find wet bedding and lackluster sandwiches instead of the luxury they’d been promised. There were also reports of thefts and a breakdown of transportation services and other infrastructure.
Many wags pointed out that the ensuing struggle was just everyday reality for many of the less fortunate.
Someone at #FyreFestival told an ABC News rep that there was no running water. Now imagine that for about two years. That's Flint.
— WILLIAM (BIG MONEY) FATTS (@BigPoppaPOMP) April 28, 2017
https://twitter.com/dustinrefill/status/858077447614377984
The real tragedy about #fyrefestival is those who were dumb enough to go will suddenly believe they're experts on day-to-day struggle.
— Peter Barkley (@peter_barkley) April 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/BlackAutonomist/status/858071812982415360
Rich kids at #FyreFestival: We paid $2000 to get here and all we got was crappy tents and our stuff stolen!
Refugees: Huh. Imagine that.— Svenja (@SvenjaLiv) April 29, 2017
#FyreFestival rebranding disaster-relief tents as "luxury glamping" is so poetic it hurts.
— Danny Bultitude (@dannybultitude) April 29, 2017
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The idea that the wealthy young attendees were gullible saps also surfaced again and again.
Have any #Juicero owners also been caught up in the #fyrefestival fiasco? Get in touch – I want to write a 10,000 word profile on you.
— The Poisonous Euros Atmosphere Fan (@DawnHFoster) April 28, 2017
When your bank account is bigger than your IQ #fyrefestival#fyrefestivalfraud
— Kate (@kandjadams) April 28, 2017
I think one striking thing about #fyrefestival is models on Instagram luring partygoers to their doom like modern-day sirens
— the federalist stinks!!!! (@rajandelman) April 28, 2017
If you pay $12,000 for JA Rule and Blink 182…
A. You're an idiot
B. You got what you deserve
C. I don't feel sorry for you— [email protected] 🌎🌍🌏💚👽😷 (@kjbrackley) April 29, 2017
(The sense that attendees got scammed is reinforced by a rumor that celebrities were warned not to attend the festival’s opening weekend.)
A critical mass of responses were downright nasty, indulging in fantasies of violence and despair among the rich.
Https://twitter.com/AmyDentata/status/858042405794316290
I was having a terrible night but then I went through the #fyrefestival tag. Nothing cheers me up like rich kids suffering.
— mo 🏳️⚧️ 🇵🇸 (@redactedquirk) April 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/u4eahh/status/858331988838821888
https://twitter.com/CosRyan/status/858197132452524032
Brands have wisely steered clear of the class strife, but one apparently satirical account took a swing on RC Cola’s behalf—and earned some serious traction for it:
https://twitter.com/OfficialRCCola/status/857979850887442432
If any reminder was needed, the Fyre fallout shows just how deep antipathy for the wealthy runs in our increasingly unequal era.