Interesting critique of Burning Man

[BBadger]

Why even waste your time?

[FIGJAM]

The experience of going to BM carries over into defaultia by the affect it has on the particapants.

[Corwin]

He left out the fact that Black Rock City looks like a 3rd world ghetto when its full. But seriously, 50,000 people on all sorts of drugs and alcohol in the middle of a fucking desert wasteland and the worst statistics people can pull up are a couple dozen arrests and too many naked people? That's gotta say something positive about the event.

[bluesbob]

The author is the goat from "Animal Farm"

[knowmad]

Here is an objective article.

Note the difference?
http://www.fastcompany.com/1775687/leadership-lessons-from-burning-man

I don't see how the Amerika article is any less "objective" than that article. The author of the Amerika critique hardly offers an opinion at all. He just asks bold questions and notices weird contradictions. And who wants "objective" anyway? If you want objectivity read the wikipedia entry. I thought all you guys were about radical self-expression?

But actually, there were some things I liked in the Fast Company article. "You can't order creativity. You can only create the conditions for it to blossom." That's very true. I also like how it is explained that BM offers people autonomy, mastery and purpose. But here is the rub. If offers only a week long SIMULATION of those things. Burning Man is not really real, is it?
There are real problems in the world and you guys are out in the desert entertaining yourselves and "finding yourselves." How much time and creativity is put in to Burning Man? For what? To "find yourself?" To show off your art pieces? To simulate some sort of utopia for a week?

And seriously, how can Burning Man claim to be about radical self-reliance when it is completely RELIANT on the the Federal Government, the State of Nevada and law enforcement among others? You know who was self-reliant? Henry David Thoreau, Cody Lundin.

Alright guys, have fun at Burning Man and be safe. Don't get raped by the SODOMIZER! See ya in the funny pages!

See it how you will, but for some The reality is way to obvious.

[shmalerie]

wow.. it's kind of silly to trash the event because the people running it wanted it to stay.. I mean.. it's still self-reliance even though there is a group of lawyers to protect you... we DO still have default world rules to play by.

it's easy to sit back and criticize I guess..

[Isotopia]

Why give such chicken scratch any credence?

Consider the source of the article.

Consider me bored.

[EastcoastEd]

I didn't even read the article, but I will. The trouble with so many people is that they take themselves so seriously; once one can simply take things for what they're worth they'll stop being so judgemental. Look , it's a temporary campground laid out like a clock..?? How would he do it? If you think about it the clock layout looks alot like the seating arrangment in congress with the speaker/podium in the burning man position. Maybe they should follow suit and be gone and leave no trace.

[Traditionalist]

hey, are you guys at Burning Man right now? how's it going? any good stories so far?

[hookahdude]

Last time I had a conversation about Burning Man where some right-wing drone started on about the implications I just asked him to explain how the "Burning of Care" ritual at the Bohemian Grove, which all Republican Presidents have attended at some point since its inception, is different or better than the concept of the Burn we do. Usually they ask me what the hell I am talking about.. Then I can shoot back - read your own History then get back to me...

Asshats...

[CapSmashy]

I read it. I even took the time to write up a reply to Mr. Judgmental Bigot. I am curious to see if he will actually engage in conversation or simply tuck tail and hide behind some more school yard quips and insults.

[Isotopia]

I am curious to see if he will actually engage in conversation or simply tuck tail and hide behind some more school yard quips and insults.

Dude, why you want to wrestle a pig in the mud?

[ibdave]

I am curious to see if he will actually engage in conversation or simply tuck tail and hide behind some more school yard quips and insults.

Dude, why you want to wrestle a pig in the mud?

He's from Texas....

[CapSmashy]

I am curious to see if he will actually engage in conversation or simply tuck tail and hide behind some more school yard quips and insults.

Dude, why you want to wrestle a pig in the mud?

Because it amuses me.

[gekko59]

Haven't seen the discussion and not sure I want to as I've learned what Heinlein once taught concerning pig vocalists.

That said, I find it lightly entertaining when I do see liberals bashing conservatives who attend B-Man as pretending to be liberal neo-hippies in order to fit in or relive some missing element from youth, or when I see conservatives bashing B-Man participants for their liberal neo-hippy philosophies.

The entertainment comes from my understanding that Burning Man encapsulates elements that are pan-political. The "radical self-" aspects come from the libertarian and presumably right-wing playbooks. The respect for others and gifting come from the liberal playbooks. The concept of community spans both, depending upon which aspects of community you adhere to.

I love it that genuine human beings can shed the shackles of the default world and the expectations foist upon them by pre-made political structures, can explore who and what they really are, and live up to ideals they find particularly rewarding in and of themselves. No need to kiss any political butt, you ask me.

Whatever conservative numnut y'all're engaging on some other thread could do well to find a little joy juice in his or her life, dig into the core of his or her being, and come to recognize that, at its most basic, it's about living amidst others and doing the best you can with what you have.

love 'n hugs,

A conservative libertarian humanesque lizard

[Traditionalist]

I love it that genuine human beings can shed the shackles of the default world and the expectations foist upon them by pre-made political structures.

Burning Man is also pre-made. And on Monday, you have to go back to the default world.

[bunny-boiler]

that guy lander is dissing our beloved burning man! get him!

http://www.amerika.org/social-reality/burning-man/

[graidawg]

i shouldn't but i will.

ok i went for the first time this year, I loved it. Every single minute even when i was lonely. I didnt do any drugs only got drunk once. saw more naked people than at a pron convention and dint feel the urge to rape SODOMIZE or anything (though one girl did very much catch my eye).
did it change my world? yes.
how? go for yourself and find out.

let me explain.

when i came on eplaya i was all self righteous saying i have gone out in the wilderness, built a giant man and then at the height of a festival burnt it to the ground. How the heck can BURNING MAN be any different? pretty much the universal response was. you havent been.
ove the next few months i got to know the people on here. I went through a few trials and tribulations (nothing to do with trilobytes) and finally got the greeters gate.
I WAS HOME

never have i felt so totally comfortable and welcome. Even in the house i grew up in with my own parents.

so if you want to critisize burning man go for yourself, then if you still think its a bad thing, tell the world.