Interesting article about Burning Man Census

[trilobyte]

This morning I saw a post on the SF Chronicle's web site about the Burning Man census. Didn't appear to be original, so much as a bloggy excerpt of the article on Peninsula Press' site. You can find that here, it's an interesting read.

[some seeing eye]

That census data is interesting, including the random sample, which hope more volunteers could increase.

[knowmad]

FTOA "...participants who identify themselves as female..."
Thank you!!!

[shykat]

Ummmmm... I wouldn't trust any figures that come form a census giving out at the event......Would you?????

[jkisha]

Why wouldn't you?

[Bob]

My tacit assumption has been that new and newish people are more rah-rah about filling out surveys, and more likely to frequent Center Camp where they're distributed, but I could be wrong. BTW, the first survey was offered by a theme camp of UC Davis students, the BRC Ministry of Statistics, in '98. I found the list of questions via the archive.org wayback machine, but the results were in the form of graphics which unfortunately aren't cached.

What is your age?

Are you male or female?

What year did you first attend a Burning Man festival?

Are you a cigarette smoker?

Have you consumed any illegal drugs in the last 24 hours?

Where do you live?

What is your sexual orientation?

What day did you arrive at Burning Man?

Have you read a Black Rock City newspaper?

Have you listened to a Black Rock City radio station?

Did you bring a bicycle?

Have you driven a motorized vehicle since arriving?

Are you a vegetarian?

Do you own a dog?

Were your parents ever divorced?

Does walking out into bright sunshine ever cause you to sneeze?

Are you married

Are you in a sexually monogamous relationship?

Does the idea of being spanked turn you on?

What is the formula for the volume of a sphere with radius r?

Suppose you have 40 white socks and 40 brown socks in a drawer. If you reach into the drawer without looking, what is the smallest number of socks you must take out to be sure that you have a pair of the same color?

Please place the following Chinese dynasties in the proper chronological order: Ming, Qing, Song and Yuan

How many syllables are there in the last line of a standard haiku?

How much power is dissipated by a 10V voltage drop across a 5 Ohm resistor?

What chemical element is represented by the symbol Hg?

What is the capitol of Senegal?

Which three musical notes of the chromatic scale (as Roman numerals) create a major chord?

What was the approximate value of the Dow-Jones industrial average the week before Burning Man?

Do you consider yourself to have above average intelligence?

Do you consider yourself to have above average physical attractiveness?

When you wake up in the morning, what position are you usually sleeping in?

Which part of Burning Man is your favorite, daytime or nighttime?

On a scale of 1-10 (where 1 is very negative and 10 is very positive) rate your reaction to the following scenarios:

A. Commercial food vendors are allowed to operate at Burning Man (average rating: 1.75)
B. Arts and crafts vendors are allowed to operate at Burning Man (average rating: 2.82)
C. Anheuser-Busch is allowed to sell beer at Burning Man and ticket prices are reduced to $35 (average rating: 2.17)
D. Coca-Cola corporation is allowed to sell soft-drinks at Burning Man and ticket prices are reduced to $35 (average rating: 1.94)
E. Nike is allowed to advertise footwear at Burning Man and ticket prices are reduced to $35 (average rating: 1.62)
F. MTV is allowed to produce a live, 48-hour television special at Burning Man. Ticket prices are reduced to $50 and over twenty major recording artists perform at a large concert stage constructed on site (average rating: 2.19)

On a scale of 1-10, how do you rate Burning Man 1998 so far? (average rating: 8.34)

At what age did you lose your virginity? (average age: 17.4, 5% reported still being virgins)

Have you ever become sexually aroused by the sight of something burning?

Have you gone naked at Burning Man?

How many of your friends and/or family came to Burning Man?

What is your annual income?

[Timezone LaFontaine]

My tacit assumption has been that new and newish people are more rah-rah about filling out surveys, and more likely to frequent Center Camp where they're distributed, but I could be wrong.

I don't think your assumption qualifies as tacit anymore now that you've announced it. But that old census questionnaire does look more entertaining than the more recent ones.

This was the first year I didn't get around to filling out a census form.

[theCryptofishist]

I'm not a pollster or statatition, but it's my understanding that "self-selected" stats gathering is suspect.

[Bob]

My tacit assumption has been that new and newish people are more rah-rah about filling out surveys, and more likely to frequent Center Camp where they're distributed, but I could be wrong.

I don't think your assumption qualifies as tacit anymore now that you've announced it. But that old census questionnaire does look more entertaining than the more recent ones.

This was the first year I didn't get around to filling out a census form.

Well, it also goes without saying that you can observe a lot by just watching.

[trilobyte]

Bob, I agree - I think the census data has been heavily skewed to those who are new to the event. This year's data could prove to be interesting, the census team took a different approach. Instead of just waiting for people to stop by their camp and fill out the census, they had volunteers in white coats working shifts in the gate line going from vehicle to vehicle soliciting participants. I've got mixed feelings about that approach (better data's all fine and good, but I'm not sure how I feel about using the gate line as a market research opportunity), but if nothing else it should be a wider cross-section of the population (as well as a significantly larger number of respondents).

[danibel]

I've got mixed feelings about that approach (better data's all fine and good, but I'm not sure how I feel about using the gate line as a market research opportunity), but if nothing else it should be a wider cross-section of the population (as well as a significantly larger number of respondents).

I don't see anything wrong with the census folks approaching vehicles in line to gather data, but only of course if participants can easily opt out without any thing from the census taker than a "thank you!" Any pressure to fill out a form should be met with a rolled up window and sour facial expression.

I didn't fill out the census my first two years. I think I picked one up but never found the time to complete it. I have turned one in the last two years, and I guess I could be considered pretty "new" since 2012 was only my 4th burn (my sweetie has been 17 or so times, he isn't sure anymore). I think he said he may have filled out one or two, but doesn't even take a glance these days.

[shykat]

Why wouldn't you?

Just the nature of the event. Lots of prankster types.

[theCryptofishist]

Why wouldn't you?

Just the nature of the event. Lots of prankster types.

Indeed. That, too. And the number of "it's none of your business" types.

[jkisha]

I always took filling it out seriously. One of the things I am often guilty of is just assuming the way I feel about something is the way everybody feels about it.

[Savannah]

I really ought to have filled out the census. It would have increased the city's African-American population by 5%.

[mdmf007]

I really ought to have filled out the census. It would have increased the city's African-American population by 5%.

Savannah - you must represent! Meaningless census results are made by those that fill out the form.

[Elorrum]

I'm not certain that I would have searched out an opportunity to fill out the census form. Instead, it was brought to me while I waited in my vehicle to get into the event. Not a bad way to sample.

[Sail Man]

I'm 50% on filling out the census when I go to TTITD. We've been hashing around the idea about starting a census at our regional burn.

[Dr. Pyro]

Savannah's African-American? To think all this time I thought she was Jewish. Maybe I mistook Savannah for "it's Hannah."

[Savannah]

Jewish?? That's a new one. I love it.

Usually I get "Puerto Rican?"

Or, "What ARE you?"

"Half-black half-white" is the fastest way of saying it.

[mdmf007]

Jewish?? That's a new one. I love it.

Usually I get "Puerto Rican?"

Or, "What ARE you?"

"Half-black half-white" is the fastest way of saying it.

Like a 50/50 bar - the best of both worlds

[ygmir]

Jewish?? That's a new one. I love it.

Usually I get "Puerto Rican?"

Or, "What ARE you?"

"Half-black half-white" is the fastest way of saying it.

Like a 50/50 bar - the best of both worlds

you have unleashed my vivid imagination, 007, you bastard!!

[theCryptofishist]

Jewish?? That's a new one. I love it.

Usually I get "Puerto Rican?"

Or, "What ARE you?"

"Half-black half-white" is the fastest way of saying it.

Like a 50/50 bar - the best of both worlds

you have unleashed my vivid imagination, 007, you bastard!!

You better go post in his thread for revenge.

[ygmir]

done

[Savannah]

I did, too. It's about respect.

Or something.

[ygmir]

*high fives Savannah*
yeah, good job.
we showed him, about respect and "stuff"


*hobbles out*

[mdmf007]

That was respect I love candy bars...

[Savannah]

I love lamp.

[laffingblonde]

I'd trust the results. There's a question in there to see who's reading. Couldn't imagine a better way of gathering thoughts from burners than a random box of papers and pens honestly. Sample size is the question.

I fill it out one morning at 3 or 4 am at the end of the week after being up for a couple of days. Probably the most honest I'll ever be. Center camp's nice when it's mostly deserted. Always want to talk to whoever actually reads it.