Our Realization

[Lifeisshort]

As Burners we believed that we subscribed tightly to our Ten Principles; It was not until the ticket shortage placed one of these principles under the magnifying glass "Radical Inclusion". Only then did we discover something about ourselves we had subconsciously already known and had yet to put it into words. That is, Burning man is Cumulative...at least the event portion. We were forced to realized that much of the magic that occurs out there is the result of our Ancestors Burners... each year, to some degree, is the byproduct of the previous years. This magic is shaped, often built upon, expanded, influenced, effected and affected by our communities history; Moreover, each coming year relies on the experiences and the magic that was created and realized at previous Burns. What a wonderful realization.. we need the Experienced Burner as much, if not more than the newbie... What an amazing marriage.

[theCryptofishist]

Just another rationalization...

[48_love]

Just another rationalization...

Who said we only needed ten?

The Eleventh may have been the first (or maybe 6th or 7th; I'm not counting) ... first 10, meet the 11th: Radical Rationalization! The invention of Fidelity 2.0!

[theCryptofishist]

You might be on to something, 48...

[Rice]

Yes, experienced burners do enhance a virgin burner's experience.

No, a veteran burner is no more deserving of a ticket than a virgin.

[jkisha]

Just another rationalization...

LOL well that's exactly the way BMORG chose to rationalize it. That's the reason they gave for canceling the open sale.

[moonrise]

As Burners we believed that we subscribed tightly to our Ten Principles; It was not until the ticket shortage placed one of these principles under the magnifying glass "Radical Inclusion". Only then did we discover something about ourselves we had subconsciously already known and had yet to put it into words. That is, Burning man is Cumulative...at least the event portion. We were forced to realized that much of the magic that occurs out there is the result of our Ancestors Burners... each year, to some degree, is the byproduct of the previous years. This magic is shaped, often built upon, expanded, influenced, effected and affected by our communities history; Moreover, each coming year relies on the experiences and the magic that was created and realized at previous Burns. What a wonderful realization.. we need the Experienced Burner as much, if not more than the newbie... What an amazing marriage.

If the shortage is real, maybe we'll all need to start thinking about taking turns from year to year.
Some local burners only go every other year (they still help the burn from places off of the playa) and somehow they seem to remain involved and happy.

[Gorillex]

The fact that Burning Man Corporation can sell you on believing this drivel goes to show how powerfully their marketing has succeeded in selling their brand.

7 million in payroll last year.

ITS A BUSINESS

[theCryptofishist]

Marketing?

[moonrise]

I wonder how much the payroll would be if everyone just showed up with camping gear, and the burn were as big or bigger than it has been in say, oh idk, a 7 million dollar payroll year?

[glitter-mouse]

goes to show how powerfully their marketing has succeeded in selling their brand.

i agree. the marketing of BM is so subtle and obvious at the same time. the spectacle of the event, created by the ticket holders, is the marketing. the marketing is also the word-of-mouth of these ticket holders. the Org doesn't have to spend any money on marketing - it's all done for free by these individual marketeers.

it's a perfect plan of exploitation - get everyone else to do just about everything for the company and then charge them money to do it. sell them on the idea they're doing something spiritual and socially significant. give them the feeling they're part of some counter-cultural movement and they'll sell their children in order to give more and more to the church- i mean the movement. make them believe that the rest of the world (the default world) is the problem, and doing things in the real world is only worthy if it can be translated into the movement. PROFIT.

[Shambala]

Wow glitter-mouse, you're awfully cynical. Think of this adventure and it's marketing like a trip to a Caribbean island. If it's beautiful, the people are nice and it's warm and comfortable place, word will spread. Don't blame the Aruba Department of Tourism.
Oh, and welcome to eplaya---a warm, pleasant, comfortable place with really nice people!

[Bob]

Aruba is for winners!

[Ugly Dougly]

I am sure that this won't provide you with any answers, but it's fun anyway:



So, are you a Burgin?

[Sail Man]

Wow glitter-mouse, you're awfully cynical. Think of this adventure and it's marketing like a trip to a Caribbean island. If it's beautiful, the people are nice and it's warm and comfortable place, word will spread. Don't blame the Aruba Department of Tourism.
Oh, and welcome to eplaya---a warm, pleasant, comfortable place with really nice people!

With just a hint of snark

[theCryptofishist]

Wow glitter-mouse, you're awfully cynical. Think of this adventure and it's marketing like a trip to a Caribbean island. If it's beautiful, the people are nice and it's warm and comfortable place, word will spread. Don't blame the Aruba Department of Tourism.
Oh, and welcome to eplaya---a warm, pleasant, comfortable place with really nice people!

With just a hint of snark

Ha! I know of a Caribbean island so secret that no postcards--or even photos--are allowed. I have a wonderful little time share... Except for the occasional boatload of Hatians, no interlopers...
I'd tell you the name, but then I'd have to kill you.

[Simon of the Playa]

svenborgia?

[theCryptofishist]

Simon,
When that knock comes on the door... Just open it. Easier for everyone (including your family) if you just accept fate.
Love ya! Any special wishes for the funeral?

[Simon of the Playa]

you know the deal, "died with his boots on" yadda yadda yadda, free booze.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

truth?

word.

[theCryptofishist]

you know the deal, "died with his boots on" yadda yadda yadda, free booze.

Thinking about it, you can die with my boots on, too. Somebody has to wear them...

[glitter-mouse]

burners' sense of humor never gets old. it's like you've invented humor itself and have evolved it into its own special language that mere mortals can't understand... like 'bacon' and 'safety third' - it's just so limitless and witty, like a magical blend of irony and wisdom. i suppose it comes from a deep rooted desire to be anarchists and at the same time loving your authoritarian overlords.

(inb4 'i for one welcome our new authoritarian overlords.')

it's just that you're all so special. except so few of you have tickets to your own parade. i think i can understand what that feels like, but i won 2 tickets in the lottery and i can't tell you how good that feels. god, i love the playa!

[Simon of the Playa]

staying with Dre again?

[Lifeisshort]

Reallity check..... BORG is not up to anything, except trying to resolve tricky situation. How about this... there is a huge demand (Period). Are you really surprised? Coachella, a 75,000 ticketed event, sold out in 2 hours for two seperate weekends. Last Year the Burn, Coachella, Bonnarro, Lollapalooza and numerous smaller festivals all sold out (in record time). I think we need to get check our egos, there is more at foot than just the Burn becoming popular, it is the entire large festival scene that has taken off in this country....... Glastonbury, arguably the larges and most famous festival in the world, sells out one full year before the event, in fact the day the tickets go on sale. The States are just late to the party.

[glitter-mouse]

Reallity check.....

i guess the saddest part is that we as burners can no longer consider burning man to be counter-cultural now that it's gone mainstream. i feel like i lost about 15 cool points amongst my so-called friends.

[Shambala]

One good 70mph, 8 hour long dust storm will prove to everyone that Burning Man has not gone mainstream. "This ain't your father's Disneyland"!

[5280MeV]

i guess the saddest part is that we as burners can no longer consider burning man to be counter-cultural now that it's gone mainstream. i feel like i lost about 15 cool points amongst my so-called friends.

Blech... Barf...

If there is anything that has a shred of value in your "counter-culture" then you want it to go mainstream as quickly as possible.

If you are "counter-cultural" because you accept transgender people, then you want your counter-culture to go mainstream so that society accepts people for who they are.

If you are "counter-cultural" because you practice sustainable farming, then you want your counter-culture to go mainstream so that society becomes healthier and more responsible in the long term.

If you are "counter-cultural" because you power your home on solar and feed back energy into the grid, then you want your counter-culture to go mainstream so that society stops fucking the planet.

If you are "counter-cultural" because you like to rock out to experimental EDM, then you want your counter-culture to go mainstream so that you can get your EDM fix on four different radio stations as you go on a boring drive through rural Iowa.

If you want to sit around and feel superior because you are in the secret club, well then you better keep it on the down low.

This is what 90% of so called "counter-culture" is - just a way of resting your ego on what you consume and how you spend your free time in some sort of "scene" without needing to make anything or do anything productive. If you are involved in something useful, beautiful, or otherwise productive, then what is the point of worrying that most people might actually appreciate your art or skill? NONE.

[The CO]

Frogbird with the verbal smackdown! 2 points!

[theCryptofishist]

Yeah.
Has he been recruited by a camp yet?

[glitter-mouse]

a agree. i guess there's nothing wrong with being mainstream. the mainstream has a lot to offer. the people are friendly and they bring a certain je ne sais quoi to the playa.