The basic problem with modern BRC

[The Rod]

Yikes. I wouldn't be proud of reporting those instances either. Small camps and projects commodifying a DGS ticket or two is not whats wrong with BRC. Tickets are a freakin commodity and nowhere does it say they cant be treated like one (the rule is sold for face value if exchanged for money) or provided to someone who is contributing to your camp/project, like storing your art car for a year. Like, thats literally what the DGS exists for, so camps and projects can have secure ticket allocation to handle critical aspects of production and implementation.

If I, a theme camp organizer, get allocated a certain amount of DGS tickets with the understanding that they are for campers or participants fulfilling critical roles in bringing my vision/camp/project/whatever to the playa, and I use said tickets in a way that involves a post on ePlaya that reads like: "Camp Threat needs a CDL driver, we have a DGS ticket for you" or "Camp Threat is seeking a few fresh faces, we have tickets available for those who can step into critical roles" am I liable to be reported for doing it wrong?

I mean shit, the time I hired a tractor trailer to haul art to/from BRC it was in the magnitude of multiple thousands of dollars, this was 6 years ago I can't imagine what camps/projects are paying post-covid. If I could find an individual with a CDL and all I had to do was buy them a ticket, waive their camp dues and pay for the fuel to get them to haul my art car to BRC, you bet your ass I would.

[The Rod]

I remember from back before I had started attending the event, hearing from those who had been, or knew someone who had, that you couldn't even go to Burning Man unless you were bringing art, like they stopped you at the gate or some shit and you had to prove that you had a valid reason to be there. And even then after that I heard "you don't need to bring art but you have to contribute in some way". In my head I guess I imagined it was enforced somehow. I had heard that BRC was its own legitimate city, with a public works and a fire department, airport, and shit they even have their own "police" the Black Rock Rangers. Maybe thats what the Rangers do, go around make sure everyone was contributing. Oh how sweet naïveté can be...

Maybe thats what BRC really needs, a mobilized task force of patrollers and participation enforcers. Walking around handing out $500 citations for spectating and MOOP violations. If goodwill and blog posts and community engagement initiatives can't solve the Basic Problem With Modern BRC maybe some jackbooted thuggery can.

[Elorrum]

… thats literally what the DGS exists for, so camps and projects can have secure ticket allocation to handle critical aspects of production and implementation.

Tickets are for critical aspects of production and implementation? My gosh what a fool I’ve been, thinking they were for people. People who decided they wanted to go to burning man, and camp with your camp. People who you needed to be there with you to be certain all of yours’ camp could be built. Is the ticket just a stand in for money because that is the only kryptonite people really fear using? No, It’s better than money in July when people are desperate. Leverage that shit.

Because a ticket is a freaking commodity, it makes a camp leader a de facto gatekeeper, choosing who gets to go to burning man. Some one doesn’t even need to be camped in the camp that was given dgs, or even be a human, (could be storage space in someone’s backyard for a next year’s ticket) just critical somehow. If there’s still a vacant shift pod or two drawing critical $900+ in dues, sweeten the deal with a ticket and fill that spot.

Here is where I say, “Go get ‘em tiger.” It doesn’t matter how I feel about it.

[ygmir]

I remember from back before I had started attending the event, hearing from those who had been, or knew someone who had, that you couldn't even go to Burning Man unless you were bringing art, like they stopped you at the gate or some shit and you had to prove that you had a valid reason to be there. And even then after that I heard "you don't need to bring art but you have to contribute in some way". In my head I guess I imagined it was enforced somehow. I had heard that BRC was its own legitimate city, with a public works and a fire department, airport, and shit they even have their own "police" the Black Rock Rangers. Maybe thats what the Rangers do, go around make sure everyone was contributing. Oh how sweet naïveté can be...

Maybe thats what BRC really needs, a mobilized task force of patrollers and participation enforcers. Walking around handing out $500 citations for spectating and MOOP violations. If goodwill and blog posts and community engagement initiatives can't solve the Basic Problem With Modern BRC maybe some jackbooted thuggery can.

Jack booted thuggery™. I see an ORG sponsored theme camp. Or, is it already there?...

[some seeing eye]

I remember from back before I had started attending the event, hearing from those who had been, or knew someone who had, that you couldn't even go to Burning Man unless you were bringing art, like they stopped you at the gate or some shit and you had to prove that you had a valid reason to be there. And even then after that I heard "you don't need to bring art but you have to contribute in some way". In my head I guess I imagined it was enforced somehow. I had heard that BRC was its own legitimate city, with a public works and a fire department, airport, and shit they even have their own "police" the Black Rock Rangers. Maybe thats what the Rangers do, go around make sure everyone was contributing. Oh how sweet naïveté can be...

Maybe thats what BRC really needs, a mobilized task force of patrollers and participation enforcers. Walking around handing out $500 citations for spectating and MOOP violations. If goodwill and blog posts and community engagement initiatives can't solve the Basic Problem With Modern BRC maybe some jackbooted thuggery can.

Jack booted thuggery™. I see an ORG sponsored theme camp. Or, is it already there?...

Hahaha, though I think we should call out MOOPers in the moment, "excuse me, you dropped that, pick it up." In the early days people carried Altoid mint metal cans for cigarette butts, but I haven't heard that discussed lately.

My first year with my experienced friend I was informed not to piss off DPW, or they might bring their heavy machinery and flip your vehicle upside down. Of course now DPW (and GPE) are all mellow new age rainbow yoga hippies...

[Papa Bear]

“We're have two open, air-conditioned Shiftpod's (look it up) to accommodate you—complete with air mattresses. We have room for two couples (4 people) –or– up to 6 individuals. We also have space for one more RV. Maybe two.

OK, I'll grant you this one would make me want to investigate further.

‪Backfire is seeking fresh new faces and perspectives!‬ (Mon Jul 18, 2022 6:05 pm) We also have a few tickets that can go to the right people. The cost of tickets will be face value, taxes, fees and the camp dues will all be payable at the same time. ($905)

What exactly is the problem with this one? Looks to me like a camp that had a few people not return, or has a policy of mixing in some new people each year to keep things fresh. They have spaces they need to fill with contributors to make the camp happen, and by asking for camp fees at the same time they're making sure that people can't buy one of their tickets and then run off to do something else instead of helping make it happen.

I don't know whether the $905 includes the ticket, or is dues on top of the ticket, but it doesn't really matter. As long as camp fees are the actual shared cost of making the camp happen, and nobody is pocketing any of it, there's nothing wrong with that. It's not hard to come up with camp concepts that could cost $1K per person to make happen, especially if a camp *isn't* recruiting non-contributors just to get extra camp dues coming in.

now, I’m looking to recruit 2 people who have extra shade structures they can bring with them for the Chapel. I’m also looking for a DJ who can bring his or her own sound system (it doesn’t have to be huge, by any means). As of now, I cannot offer tickets, but can likely offer a ride, placement and work access passes.

I'm really mystified by why you see this one as a red flag. The camp organizer is looking for people to join the camp who have specific equipment and skills, and isn't even offering tickets in return. If you qualify and can get your own ticket, then at most you get to share a ride in and come in early to help set up camp.

Seen on Reddit: “But I know what I would do if I was not already getting a lush personal DGS allocation every year. I would go out and develop some scarce skill that was ultra in demand in our community. For example I know of multiple camps that would gladly hand a free ticket and wave all camp dues to someone that had a CDL and was willing to drive a semi in early and out late.”

So this person is advising people to develop useful skills that would make them a valuable contributor to someone else's project, and that's a bad thing?

[The Rod]

I'm all for the resurrection of Bad Actor Rumors to keep the general population in line.

Don't piss off DPW or they'll fuck your shit up.

HEAT is an acronym for Heavy Equipment And Terror.

Speaking of Jackbooted Thuggery, anyone remember hearing about CHUPACABRA? I do...

If art imitates life and life imitates art its high time we bring the Culture Wars to Black Rock City. It's painfully obvious that Burning Man Culture© needs its own counter culture movement.

[Papa Bear]

Speaking of Jackbooted Thuggery, anyone remember hearing about CHUPACABRA? I do...

Assuming you are referring to Chupacabra Polizia, I not only remember hearing about them, I remember them - and not at all fondly.

[ygmir]

I remember from back before I had started attending the event, hearing from those who had been, or knew someone who had, that you couldn't even go to Burning Man unless you were bringing art, like they stopped you at the gate or some shit and you had to prove that you had a valid reason to be there. And even then after that I heard "you don't need to bring art but you have to contribute in some way". In my head I guess I imagined it was enforced somehow. I had heard that BRC was its own legitimate city, with a public works and a fire department, airport, and shit they even have their own "police" the Black Rock Rangers. Maybe thats what the Rangers do, go around make sure everyone was contributing. Oh how sweet naïveté can be...

Maybe thats what BRC really needs, a mobilized task force of patrollers and participation enforcers. Walking around handing out $500 citations for spectating and MOOP violations. If goodwill and blog posts and community engagement initiatives can't solve the Basic Problem With Modern BRC maybe some jackbooted thuggery can.

Jack booted thuggery™. I see an ORG sponsored theme camp. Or, is it already there?...

Hahaha, though I think we should call out MOOPers in the moment, "excuse me, you dropped that, pick it up." In the early days people carried Altoid mint metal cans for cigarette butts, but I haven't heard that discussed lately.

My first year with my experienced friend I was informed not to piss off DPW, or they might bring their heavy machinery and flip your vehicle upside down. Of course now DPW (and GPE) are all mellow new age rainbow yoga hippies...

testify

[Token]

It's painfully obvious that Burning Man Culture© needs its own counter culture movement.

We are the Burning Man Culture©™
.

6953976A-3665-4AA1-97C4-0089A3F31F0D.gif (410.74 KiB) Viewed 556 times

[some seeing eye]

It's painfully obvious that Burning Man Culture© needs its own counter culture movement.

We are the Burning Man Culture©™
.

6953976A-3665-4AA1-97C4-0089A3F31F0D.gif

BORGII was not super successful.

I think we should recruit art students in our locale and social networks. A Banksy intervention would be fine too. More artists, fewer festies.

[ygmir]

It's painfully obvious that Burning Man Culture© needs its own counter culture movement.

We are the Burning Man Culture©™
.

6953976A-3665-4AA1-97C4-0089A3F31F0D.gif

this. well, we were anyway...

[The Rod]

[Captain Goddammit]

I'm sure glad you're so above it all, totally-not-a-sockpuppet who registered today to whine about it.

Yup, I’m new here. Guess that makes my commentary invalid? Wouldn’t say I’m above it all but I do know it’s not my place to tell others how to burn. I’m all for educating someone who is breaking one of our 10 principles but I don’t see how using a phone as a camera does that.

LOL… you’re going to educate anyone?
The ten principles are a bunch of sparkle pony BS written in about ‘04 that even the Org doesn’t abide by, and I’ll bet anything you don’t either.
Particularly Radical Self Reliance. None of the new people actually show up prepared as if no one else would be there.

Exhibit A.