dropping out

[goathead]

The FU reference, is that really necessary? Can't you control your emotions just a LITTLE better. It will make little difference to the cop or the court after you get a ticket for being homeless whether it is for a valid reason or not. They simply do not care.

Why not?

This is not FB.

[MyDearFriend]

So that makes it OK to label all homeless people as bums...

If a person is really homeless and the worst thing that happens to them is being called a "bum" then by god they would be extremely fortunate. If you're homeless you are already an outlaw - engaging in behavior that is illegal. I wouldn't even be concerned about the cops as much as the public. A few months ago someone picked up a life sentence in L.A. for dousing a homeless man with gas and setting fire, though an extreme example most of the public despise the homeless - I'm just stating a fact. (It was nice to see the LAPD do some REAL dective work and catch the prick, turned out he was a barber who worked in the area and simply hated homeless people).

So basically I think you're upset about something that is pretty petty (the name)...........................

In this case I bet "most of the public" is just your opinion. Are you sure that most of the public doesn't despise you? They might you know.

Yeah, cause, damn. You think a simple "fuck you" is out of place yet you subscribe to economic bigotry?

Sumpin' wrong there, buddy...

[jaytro4]

Seen it done.

by who? what did they do? where did they go???

[Risky]

Back to the subject of dropping out.

The trick is to live as a rat in the machine:
with one foot in each world.

[Savannah]

That's a lot of value for so few words, Risky. Well said.

[theCryptofishist]

If you're homeless you are already an outlaw - engaging in behavior that is illegal.

Yeah, why can't the homeless just die before they break any laws? What's up with that?

[ctys20]

In this case I bet "most of the public" is just your opinion. Are you sure that most of the public doesn't despise you? They might you know.

Basically just my observation. And what's with all the personal attacks on here, I thought everyone was supposed to be "enlightened" after the "burn." You sound like a bunch of "asshats."

And as far as this notion of homelessness goes, what does BM call a person who sneaks into the event (BM) without paying their "DUES" ?
I can imagine there are adjectives MUCH WORSE than BUM being used. And considering that BM is on public land and BM is operating as a for profit entity (most of your ticket sales went to upper management, not artists, or laborers) maybe this idea of "dropping out" should have been tried at BM first. LOL

[ctys20]

Yeah, cause, damn. You think a simple "fuck you" is out of place yet you subscribe to economic bigotry?

Sumpin' wrong there, buddy...

First of all I never said the public's perception was right or ethical. I'm just stating facts that apparently MANY people aren't acknowledging. As for this FU stuff can't some people grow up, does it make you feel like a BIG MAN saying FU???

Getting back to the topic at hand, which in itself is very unrealistic but interesting (isn't that what BM was SUPPOSED to be all about, non monetary based system, everyone sharing -excluding ticket sales and six figure management salaries of course)

To the author of this thread my best advice is TRY IT - LEARN THE HARD WAY. Even by BM standards it will not work, b/c how will you buy your ticket for next year??? I know, I know, BM does have the scholarship tickets for those lucky few.

[hookahdude]

In this case I bet "most of the public" is just your opinion. Are you sure that most of the public doesn't despise you? They might you know.

Basically just my observation. And what's with all the personal attacks on here, I thought everyone was supposed to be "enlightened" after the "burn." You sound like a bunch of "asshats."

And as far as this notion of homelessness goes, what does BM call a person who sneaks into the event (BM) without paying their "DUES" ?
I can imagine there are adjectives MUCH WORSE than BUM being used. And considering that BM is on public land and BM is operating as a for profit entity (most of your ticket sales went to upper management, not artists, or laborers) maybe this idea of "dropping out" should have been tried at BM first. LOL

I AM AN ASSHAT.
So rather than whine and cry because someone called me a name in an adult(assumed) forum, I will smile at the monitor and say - Thank You! In fact next year I am thinking of creating a camp full of asshats that go around picking up MOOP armed with bullhorns and calling it "MOOP Nazi Brigade" with the mission of either picking it up or LOUDLY shaming MOOPers - feather boa wearers, etc. We will need strong willed, un-intimidated ASSHATs of all shapes and sizes who are willing to yell at ppeople who are putting MOOP on the Playa. Yup - I plan on being a HUGE FUCKING ASSHAT next year!!! I want to be that guy that pisses off dickheads who trash the Playa and I would be more than happy to dedicate my Burn to that effort. Maybe by the end of 2012 there will be a thread by some whiner about that dickhead who ruined their Burning Man experience by chasing them across the playa with a bullhorn screaming about a feather boa.. Look for it - it will either be me or one of my fucking crew... oh sorry I said Fuck again.. Fuck.. I said fuck again... Shit.. Fuck I said shit... Fuck I said fuck and shit... This is a vicious fucking cycle.. Fuck!

[diss0nance]

I AM AN ASSHAT.
So rather than whine and cry because someone called me a name in an adult(assumed) forum, I will smile at the monitor and say - Thank You! In fact next year I am thinking of creating a camp full of asshats that go around picking up MOOP armed with bullhorns and calling it "MOOP Nazi Brigade" with the mission of either picking it up or LOUDLY shaming MOOPers - feather boa wearers, etc. We will need strong willed, un-intimidated ASSHATs of all shapes and sizes who are willing to yell at ppeople who are putting MOOP on the Playa. Yup - I plan on being a HUGE FUCKING ASSHAT next year!!! I want to be that guy that pisses off dickheads who trash the Playa and I would be more than happy to dedicate my Burn to that effort. Maybe by the end of 2012 there will be a thread by some whiner about that dickhead who ruined their Burning Man experience by chasing them across the playa with a bullhorn screaming about a feather boa.. Look for it - it will either be me or one of my fucking crew... oh sorry I said Fuck again.. Fuck.. I said fuck again... Shit.. Fuck I said shit... Fuck I said fuck and shit... This is a vicious fucking cycle.. Fuck![/quote]

Where do i sign up?

[hookahdude]

I AM AN ASSHAT.
So rather than whine and cry because someone called me a name in an adult(assumed) forum, I will smile at the monitor and say - Thank You! In fact next year I am thinking of creating a camp full of asshats that go around picking up MOOP armed with bullhorns and calling it "MOOP Nazi Brigade" with the mission of either picking it up or LOUDLY shaming MOOPers - feather boa wearers, etc. We will need strong willed, un-intimidated ASSHATs of all shapes and sizes who are willing to yell at ppeople who are putting MOOP on the Playa. Yup - I plan on being a HUGE FUCKING ASSHAT next year!!! I want to be that guy that pisses off dickheads who trash the Playa and I would be more than happy to dedicate my Burn to that effort. Maybe by the end of 2012 there will be a thread by some whiner about that dickhead who ruined their Burning Man experience by chasing them across the playa with a bullhorn screaming about a feather boa.. Look for it - it will either be me or one of my fucking crew... oh sorry I said Fuck again.. Fuck.. I said fuck again... Shit.. Fuck I said shit... Fuck I said fuck and shit... This is a vicious fucking cycle.. Fuck!

Where do i sign up?

Feel free to PM me. Same goes for anyone interested. As soon as it is posted - recruiting will start in earnest in the 2012 Theme Camp forum.

[mdmf007]

... you have to earn the money to buy the land and you're likely to have to continue to function in the greater society while you transition.,,,

Also - dont forget that you still need to pay your rent for that land yearly in the form of taxes.. Stop paying the county, parish, or city taxes and see what happens.

I dropped out in a small way a month or so before the burn, and I haven't joined back. I created a second facebook account under my playa name to hide some of the stuff from my default world contacts. I practically live on my playa facebook account sharing photos and stories.

Am I the only one that sees the irony in talking about "Dropping out of society" by opening a second anonymous FB account?

[ctys20]

In this case I bet "most of the public" is just your opinion. Are you sure that most of the public doesn't despise you? They might you know.

Basically just my observation. And what's with all the personal attacks on here, I thought everyone was supposed to be "enlightened" after the "burn." You sound like a bunch of "asshats."

And as far as this notion of homelessness goes, what does BM call a person who sneaks into the event (BM) without paying their "DUES" ?
I can imagine there are adjectives MUCH WORSE than BUM being used. And considering that BM is on public land and BM is operating as a for profit entity (most of your ticket sales went to upper management, not artists, or laborers) maybe this idea of "dropping out" should have been tried at BM first. LOL

I AM AN ASSHAT.
So rather than whine and cry because someone called me a name in an adult(assumed) forum, I will smile at the monitor and say - Thank You! In fact next year I am thinking of creating a camp full of asshats that go around picking up MOOP armed with bullhorns and calling it "MOOP Nazi Brigade" with the mission of either picking it up or LOUDLY shaming MOOPers - feather boa wearers, etc. We will need strong willed, un-intimidated ASSHATs of all shapes and sizes who are willing to yell at ppeople who are putting MOOP on the Playa. Yup - I plan on being a HUGE FUCKING ASSHAT next year!!! I want to be that guy that pisses off dickheads who trash the Playa and I would be more than happy to dedicate my Burn to that effort. Maybe by the end of 2012 there will be a thread by some whiner about that dickhead who ruined their Burning Man experience by chasing them across the playa with a bullhorn screaming about a feather boa.. Look for it - it will either be me or one of my fucking crew... oh sorry I said Fuck again.. Fuck.. I said fuck again... Shit.. Fuck I said shit... Fuck I said fuck and shit... This is a vicious fucking cycle.. Fuck!

HA HA!

I'm going to be The Capitalist Asshat next year, when the tickets sell out and all those desperate burners jump on BM.com I will gladly help them out in my own asshat way......BUT just enough to pay for my own ticket:)

[goathead]

Back to the subject of dropping out.

The trick is to live as a rat in the machine:
with one foot in each world.

or as a cockroach.

less predators, but more chance of being stepped on.

[Sham]

I'm feeling like I want to drop out of society right about now.
I went to a shopping mall for the first time since the burn, and the sight of the "mall goths' all dressed in the same garb from Hot Topic made me want to puke. Just seeing all the people prancing in their designer duds, wearing only the latest offerings that the retailers are jamming down their throats. It appeared to me that most people were mall shopping, so they can be seen hanging at the mall.

I felt so eeriely clean, that I had to go home and roll around on my playa dust covered tent (naked) and shook some dusty clothes on myself.

[pinemom]

NO LIFE CHANGING DECISIONS FOR 4 WEEKS POST PLAYA!!!! I mean it!


But if you must drop from society, look up Permaburn.

There is a burner who bought up 100 acre's and is inviting any and all burners to live on the land, for a pittance of price and manual labor to make the land usable.


But really, no the outside world does suck ass, comparably. But we supposedly being smart burners dont make rash decisions till your post decompressed!

[theCryptofishist]

Um, Sham, don't mean to criticize you, even without the mod power to quarantine my post and all, but you went to a shopping mall. And you're surprised by what you saw? "OMG, I went to an orgy and I saw people having sex! Somebody save the children!"

[pinemom]

LOL Fishy! I dont even go to the fricken Mall anytime of the yr...well, darn it, actually I got Fooled into going to the Fucking Meadowwood mall by Lightning leggs and Burnerbaby 2 short weeks pre-burn this yr for Boots. Was actually as interesting as it was frightening. I just pretended I accidentally walked into a strange camp and that all the weird people were just doing "their" art.
hahahahahaha

[Sham]

Um, Sham, don't mean to criticize you, even without the mod power to quarantine my post and all, but you went to a shopping mall. And you're surprised by what you saw? "OMG, I went to an orgy and I saw people having sex! Somebody save the children!"

I think I would have been more comfortable if I saw three people and a goat having sex in the food court. The society as a whole (hole ) are so manipulated by big business.
I will get used to all this once again, but being at the burn for 8 days made me want to leave all this behind.


note: don't worry fishy, I am sworn not to abuse my moderator powers!

[Lassen Forge]

I think I would have been more comfortable if I saw three people and a goat having sex in the food court...

They call that the Center Camp Cafe. Normal day there. Nothing to watch, move along now...

(Actually, it was 2 people, a sparkle pony, a panda, Paul Addis, and Cthulhu... sometime around dark-thirty...)

[ctys20]

There is a burner who bought up 100 acre's and is inviting any and all burners to live on the land, for a pittance of price and manual labor to make the land usable.

Or just go from one piece of BLM land to another and stay the 14 day max or whenever the park ranger starts counting days.......either way that would still require SOME resources.

But being homeless in a city is really not a logical option - as far as dropping out goes. I know every city has homeless people but even in the MOST liberal areas (Venice Beach, Santa Monica) the police do sweeps and even people camping in their RV's get tickets. I seriously doubt there is a city on this continent where a person can live in any public area and not be subject to harassment by law enforcement, or the public (except maybe JAIL lol)

[Dr Jet Sinister]

The words you are looking for OP is "sustainable communities" or "ecovillage." They exist all over the world. Do some googling.

[BAS]

Um, Sham, don't mean to criticize you, even without the mod power to quarantine my post and all, but you went to a shopping mall. And you're surprised by what you saw? "OMG, I went to an orgy and I saw people having sex! Somebody save the children!"

I think I would have been more comfortable if I saw three people and a goat having sex in the food court. The society as a whole (hole ) are so manipulated by big business.
I will get used to all this once again, but being at the burn for 8 days made me want to leave all this behind.

That feeling is what the Clash song "Lost in the Supermarket" is really about (at least in my opinion.) The narrator of the song realizing he's been manipulated by business into thinking he can buy his way to happiness.

pinemom -- I'm curious about how PermaBurn is doing. Last I checked their website hadn't been updated for about a year.

ctys20 -- I'm not certain that the original poster was talking about being homeless in the city, it sounded more like going and living in the wild (as in "Into the Wild", but without the starving to death stranded in a remote part of the world.) Moving to an off-grid community was suggested as an alternative.

[ctys20]

ctys20 -- I'm not certain that the original poster was talking about being homeless in the city, it sounded more like going and living in the wild (as in "Into the Wild", but without the starving to death stranded in a remote part of the world.) Moving to an off-grid community was suggested as an alternative.

That would make more sense, but even then all you might be doing is just changing "employers" I wonder how much work would be expected of someone that doesn't have many financial resources?

[jaytro4]

I guess I'm looking for an off the grid community, sort of... I just don't want to deal with money anymore. BB had it right, I've had a pretty easy life, I went to a high school that puff daddy looked at when he was sending his nephew somewhere... however, the kids around me (many with multimillionaire parents) weren't any happier because they were rich... there were alcoholics and coke heads and a few suicide attempts, and one or two every year (out of a class of about 90) always ended up having a mental breakdown after high school. Money didn't make anything better, it just gave them more opportunities to fuck shit up and get away with it. A lot of those kids will be a lot richer than me for the rest of our lives, but I think I'm happier because I've been doing something I feel passionate about. However, everyone gives me shit about it because i'm not making a lot of money (certainly not enough to put away some serious savings, hopefully just enough that buying the plane ticket from Australia next year to go to BM won't wipe me out if I start saving now). I just noticed that the community at Burning Man seemed so much more genuine and the people were so much more willing to help each other because there was no commerce. I spent a lot of time at the HeeBees healing tent, and did some guest healing as a masseuse, and noticed SO many people giving hours of their time to help other people heal from whatever was ailing them, whether it be a strained shoulder or a heartbreak. I think people naturally gravitate towards helping out their fellow man, but then forget that sometimes when they think they have to "make it" in the world... I don't know. I'm not doing anything drastic right now, I'm just trying to explore my options.

[Dr Jet Sinister]

Giving of ones time and energy during a one week camping trip is very different than sustaining that for the other 51 weeks of the year. You're looking for a nirvana that does not exist. I hope you can find a peace within yourself to sustain you.

[BBadger]

BM only gives the semblance of complete altruism. At its core, however, the altruistic BM experience is only possible because virtually everything is paid for in advance so there's rarely much that connects one's current action with "cost," time or money.

Jaytro4, nobody goes "off grid" except children and elderly who are provided for by their guardians. They live in a surreal "bliss" of amusement, which has no real value. They could disappear with little loss, even to themselves. If you want peace--if you want value in your life--you need to seek out value through exertion and accomplishment, in order to appreciate what you have and be content with it. Sadly, it seems you've been a child your whole life. It's time to leave the cradle. Maybe then you'll come to terms with what you really want out of life.

[Elderberry]

LOL ain't that the truth. It costs a pretty penny paid in advance to enjoy the commerce free zone for a week.

Might I suggest volunteering your time to help the needy?

[gyre]

Seen it done.

by who? what did they do? where did they go???

Rode in with a guy who became homeless as a teenager.
Truly homeless with no support system, as far as I know.

Somehow he had bought two tickets.
I presume by superhuman effort.
He traded one for his rideshare to cover gas.
He carried everything he owned with him, scrounged for old fast food along the way, sometimes feeding us.

He had some contact on the playa, and planned to work his way through.
I have no doubt he did.

He slept in the lee of my tent in the windstorm the first night, just wanting a windbreak.

I've always imagined he found a new life with dpw or somewhere else.

One of the many people I hope I run into again somehow.

I would make the observation that being homeless is very hard work.

[Sham]

Might I suggest volunteering your time to help the needy?

If I was paid I would!