Time for Radical Mutual Dependence?

[some seeing eye]

Much of the preparation material we send new burners to read is oriented around material preparations for a solo wilderness vision quest. There is good in that. But maybe some thought should go to rewriting some of it to talk about collaboration to share resources.

We see the effect on the burner culture of the exclusively self-reliant propaganda we have put out like the effect of the one child family policy: I have to get my ticket/pass/rent my car solo, and if I'm unable, I'm a victim or a failure. No. Make friends in real life where there is a natural exchange of surplus based on relationships. Instead of how much stuff you need to get in advance, how about how many friends in advance you need to make?

[Lonesomebri]

I always thought that Radical Self-Reliance also included being able to make good friends and allies, and being the type who others could lean on (even when failing to live up to that myself). "No man is an island" is not just a cliche. I have a stunted friend who is nearly unable to ask others for any help, even his landlord or when shopping. Just being able to ask for help when he needs it would be a gain of Self-Reliance for him. If YOU can get help, or others to aid you, or join in on something, whatever, it's YOU using your inner resources to secure and achieve whatever. My bike broke down on the playa last year and I spent the day going around finding help. Other people helped fix everything, yet I felt self-reliant; I hunted down the fixers, relationships I had developed provided help, I was sweating it up crossing the city all day. I was not dependent on the fixers but what I wanted from them was dependent on how they felt about me. I got a ticket last year because I begged for it mySELF, no one gave it to me out of the blue. I think being self-reliant many times includes interacting with others to mutual satisfaction, with heaps of gratitude, not abstaining from the help of others.

If you got a ticket already, your self-reliance relied on computers and IT people. if you didn't get a ticket, your self-reliance may depend on begging and connections. If you drive to the Burn your self-reliance is dependent on highway maintenance workers and your mechanic, and if you bum a ride, your self-reliance depends on your personality. In camp I could refuse coffee offered by others along with their help setting up, cooking, etc., but part of self-reliance is forming connections inorder to live this way, with mutual aid.

So, yeah, being able to strike out into the wilderness alone and survive is Self-Reliance, but so is delving into the wilderness of humankind on the strength of YOURSELF. Making friends, interacting with others, scratching each others backs....don't count on someone else to do that, do it yourself, be Self-Reliant.

Oh yeah, without friend in advance, I would have no Burn (even if I was on the playa).

[jneilvindy]

I always thought that Radical Self-Reliance also included being able to make good friends and allies, and being the type who others could lean on (even when failing to live up to that myself). "No man is an island" is not just a cliche. I have a stunted friend who is nearly unable to ask others for any help, even his landlord or when shopping. Just being able to ask for help when he needs it would be a gain of Self-Reliance for him. If YOU can get help, or others to aid you, or join in on something, whatever, it's YOU using your inner resources to secure and achieve whatever. My bike broke down on the playa last year and I spent the day going around finding help. Other people helped fix everything, yet I felt self-reliant; I hunted down the fixers, relationships I had developed provided help, I was sweating it up crossing the city all day. I was not dependent on the fixers but what I wanted from them was dependent on how they felt about me. I got a ticket last year because I begged for it mySELF, no one gave it to me out of the blue. I think being self-reliant many times includes interacting with others to mutual satisfaction, with heaps of gratitude, not abstaining from the help of others.

If you got a ticket already, your self-reliance relied on computers and IT people. if you didn't get a ticket, your self-reliance may depend on begging and connections. If you drive to the Burn your self-reliance is dependent on highway maintenance workers and your mechanic, and if you bum a ride, your self-reliance depends on your personality. In camp I could refuse coffee offered by others along with their help setting up, cooking, etc., but part of self-reliance is forming connections inorder to live this way, with mutual aid.

So, yeah, being able to strike out into the wilderness alone and survive is Self-Reliance, but so is delving into the wilderness of humankind on the strength of YOURSELF. Making friends, interacting with others, scratching each others backs....don't count on someone else to do that, do it yourself, be Self-Reliant.

Oh yeah, without friend in advance, I would have no Burn (even if I was on the playa).

So.... loan a comrade a fiver?

[Elderberry]

You sound like one of those left wing liberal democrats! "You didn't build that."

[Lonesomebri]

So.... loan a comrade a fiver?

Do I know you?

[jneilvindy]

So.... loan a comrade a fiver?

Do I know you?

For five bucks I'm your best friend!

[Simon of the Playa]

we rise, we grow...

[Aurelia]

so following the posts I carefully read just now from Lbri and Simon

I shall radicallyreliantly beg for a tx before the city breaks down
or sign up for step
or whine

xoA.

[Ugly Dougly]

I hate when I crash at someone's camp and they didn't bring enough everclear to share with me. I thought burners were halfway cool.