VIP makes me sad for them.

[gaminwench]

I had an All Access Pass.

My ManBurn tradition is to walk the MV ring, visit old friends and see new MVs.

This year, I came upon a pod of 5/6 4man golf cart Mv's that were designed to work together or separately.
Parked in a semicircle.
With 20/30 chairs in their curve.
With a 'mushroom' type security vehicle (onesie wearing security guards) at the access point.
In the chairs were 'beautiful people' (I don't do media, so I wouldn't recognize the 'famous') wearing strategically placed scarves/goggles (for anonymity) (there was no dust flying), ALL of them talking off-playa business.

Later in the evening (F**KING COLD) went to Charcade to feel the warmth. Approached from the 'back' side and went over a downed trash fence to enter.
Discovered that it was *supposed* to be a 'closed' event.
One entry point; woman with clipboard, checking names.
WTF??? VIP event. ManBurnNight.

Watched clueless, intelligent, wannagetit folk wander amongst the awesome fire toys, but NOT engaging, not knowing how to interact; witnessed MORE f**king defaultia business BS; woman asked me where to BUY my f**king awesome playa ART(one of a kind) coat.

So SAD.

How can we (the few, the proud) indoctrinate (!?) the wannabes that PnP bring to our HOME?

How can WE stop the VIP bullshit???
(The folk that we interacted with were appreciative of the inside scoop; must I dedicate my entire burn to edumacating the clueless?? Please, NO!!)

I believe in the GOOD.
I want to solve the problem.
HOW?????

[Sham]

Sorry GW, but I don't think there can be education there. I noticed gaggles of Segways scooting over to various parts of the open playa. Apparently it's now the trendy thing to do.

It would make perfect sense for a recognizable person to keep covered for both participants to interact with them as just regular burners, and for the entitle person to be able to enjoy Burning Man without white glove handlers.

Unfortunately there is a rush and intoxication to be singled out as "SPECIAL". People do tend to look when this Segway gaggle passes, but not in the special attention that these self-dubbed VIP's really expect. It's more a bunch of douche bags craving attention.

If they visit the playa so they can be pampered in fancy RV's, exclusive bars and chefs serving in private dining areas, then they are missing 95% of Burning Man. I have concluded that these people need to remain segregated from the main population of BM to retain the feel of the event. The gated communities are needed to keep these VIP's inside and safe for as much of this event as possible.

Hopefully the two days of dust kept the entitled inside the RV's, safe and dust-free, but more importantly, I hope it helped to convince them that Burning Man is not the vacation spot they had hoped.

[GreyCoyote]

The solution is weed blowers.

LonesomeBri and I are on it...

[mgb327]

Whaaaat? My All Access Pass wasn't legit? Dang, I will try to do better for next year. I agree, each year it becomes more obvious, but this year I "looked for it less" and went about my shenanigans. Money can make life more comfy, but it cannot buy class or character.

[skippy3k]

I agree, each year it becomes more obvious, but this year I "looked for it less" and went about my shenanigans.

You know, this isn't a bad idea. Yeah, it's a little like sticking your head in the sand, but it just might get me through a few more burns. I realized that I think I was "looking" for it too much...evaluating, deciding on who was VIP and who wasn't instead of just enjoying the whole experience.

A birgin friend wanted to take us to this amazing "camp" he saw earlier. We rolled up and I knew it was one of "those" camps. A few of us politely declined and said we would wait for him on our art car. My wife went in with him just so he can see what we were all in a hub-bub about. She comes out 3 minutes later eating bacon. She went behind "the curtain", talked to the chef, got him to give her bacon and info that Susan Sarandon was staying there and apparently she is the coolest person ever. All within 3 minutes. I swear that woman can get anyone to spill any secret.

[Ratty]

When someone dies there is a tendency to avoid the survivor. If someone is terminally ill we stumble over our tongue. This is a fact of human nature. Fight it! Talk to people that make you uncomfortable. The twitching only lasts for a minute then you'll relax and converse.

[The Rod]

You can put a pair of pants in a cannon and fling them at shirt-cockers, but unfortunately we have no clue or class cannons yet.

[gaminwench]

I definitely did NOT go looking for it, this year.
I've lived next door to IT, across the street from IT, and two years ago I infiltrated IT.

This year, I just stumbled into IT.

It didn't 'ruin my burn' or 'piss me off'; IT makes me sad.

When one lives next to IT, life sucks. PnP VIP's are lousy neighbors.

I say: Gated community out by the airport for all PnP camps (if we must have them at all).

My sadness comes from the complete lack of 'getting it' I witnessed in the beautiful ones.

(MGB, my All Access Pass worked well; I was never denied anything, and some very interesting conversations began with "Whaaa???)

[maladroit]

Why do we always assume that beautiful people are rich? I know plenty of hot people with no money, and rich people who hit every branch falling out of the money tree.

[gaminwench]

Mal, I never said rich. I have no idea about these people's incomes.

But they were definitely VIPs. (to someone)

[666isMONEY]

My only problem with the PnPs are the frequent visits by service vehicles (sewage pumping, water, etc.) coming at all times, even early Labor Day. (They have little generators to help pump, plus when the vehicles back up they beep.) I noticed that one of their RVs discharged grey water. BLM and others stopped by to talk to them about the grey water. I'll be watching to see if they get a red mark for MOOP because of the discharge. But I chose to camp across from them.

For awhile I saw a cardboard sign inviting neighbors to visit but I never did. There were not as many service vehicles as there were last year when I camped across from a PnP. In fact, this PnP didn't make a barricade with their RVs, they left a few spaces for tents, plus they had a shade structure on the Playa and someone left a full bottle of Vodka (the top of the bottle was broken) at the structure so I poured a few glasses of it.

[Lonesomebri]

I saw a lot of really beautiful people sporting expensive costumes and rides (including the lit-up wheeled surf boards) out late after the Temple Burn. I attributed that to the fact those people would not be the ones breaking down camps in the morning. I shouted at them "Hey, what are you doing out so late, don't you have a camp to break down in the morning?" No one answered.

[skippy3k]

Ha, that's the kind of stuff I think about yelling out...but I usually think of it the next day as I'm driving.

[maladroit]

I saw a lot of really beautiful people sporting expensive costumes and rides (including the lit-up wheeled surf boards) out late after the Temple Burn. I attributed that to the fact those people would not be the ones breaking down camps in the morning. I shouted at them "Hey, what are you doing out so late, don't you have a camp to break down in the morning?" No one answered.

Maybe these are trust-fund babies out partying before hopping on a plane while someone else packs up camp. Equally...maybe these are people who worked carefully on outfits and custom vehicles all year, and already have camp mostly packed up (or are leaving Tuesday morning, as they're part of a major art structure teardown/demoop).

I'm not against trying to apply social pressure against this trend, but if misdirected it can do more harm than good.

[tamarakay]

We did a dye event out in deep playa. Just took the Barbie car out, set up, and invited passers by to dye a scarf or sarong. One dude wouldn't take off his scarf and goggles. But he did dye a large beautiful scarf. When I told him that the silk worked wonderfully as a dust mask, he took off the scarf he had on. I recognized him as an actor, but I couldn't come up with the name and I didn't ask. I was happy to just interact with him as a burner who was delighted to receive this gift. And I think he was happy to not be singled out as something more than the other Delighted burners around us. So some of them do get it.

Now as far as gw's experience I think a good start would be to ask the organizers of the charcade what the hell was up with that? Not good.

However, on meet and greet night I was manning the name tag desk when a guy started hasseling me about the private event thing. I explained who and what we were, but he really didn't want to listen, he just wanted to yell at me. Ratty and delle came to my rescue, but really it was hard to justify a closed event.

[Thecatman]

I noticed gaggles of Segways scooting over to various parts of the open playa. Apparently it's now the trendy thing to do.

[media]

[Playalova]

I did notice a group of a couple of mini art cars, white lit up with black stripes on 2 occasions. all of them had the same design, they were set up in deep playa one night and seemed to have their own little dj car doing their thing, it seemed private. I saw them again near the loos on the playa, out of curiousity my gf asked if we could hitch a ride, and though one of the cars had extra space for 2-3 people we were told no they couldnt accomodate and were told "maybe tomorrow" which sounded just like the kind of douchebag reply some asshole on his private cruise would say. This was my second burn, and, despite the harsher weather conditions, every bit as exhilirating. I try to focus on what makes our event great and keep myself positive throughout, but it saddens me, and sometimes makes me angry to bits, to see a bunch of cunts who violate our principles and use the rest of us, and those great souls who invest all the time and expense into the arts, to be using us as backdrops and extras for their own little world. fuck them and if you see them tell them with a bright smile what fuckers they are!

[Jackass]

I like your style, tell me more...

[Drawingablank]

Whaaaat? My All Access Pass wasn't legit? Dang, I will try to do better for next year. I agree, each year it becomes more obvious, but this year I "looked for it less" and went about my shenanigans. Money can make life more comfy, but it cannot buy class or character.

My all access pass got me some interesting conversations, but one encounter was particularly funny.

I was in the Bistro at BDC and some dude sees it and asked me about it. So I concocted the most elaborate set of benefits for it (full access to all PnPs, full access to first camp, full access to all MVs, access to heavy equipment for loading / unloading camp, and so on).

As I talked I could see him getting more irritated with each word until finally he was in a rage. He got right up in my face and told me "back in 2000 stuff like that didn't exist and folks like you are ruining Burning Man!". I looked him square in the eyes and said "wow, you've been burning for 15 years ........ yet still can't recognize snark". He deflated instantly and we then had a pleasant conversation.

[socks2]

We Camp by the airport road so we see all of the coming and going from the airport
It was a steady stream of empty art cars going to the airport to pick up their customers.
This is a cancer that if left unchecked will kill the event we all love so much

[maladroit]

What do you propose, an official shuttle bus? I can confirm that our art car went out to the airport to pick up some friends for our non-placed no-dues camp. Not customers.

[some seeing eye]

The event is building more mass transit - the Burner Express and the airport - they relieve congestion on the highway, the ultimate limit to the population. The airport and BE was probably equivalent to over 2000 vehicle passes this year.

Mass transiters need transportation options other than walking with supplies to their camp, which by the way, they have to find, if it is not placed where expected. That's an argument for communications services. Then they need to leave with stuff. One time I was working at the airport, I lent my bike to an arriver to find his camp and arrange help with his bags. Good test of the burner experience to lend my bike to a stranger.

We expect best behavior from all burners regardless of transport.

[Ratty]

Tamarakay, You said it was hard to justify a 'closed' event. Some of the veterans told me if it was an open event the food and drink would be gone before everyone gets there. Maybe instead of telling people it's private we could ask them what they brought to the pot-luck. Hell, if they're carrying a wheel of cheese under their arm I'm letting em in.

[Elderberry]

Tamarakay, You said it was hard to justify a 'closed' event. Some of the veterans told me if it was an open event the food and drink would be gone before everyone gets there. Maybe instead of telling people it's private we could ask them what they brought to the pot-luck. Hell, if they're carrying a wheel of cheese under their arm I'm letting em in.

That happened the very first pot luck. To say the least, it was extremely disappointing to see all the food you specially prepared and brought to share with eplayans be gone before they ever made it to the event. I don't have a problem with it being a closed.

How about just telling them that they are more than welcome, all you need to do is sign-up and participate on eplaya next year and you'll have an open invitation. I don't see where this is any different than our camp potluck. It too is private. Or camp showers or porta potties. It's not like BDC is private all the time. Hell, they pass out free wine to everybody at almost all other times. People just need to get over it.

[Ratty]

I know. I was being 'cute'. I patiently explained that to everyone in line. They all understood. Plus we told em to come back in 2 hours and help themselves to the leftovers.

[Odie]

it appears that PnP feel entitled. I moreover think that increasing the number of tickets available at the Direct Group Sale. This will reduce the number of Burgins and bring in more core burners. Me personally, I got tired and fed up telling people how to mooply behave, it was like I was a moop asshat.

[apprehensive]

How does more air traffic square with Burning Man's commitment towards sustainability? One would think that each plane that lands bumps up the event's carbon footprint substantially.

[Elderberry]

How does more air traffic square with Burning Man's commitment towards sustainability? One would think that each plane that lands bumps up the event's carbon footprint substantially.

Please. Have you ever been to Burning Man? The carbon footprint is already so high those extra planes won't even show up on the chart.

[Ratty]

Odie, that's great thinking if you are in a 'camp' that gets you a ticket. A lot of us camp alone. We scramble for tickets. I gifted 75 foam and fur bike seats installed on bikes. I worked every day for 2 weeks on the playa in the Porta Potty Project. People that camp alone wish they would issue fewer directed sales tickets.

The potty project is a lot of adult potty training. I like to think that the 'talks' I gave out in deep playa reached some P&P participants as well as virgins. I didn't feel like a 'potty instructor asshat'. The info was presented with courtesy and well received. If any of those people come back next year they won't be virgins. Some of the P&P people will come back in their own motorhomes. As with life, education is the key.

[apprehensive]

I was under the impression that the bulk of the greenhouse gas emissions for the event derived from transportation, and that planes emit considerably more pollution, per person, than would a car. I may be misinformed.