Average Age

RollingBones · Post by **RollingBones** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:13 am

Hi Folks,

I just turned 40 and was contemplating buying a ticket to BM today. I have contemplated this same thing for the last four years but never did it. I think that this could be the year! However, all the pics I see are of young beautiful people. I am not ultra fit, closer to pasty white than tanned and have more silver than brown hair.

What is your take on age? I thought there was a stats page someplace but I can't find it.

Cheers!

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:16 am

You will be pleasantly suprised how many people Older than you make it to the event year after year.

BRC is one place where age is not an issue.

The creators of BM (male and female.)are just as, if not maybe more silver than you and I.

I dont see them having any kind of problems.

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:20 am

I turn 49 tomorrow, my larry is 46. I am by no means slim or tanned, although I do have interesting battle scars. C'mon, you'll have a great time.

RollingBones · Post by **RollingBones** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:23 am

Thanks folks! My confidence is building.

Cheers!

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 9:24 am

ooooo,

Happy birthday AntiM.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:10 am

This was my 10th year and I was 58. I'll be 59 at my next Burn. If my math is right, I was older than you when I started in '96.

I don't keep track of age, but I know I've seen people I think are geezers, both sexes, clothed and not, out and about on the playa.

Louise and I are planning on giving away playawear again this year -- your biggest problem is looking like a geek, not a geezer. Drop by The Civilized Explorer Compound in '06, and we'll give you some decent playa attire.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 11:35 am

RollingBones wrote:Hi Folks,

I just turned 40 and was contemplating buying a ticket to BM today. I have contemplated this same thing for the last four years but never did it. I think that this could be the year! However, all the pics I see are of young beautiful people. I am not ultra fit, closer to pasty white than tanned and have more silver than brown hair.

What is your take on age? I thought there was a stats page someplace but I can't find it.

Cheers!

There are a surprising number of 40+ people who go. In fact, they have some of the best and most friendly theme camps. It's really not about how you look as much as how you act.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:32 pm

Maybe people prefer to take pictures of young, beautiful people.

The fools!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:36 pm

I was just shy of 40 for MY first burn...Don't worry- There'll be plenty of kids your age to play with.

Happy Almost Birthday, AntiM!

Lady V · Post by **Lady V** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 2:54 pm

Hi there. I'm almost 46 and went for the first time last year. There are lotsa' people in their 40s and above. The Black Rock census for 2004 is on the "what is burning man?" page under "afterburn"

Cheers!

Lady V

overkyll · Post by **overkyll** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 6:48 pm

i just turned 45 this month and am currently trying to buy tickets to my 5th burn. i plan to go every year for the rest of my life so i will be doing my share to raise the average age every year.

PlayaPetal · Post by **PlayaPetal** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:23 am

ok, ok, ok... I'm gonna be 40 this year in July - this will be my 4th burn...you'll be just fine............come out and play....

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 4:36 am

Hey, I just bought tickets for my birthday!

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:42 am

Happy Birthday, AntiM!

Post by **AntiM** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:10 am

Thanks! Wheeee! I think I may spend the day lounging in my tasteless pink floyd jammie pants and doing zippo.

Silver 2 · Post by **Silver 2** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:21 am

A couple of things, the 2004 census report shows that about 29% of those that filled out the form were 40 or over, a good bit of the people who post here are over 40 or pushing it. This is not a realistic set, in both cases the set is self selected and not truly representive. My guess is that if you could poll everyone the percentage would be closer to 20% max. That still a lot of people over 40.

Now all that said, generally nobody gives a shit. Of your current responders I am the second oldest (Hi Phil!) at 53, my first time was in '02 and I was 49 and showed up knowing no one. First night, I ended up running around (dancing) with a early 20 something for several hours. That pattern continued thoughout the week though sometimes I ended up hanging out with 'older' folks; up to about 35 or so.

Basically my entire social life revolves around the local burner community, of the people I normally hang out with I would say the average age is about 32-33, maybe a bit younger. We are having a party this Saturday for those who had a birthday in Jan. ages: 53, 29, 35, 32. The age range will be from 21 to 53.

Now for looks, I pretty much look every day of my age in the face but keep the bod up a bit better than average. However, you will find every variation of the human body there is out there. But yes, there are a lot of good looking people and at a higher proportion than in a randomly selected set of the American population. I have some theories on that but that is for another time.

You mentioned your hair, I am known as Silver because of mine.

phil · Post by **phil** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:52 am

Silver camped next to Louise and me last Burn, and he's modest -- he _doesn't_ look his age and his body is in excellent shape. For an appropriate fee, I've got the photos to prove it. :->

swampdog · Post by **swampdog** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:54 pm

I've thought about this a little, and I think the age profile, which may seem surprising at first, really makes a lot of sense.

You have a bunch of youngsters - under 25 (or 30) with a lot of flexibility in their lives. You have a lot of really dedicated free spirits of all ages. But there's kind of a trough in the peak child-rearing ages, up through maybe 40. Then you get a bunch of old bastards like me (47) trying to keep the flame alive (or rekindle it, or start it fresh, or whatever). I have no idea who's the oldest person I've seen at BM but I think 70+.

RollingBones · Post by **RollingBones** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:48 am

Thanks again folks. It's comforting to know that there are lots of "older", under-fit, caspers like myself :)

I may end up going solo, so I'll see you there (maybe)
Cheers,

KPD

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:07 am

We will be bringing in my step mother-in-law for a couple of days at BM this year. She is a lifelong artist and has been wishing for a trip to the playa ever since we started attending in '96. She's 83.

Lorgasm · Post by **Lorgasm** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 10:48 am

Age has never been a factor with me. It is just a series of numbers. Its a way for society to determine when you can vote, drink socially, carry a gun, marry, and drive a car.

I am an adult child. At Burningman We are ageless. You see many adult children at Burningman. We are on trampolines, swings, riding bikes, singing out loud, laughing till we hurt, and wearing whatever the hell we want too. We stay up late and tell neat stories. We dance.
We create. We kiss, we hug, we giggle.

So there you have it. Forget these silly numbers. Let's go to the Playa.
I'l race ya'!

Love,
L'Orgasm

Post by **Eric** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:40 pm

Lorgasm wrote:Age has never been a factor with me. It is just a series of numbers. Its a way for society to determine when you can vote, drink socially, carry a gun, marry, and drive a car.

I agree. I just had to ask my boyfriend how old I was- I couldn't remember if I'm 41 or 42. Still 41, it seems.

I live my life, not my age- and most people I've met out there do the same. Last year the group of people who I spent the best time with (and met out there) were 21-26. Age means nothing out there- depending on how you live your life it can be pretty meaningless in the "default" world as well.

However- on the pasty part of RollingBones' original post- wear lots of sunblock!!!!. I'm a pale pale red-head and I've managed never to get burned (no pun) out there. If you don't take care you will end up lobstered. I've seen it every year. *sigh*

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:51 pm

Just confirmed our tickets. Grandfather is coming back this year. He wont tell his age. I just know he is a generation older than I. I'll be 69 this year. Damn heart has been acting up. But I'll be there and "in the theme" of thing.
.
Robot you will be hearing from me soon.
.
Appy Bday AntiM

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:52 pm

Just confirmed our tickets. Grandfather is coming back this year. He wont tell his age. I just know he is a generation older than I. I'll be 69 this year. Damn heart has been acting up. But I'll be there and "in the theme" of thing.
.
Robot you will be hearing from me soon.
.
Appy Bday AntiM

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:50 am

Yeah- look out for that Unjon guy....Mischief incarnate. See you out there! (Just moved the "PLAYa GROUND" sign to a place of greater prominence in my studio, BTW.)

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:07 pm

Rolling Bones, I think there was a census from last year that suggests the largest segment of people attending are fbetween the ages of 35-45. Someone else here might correct me as I don't have the link for the numbers but I'm pretty sure you'll be falling within the mean if you show up. Besides, who really cares how old you or I might be. It ain't an issue.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:09 pm

Anti-M! Why didn't you tell me? Happy Belated Birthday!

Anyway...on topic...
I just turned 44 about three weeks ago. In actuality, I find that among my hang-out group on-Playa, I'm usually the baby of the bunch. Chronologically, anyway

Shoprag · Post by **Shoprag** » Tue Jan 24, 2006 6:29 am

56 a couple of days ago. Will be our first burn & can't wait. I hear it a age reducing experience, not that that matters

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 2:14 am

funny thing about this event too, I don't recall anyone ever asking me my age, and I've never felt the need to ask anyone there's either!

I've hung out with people who just graduated high school and with people who's grandchildren just graduated college.

It's a pretty amazing place in that regard, people really don't care about your age, or what you do for a living.

Discosybil · Post by **Discosybil** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 9:45 am

The first year I went, it was my parents 4th time. They were in their 60's. They're contemplating on whether or not to go this year......now 70 years old. I must say they truly have a great time meeting new people, decorating their camp and riding bikes.

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