Weighing in on 2008: "The American Dream"

DeusRegit · Post by **DeusRegit** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:11 pm

My initial response to anything that is other than what I envision the purpose of Burning Man as, is "blech!"
And had my mind not been on my recent return from the Black Rock Desert, I would have wondered, " whose agenda are they pushing now?"
Instead, I immediately recalled a paper I wrote in college for narrative writing titled, "The American Dream - Realized In Transit." Then, ofcourse, it didn't take much for me to realize what it is that I am attracted to in Burning Man as I realized how much of the memories of BM '07 are of the incredible drive I had getting there.
We all probably agree by now that Burning Man is not just one thing - it's not a unanimous philosophy or an agreed upon way of life - it is something very different and personal to each participant.
For me, Burning Man is about getting there and what a release it is from conventional society to extract myself from the "conditioned" way of evaluating my life and putting myself in a context that is more condusive to learning, fascination, wonderment, discovery, sharing, helping and gifting. And for me, that dream - the American Dream that was probably the impetus behind the growth of Route 66 - is without uncertainty, realized for me in transit. Of the many photos that I shot at BM this year, most of those I will display will be of the event. But there were just as many that were shot on my way there, and the route I chose was a chance to experience those places, those memories that are a part of my American Dream.
I think Larry Harvey (and my apologies for trying to quote him as he is probably the last person any of us want to be accused of quoting) said in one of his interviews on the Beyond Black Rock DVD that he may not be certain what that thing is that lures him to Black Rock but he does know that the intellectual and physical journey of getting there is a large part of it.
Like The Green Man theme, Burning Man has followed the 2008 Theme description with a sudo-disclaimer about what it is not supposed to be about in order to get us to arrive more quickly at what they would like it to be. So we understand it's about optimism and individual as well as cultural pursuits. But regradless of what the folks at BM LLC come up with as a theme, I'm still going to make the annual pilgrimage to what I jubilantly referred to as "my Mecca" when I struck the bell at the gates to BRC for the first time.
Yes, for me, The American Dream theme works and I can easily relate to it.

So that's my cut on the 2008 Theme, and I am very curious to see how many different descriptions of the American Dream theme are played out here on the ePlaya over the next 345 days.
See you on the Playa.

http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/560677628KgQiZp

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:22 pm

the american dream is freedom to dream... well put, see you on the playa.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:49 pm

About 250 lbs, most of it fat...!

Well, The American Dream might not have been my choice of a topic, but I think it can be worked with. Anyway, most people choose to ignore the topic, anyway, so who cares?

B.

DeusRegit · Post by **DeusRegit** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:17 pm

BAS, I noticed that, too. Though I did see a lot of art work that was along the Green theme, most camps and playa cars were more likely a reflection of the builder's own philosophies rather than a response to the theme.
Actually, I expected to see a lot more "tree" art on the playa the way they had it billed in the BM newsletter.
It was a difficult theme to live up to - researching how we can improve on the environmental impact of the events. I say that simply because the whole process of the Burning Man pilgrimage - now unofficially at 45,000 people - would not be possible in this day and age without a lot of burning fuel. Not to say there isn't room for improvement.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:39 pm

Unfortunately, I couldn't make 2007. When I attended in 2006, I really didn't see much about The Future: Hope and Fear. (I'm not even certain what some of the exhibits under the Man had to do with the topic, to be honest, even though most of them were pretty cool.)

Yeah, the trip out to the desert does seem to be at odds with the Green theme. Even if you go it with bio-diesel, or wast veggie oil, there still are emissions. (Bio-d and/or wvo might very well be cleaner overall, but still has emissions.) Maybe if someone is running their transportation on hydrogen fuel, or has some sort of electric car with a range longer than any I have heard of... or are bicycling it out there! (How someone could fit a week's worth of supplies on a bicycle, I don't know!)

Maybe I really did do the greenest thing by staying home!

B.

DeusRegit · Post by **DeusRegit** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:08 pm

oh geez, I just read an email from the Exodus/DMV mgr. He's got the attendance for 2007 at around 47,000.

ravenluv · Post by **ravenluv** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 7:58 pm

i'd like to like this theme, but i can't.

but i want to go.

and i don't have oodles of time to waste on writing unheard arguments and pleas to reconsider.

so.....acceptance is inevitable.

nonetheless...if the theme is touched on by the art, it will be about either the wondrousness of america and/or the american dream, or about its failures. or maybe it will be a mere representation of america, one that strives not to make any judgement at all. that would be nice, if not banal.

but the american-themed cynical art will be a drag to those of us who are tired of the cynicism seen outside the event. and the optimistic art - to the degree it identifies with the AMERICAN dream - will come off as patriotic and/or ignorant of the dark things that have been done by this nation. i get plenty of feedback about america and the american dream everywhere else i look. i'm not sure why the place i go to experience something different - something far more beautiful - wants to bring that vibe into it.

oh the irony....

i was near general loofah (?...i'm terrible with names, he might have been a colonel, and maybe not loofah) when he was being interviewed by that dude from the discovery channel. they showed him talking about 'bringing some of burning man back into the world' and how awesome that would be. they also show him yelling at the man : 'why won't you listen to me?!' (or maybe they don't, but it's on my video, so i know it happened)

fine...he was actually putting words in the mouth of mini-man at the time. still, i find it kind of funny in retrospect, even if i had to take it out of context to do so.

more considerations about this theme...

america is arguably one of the most pervasive corporate symbols that now exist. has anyone investigated who popularized the phrase 'the american dream'? if it wasn't advertisers, it's certain that a great many of them have invoked the concept when pushing products deemed indispensable to its realization. america is an entity, like any product or company, and building a theme around it is tantamount to advertising for a specific entity.

in every possible way, this theme is wrong. the only way to make it right, in my obviously not so humble opinion, is to ignore it completely. but is that really going to happen? i doubt it. what will happen? no one knows. maybe we'll be spared and the actual response to it will be very minimal. we won't know unless we go there.

i don't think any of us want the event to be ruined by a bad theme - especially those who hate the theme. but according to the majority of those i've talked to and according to the poll, it is a poorly received theme. generally speaking, majorities have a pretty good sense of when something stinks or not, even when they can't do anything about it. this theme possesses at least some potential to take the charm out of this gathering, and i think that's the real issue here. NOT whether one supports or is inspired by america or not.

holy crap.....how did it ever come to this? must i defend my love of my country in order to keep from being attacked for thinking this is a lousy theme? are we supposed to say 'that is good' merely because it has the word 'american' attached to it? how would you feel if the theme was 'the iraqi dream' or 'the chinese dream'? it not the 'american' part i'm opposed to - it's the use of a defined political entity within the theme that i think is wrong.

alrighty then, back to my regularly scheduled consumption....

CaptainObvious · Post by **CaptainObvious** » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:33 pm

ravenluv wrote:i was near general loofah (?...i'm terrible with names, he might have been a colonel, and maybe not loofah) when he was being interviewed by that dude from the discovery channel. they showed him talking about 'bringing some of burning man back into the world' and how awesome that would be. they also show him yelling at the man : 'why won't you listen to me?!' (or maybe they don't, but it's on my video, so i know it happened).

Hee hee hee... Kernul Killbuck and Jellyfish... General Loofa.. that is priceless!!!

But remember... in 2005, the Man blinked in response.. maybe the fire got his ears this year.

Box Burner · Post by **Box Burner** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:27 am

The American Dream.

Is that so difficult? A simple statement. The barest form of information, devoid of content. If it helps, say it this way:

The American Dream?

For indeed such a simple statement begs to ask a question. Ahhh... but what is the question. Is the Statement the answer? Or is it the question? Certainly it needs to be defined. Is the American Dream just for Americans? Which ones, North Americans or South Americans? Is it the same for everyone? So what is the question? And what is the answer? I think I know the answer. It is 42.

So what is the question?

DeusRegit · Post by **DeusRegit** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:28 am

42...
I knew it.

joel the ornery · Post by **joel the ornery** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:49 am

i'm glad larry and the llc gave us damn near a year to grouse about the theme.

Rabbi Dali Rick · Post by **Rabbi Dali Rick** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:14 am

Somehow I'm visioning Big busted Blondes holding mugs of frosty beer, reclining next to an oversized infinity pool, while my accountant is counting my money in front of me with one of those money machines, all while I'm holding a Havana Cigar being lit by 2 half naked 21 yo Thai hookers, with $100 bills....

did I leave anything out?....

the rebbi

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:30 am

Rabbi Dali Rick wrote:Somehow I'm visioning Big busted Blondes holding mugs of frosty beer, reclining next to an oversized infinity pool, while my accountant is counting my money in front of me with one of those money machines, all while I'm holding a Havana Cigar being lit by 2 half naked 21 yo Thai hookers, with $100 bills....

did I leave anything out?....

the rebbi

Dunno, replace the cigar with something else (like, say, a waterpipe), and toss in a massage, and it all sounds good to me!

If that is your theme camp, I might be spending a whole lot of time there!

B.

Zulegoona · Post by **Zulegoona** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:10 pm

Dreams, in general seem like they could be provocative of all forms of expression from any number of angles and viewpoints. the 2008 art theme is â€œAmerican Dreamâ€

ravenluv · Post by **ravenluv** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 12:17 pm

CaptainObvious wrote:Hee hee hee... Kernul Killbuck and Jellyfish... General Loofa.. that is priceless!!!

But remember... in 2005, the Man blinked in response.. maybe the fire got his ears this year.

ha! i knew i was wrong! i inherited mom's gift for mangling names i can't remember...

yeah...i caught that blink on video. it was a great moment. and what a wonderful man and base that year!

so now i'm wondering, who the hell is general loofah?

Box Burner · Post by **Box Burner** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:34 pm

You are right Zule. It is "American Dream". And it is individual in nature. Each persons dream is different, but there are some common elements. Knowing what the common elements are and supporting them makes every dream possible.

DeusRegit · Post by **DeusRegit** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:59 pm

Thank - you - Zulegoona.

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:18 pm

FWIW, I think Zulegoona has the right attitude about 2008's theme. Creative interpretation of the theme is the way to go.

B.

Swinkdaddy · Post by **Swinkdaddy** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:42 am

When I first heard the theme, I thought "WTF??". On the drive home to Minnesota my wife and I took the longer, back roads path back and those long windy roads got me thinking on the subject of this years theme. Still griping loudly about the theme, we rolled through the Rocky Mountains Nation park, and I had a change of heart. "Why the hell not!?", we can piss on it, cheer it in, utterly ignore it, and it still does not matter to the "event" that is burning man... Hating the idea is even more exciting than loving it. I mean it is america, and we dont give a damn, right? Prove it...

I say grab the idea and run with it, the only enemy we have left that can truly terrify us. is boredom...

jcpryor · Post by **jcpryor** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:55 pm

Ok, I shoulda said something earlier, cuz I got the perfect theme for 2008 and it ain't the AmuriKKKan Dream. So sorry if there's momentum for going in the wrong direction, but changes must come. The nature of art is a constant struggle between dynamic and static. BM has become too static. The center has solidified. In my view from the jungle, all the real action is away from the bigg suckcessfool icons of the Amurikkkan Dream in the center. At least artistically speaking

But enough carping. Positive vibe here. What is to be done? What idea to counter this grasping greedy Amurikkkan Dream? How do you follow Green? What could possibly evolve from being Green? Is this concern about our effects on the planet a passing fad? A buncha ideas we try for a while cuz its infashion at the time? A concept we give lip service to by tossing our beer cans into a seperate metallic container in our RV?

Or is it realler than the morality of metal?

Because if its realler, its more alive and if its alive, then it should grow organically. And what, my campers, does green grow into? Green turns Brown.

2008 is the year of the Brown Man. Brown the color of dust, in which we all swim. Dust from which we were made and dust to which we all return, big and small, rich and poor, winners and losers. Dust. Dust which binds more and more of us together as I'm amazed at how many vehicles I see in my hometown and on the freeways with that all too familiar coating of playa dust.

And to go with my Theme, I have a theme camp and propsal for theme man - the man of dust - the camp of mud.

The man stands short and squat - he presides over a hole in the playa, the hole which yielded the stuff of his existence. He is fully iconoclastic, he is immolated on the last day, like his brother who burns, but the man of dust is immolated by a different element - water. Contributing no carbon (another dust!) to the atmosphere, the backhoes which dig him run on biodiesel and the water which washes him away in the end is the water standing readiness at the burn.

And the theme camp will focus on how much life there is when you mix water and dust. How much fun can you have with mud baths and mud masks and mud wrestling for all?

Moving mud means holes. Holes produce caves. In-ground shelter is demonstrably the most cost effective, energy-efficient way to live in the desert. Out of stinging winds, intense heat or chilling cold.

The artistic possibilities are endless.

We have three dimensions to express ourselves, to play in. One direction, down, is being ignored.

The Brown Man. Embrace him and all will be good.

Rabbi Dali Rick · Post by **Rabbi Dali Rick** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:10 pm

Bring On The Broads...........

the rebbi

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:13 pm

The American Dream is Over, Bring on the Antarctic Dream!

B.

Rabbi Dali Rick · Post by **Rabbi Dali Rick** » Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:41 am

You know it's bad when the numbers of homeless passes the numbers of the national debt.

Who's dreaming now bitch?....

the rebbi

bobalou · Post by **bobalou** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:22 pm

[quote]"The man stands short and squat - he presides over a hole in the playa, the hole which yielded the stuff of his existence. He is fully iconoclastic, he is immolated on the last day, like his brother who burns, but the man of dust is immolated by a different element - water. Contributing no carbon (another dust!) to the atmosphere, the backhoes which dig him run on biodiesel and the water which washes him away in the end is the water standing readiness at the burn." [/quote]

This is a great idea, but needs some tweaking form the practical point of view. You can NOT dig a hole in the Playa. Other than post holes. There are other "interest groups" who use the Playa, and one of them is land sailors. We used to dig holes out there, like to put a generator in so it would be quieter, but the problem is, after the winter flooding, and no matter how well you fill it in, you end up with a small depression. Which plays havoc with a really fast sail vehicle.

Since DPW digs about a gazillion post holes for all the infastrucure, maybe you could collect what they dig up. Somehow, that seems to also tie the man of dust in closer to the roots of the city, than if you just dig him straight out of the Playa.

Bobalou

jcpryor · Post by **jcpryor** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:06 pm

Thanks for engaging with me on this idea, Bobalu, This year was my virgin year so I'm sure there are a lot of obstacles I haven't thought through...

but all in all, I'm sure heavy equipment including compactors and steamrollers (what an archaic term!) could recreate a road surface of proper specification.

But I have a completely 'nother idea that I'd like to run by you since you seem like an open-minded guy who's been around a while ...

As I was leaving the playa this year, I noticed the souce of all them train whistles. I was like, dude.

How much would it cost to build a spur line? Leasing track isn't that expensie and some people even buy their own rail cars and take their friends on jaunts. It would sure ease up the congestion and carbon footprint of this event if everybody and everything came in on a train.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:47 pm

The train idea has been bandied about, but no one has ever done it. Probably not cost effective to only use it once a year, and laying track into a lake (which the playa is in wet winters) does seem kinda stupid.

Here's some earlier thoughts on the subject.

Aiee! It burns! · Post by **Aiee! It burns!** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 9:50 am

Why do you hate America?

jcpryor · Post by **jcpryor** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 12:10 pm

well, I wouldn't want to smack a dead pony, but... a few thoughts occur:

we wouldn't need to bring tracks onto the playa, just a switch and a siding would do.

Some of the cost might be ameliorated by the use year round of freighting the nearby gypsum production via rail instead of trucks.

Even though BM is a once-a-year event, its status as prototypical experimental platform has long lasting and world-wide influence.

even tho once a year, its a lot of people and its (hopefully) a lot of years.

it'd be cool and fun.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 1:03 pm

After I posted that link, I read it more carefully. I think why I dropped the issue those years ago was reading that the people who do use the rail line have to deal with the fact that their car may get stuck on a siding somewhere as the railroad deals with other frieght they are giving higher priority. If it's already not working small scale, I see no reason to scale up. YMMV

jcpryor · Post by **jcpryor** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 2:11 pm

crypto, you make an excellent point about the failure of trains in America..
Its a cryn shame how such a supposedly advanced society as ours can't even build a decent rail connection across the continenent. almost gives credence to the notion we faked the moon landing.... I mean if we can't even today... mutter mutter.

So I guess that's why I'd like to try. To understand the impediments a bit better. Perhaps raise consciousness towards nationalizing rails - or even better, the whole info-transpo infrastructure.

but there I go again, dreaming that american dream, that ridiculous dream that any individual or group could possibly have some impact upon the nation. And we all have to admit, that dream is dead,no?

So all in all, I'm glad the BM bigwigs came up with this American Dream theme. It gives me orientation for the event. You'll see me there, I'll be the guy walking bakwards, looking outwards and away from the symbolic representation of something that can be honored in no other way.

You don't dance with your mom at her funeral and it looks too weird to try.

Weighing in on 2008: "The American Dream"

Weighing in on 2008: "The American Dream"

ignoring the theme

Official Unofficial Attendance for 2007

Resistance Is Futile

Re: Resistance Is Futile

........New and Improved.........

Re: ........New and Improved.........

Re: Resistance Is Futile

The price of admission...

weighing in heavy, weighing in late

Bye, Bye, Miss American Pie..........

......... Mostly Not All Here ............

trains planes and automobiles