Alternative theme for 2008: The Participant

Zhust · Post by **Zhust** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 6:01 am

What is a participant? What is participation? How does it work? Why do people participate?

The 10 Principles includes Participation and describes it thusly: "Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart."

So from that, a Participant at Burning Man would be one who embodies Participation. The Participant looks to self and digs deeply to find the answers. The Participant's actions are a manifestation of self. The Participant works. The Participant plays. The Participant acts to reveal the heart.

The Participant uses the medium of action to create a self-portrait. They tap into their life experience to find the moments when they acted most like who they are. The Participant collects those moments and distills them into a picture of action that is self. The Participant constructs, dances, acts, moves, ... is -- all in the name of self. The Participant fulfills the self through this.

The Participant is not just an outer projection of self, but a manifestation self. A person is not just a thing in the world, but the result of a life of experience. The Participant shines light on that heart and makes it seen. They open to reveal an inner being.

The Participant follows the 10 Principles as guideposts. The Participant is everyone. The Participant gives self. The Participant is not a product. The Participant relies on the self. The Participant expresses self. The Participant is community. The Participant is responsible. The Participant leaves no trace. The Participant is now. The Participant participates.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 9:49 am

I am building a Participant in my garage. It will run off of solar power and ethanol.

Zhust · Post by **Zhust** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 10:55 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:I am building a Participant in my garage. It will run off of solar power and ethanol.

Cool. Remember: if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitant.

Close enough.

EricMagic · Post by **EricMagic** » Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:46 pm

Hmmm, this seems like a new experiment course at a university.

If it is free maybe, but if it costs money, can you co-sign my loan?

Alternative theme for 2008: The Participant

Alternative theme for 2008: The Participant

Wow