how do you define "burner"?

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 6:58 pm

> Sheesh. That's why I said dichotomy. Actually, that's not accurate either.

But that's precisely why I responded to your post. I don't think, the
overwhelming whiteness notwithstanding, that Burning Man attendees can
effectively be categorized or described in any useful detail. Your
description holds for some burners, but not many others. And I'm really
not sure attempting to describe burners as a group serves any particular
purpose.

I do, however, find discussing individual experience quite useful. This is
what it means to me is quantifiable, whereas this is what it means to
everyone is not.

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 9:25 pm

I do, however, find discussing individual experience quite useful. This is
what it means to me is quantifiable, whereas this is what it means to
everyone is not.

This would seem to be ultimately the only rule that fits my own life experiences to this point. After all, the only person I can really speak for is myself. And even that is questionable, since sometimes what I thought I thought is often not what I thought at all.

This is exactly the point of view I was attempting to project in the “ACK” thread... only my own take on it so far. Of course you know that I haven’t been yet, but I’ve certainly seen enough to make me know for certain that I want to be there (get to know me and I think you’ll better understand). But I fear I didn’t communicate it well enough, or some didn’t understand what I wrote. If I upset anyone, please know it was not my intention. I hope you understand this.

I feel that Burning Man will be, at least for myself, another one of those experiences that defy description. With the things I’ve been a part of so far that fall into that category, suffice it to say, “It simply is”. And the more it is discussed here, the more I ‘m unsure that I like the term “burner”. It seems increasingly more narrow, at least to me. Does that make sense?

Perhaps I will just stick with Brothers and Sisters...

Hmmmm....

III · Post by **III** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 9:31 pm

>>one of those experiences that defy description

kinda. a lot of people have managed to describe *their* experience pretty darn well. it's just that trying to present those experiences as universal will fail.

btw, words work a whole lot better than pictures for this...

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 10:58 pm

yeah... I think that’s what I was trying to say...

I guess I was thinking of the question, “what is it?” rather than “what happened while you were there?”

precipitate · Post by **precipitate** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 11:47 pm

It's just a fucking, camping, trip.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 8:07 am

With, too, many, "commas."

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:19 am

It's just a tripping, camping, fuck.

or a tripping, fucking, camp.

Sometimes I get just a little confused.

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 9:37 am

>>With, too, many, "commas."

err, no. though you might debate the gerundification of fucking & camping...

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 11:54 am

Despite what our DC friend writes, I would debate the prevalence or increasing use of the term "burner". Checking my email cache, I see 121 cites from 2003, 145 from 2002, 145 from 2001, and 35 from 2000. Looks like we might have met the crest of the jargon curve, albeit that it was only a cursory GIGO search.

Context is important. I never use the term seriously, and typically walk away or scroll past when I encounter it. It's just plain sloppy shorthand for "dedicated/over-excited/chronic Burning Man participants". To the uninitiated, it would have to be meaningless, or maybe imply a casual sort of pyromania. But whenever I roll it over in my head, I keep hearing "special costume & glowstick discounts for burners!!!".

In future BmanUpdates, I'd suggest avoiding such jargon -- and can we spell out "Bman" so we don't get confused with that guy on "The Simpsons"?

Post by **actiongrl** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:24 pm

Well, if you hankered for a single word to address the crowd on the JRS, what would you use? And don't say "people".

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:44 pm

actiongrl wrote:Well, if you hankered for a single word to address the crowd on the JRS, what would you use? And don't say "people".

Actiongrl,

I belive I see steam comming out of some ears here. so much so that I dont belive you shall get an answer.

anyhoo,

Why is it that Mr. Harvey has a problem with the name "Burner"?
Is it a commercial thing?

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:50 pm

>>if you hankered for a single word to address the crowd on the JRS

y'all.

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:51 pm

or all'sy'alls

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:51 pm

damn edit function. i'm quite sure the only people who don't miss it are illiterate...

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:53 pm

III wrote:damn edit function. i'm quite sure the only people who don't miss it are illiterate...

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 12:55 pm

Trey,

I totally underestimated you.

You truley are great.

seriously.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:06 pm

stereotyping again III? i'm not surprised.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:17 pm

Single word? What was wrong w/ "participants"?

"Burners" sounds like someone running around w/ their shoelaces on fire, in a de facto sense.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:18 pm

Snore.

<PLONK!>

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:20 pm

right on que badger

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:33 pm

actiongrl wrote:Well, if you hankered for a single word to address the crowd on the JRS, what would you use? And don't say "people".

Simple.

Cheese.

It's plural and singular. There's American cheese and French cheese, smoked cheese, dry and hard cheese, and soft and wet cheese. There are so many different types of cheese, that anyone can be their own cheese.

You could say things like, "He/she's Gouda." or
"Geez, what a Muenster."

Or if you didn't like someone, you could call them a processed cheese food (eeeeeeeewwwwww).

I'm kind of a Stilton myself.
Plus I like the idea of the JRS starting out with
Well hello again cheese. It's that time again.

Oh wait, that was just a silly thread drift, wasn't it?
Alright. I refuse to call anyone something like, "A Burning Manner", "A Burning Man Participant", or "Someone-that-has-been-to-Burning-Man-and-it-is-now-consuming-them-in-a-different-kind-of-way-depending-upon-the-individual's-personality-but-definately-not-someone-that-has-been-once-and-was-not-impressed-and-won't-go-again."

Burner's fine. And if it happened of its own accord, then it is simply another example of how a language changes. I don't recall ever reading or hearing something that specifically made me start using the term, but I hear it quite a bit when referring to the crowd. I use it myself and it doesn't bother me, so I'll continue to use it. It has a more positive connotation than Yuppie or Dink, and it makes sense and is somewhat obvious what group of people that you're talking about. Those funky naked people over there painted bright pink with the shotguns and glow sticks.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:53 pm

I certainly wouldn't interfere w/ anybody's experience w/ the term in question, but I prefer usage that translates well outside the in-crowd, if meant for general consumption & comprehension.

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 1:58 pm

Perhaps I will just stick with Brothers and Sisters...

Are you aware that Brother and Sister are how mormons address each other? I was raised LDS, and as a child, I wasn't familiar with how to use Mr. and Mrs. as titles. I thought every adult was a Brother Smith or a Sister Jones.

Just revisiting childhood nightmares.

Cheesily,
Anti M

III · Post by **III** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 2:06 pm

>>single word to address the crowd on the JRS

maybe "ravers"?

(oh wait - most of them can't read...)

LeChatNoir · Post by **LeChatNoir** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 2:11 pm

Greetings Cheese,

I like it...

Diggin’ all the sub categories and various connotations.

And nice, avatar, Rob... I’m a little envious.

Trey, you forgot "youin's"

AntiM, that’s interesting. Glad to have dredged up some muck from the bottom of the well for you. Many of the “old time” religions in Appalachia use the same terminology. No Mr. or Mrs. either. I was raised Episcopal, so I have issues of my own. But at least beer is not a problem.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Tue Mar 30, 2004 3:27 pm

Mis-fired that plonk. But it's a moot point now.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:35 am

My favorite memory of a burner comes from the days when they would wander off to Fly Geyser.....
If you walk on travertine terraces you can feel that they are hollow. A fellow, naked, painted with body paint, was doing a performance art dance thing on the travertine terrace, he knew he was really cool. When to his horror, he broke through to the boiling water below. He shot into the air like toast from a super toaster... screaming..

To me he defines the BM experience as he was, indeed a burning man

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 6:43 am

BRR,

Your Idiom has truely fit the catagory of witty in my book.

That was really very funny.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 10:54 am

Boiner= BRC citizen originally from Louisiana

Bahneh=" " Massachusets

Berrnerr=" " Michigan

Bohhnohh=" " Georgia

.......and so on.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Thu Apr 01, 2004 3:15 pm

"burner" means exactly what I intend it to mean, no more, no less.

how do you define "burner"?

All y'alluns

d