How do you explain what a Burner is to a Texas Redneck

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:10 pm

On another forum, one for Jeep owners, I asked "Any Burners here? I'm curious if anyone has taken their Jeep to Burning Man. If so, did you do anything special to it to protect it from being playatized."

I didn't get a direct answer to my question but there were a number of people that hadn't heard about Burning Man. One of the responders posted the URL to the Burning Man site. Another did a copy and paste from the BM site. And of course someone posted a picture from the Critical Tits Parade so you can imagine where the thread went from there. I haven't responded to any of the posts. There were a few people that tried to explain it but apparantly this guy has no idea. How WOULD one respond to him?

"OK! Is anyone else following this? I've tried reading the stuff on the website and......

When I read the title and first post I thought: "Why is this guy starting a thread about HITTING THE BONG?"

Then I tried to learn more from the web and it seems like I need to be "Half Lit" to understand it.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade (tits or not) but, can someone tell me what the hell a Burner is? Can you please keep it in Texas Redneck Terms so this Texas Redneck can understand?"

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:48 pm

Something close to a god and Bozo the clown

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:08 pm

it's sort of like explaining swimming to someone who's never been wet.....

you gotta go, you gotta experience, before, you can understand.....

this is just IMHO, understand......and, for each, it's different.......

This group, above most, is mostly impossible to categorize.

Don't try. Just be.

Sorry this sounds so vaporous.....but, really.........

There are threads dealing with this, and, I think, you'll find, no clear answer.

good luck, grasshopper.........

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:18 pm

I'm almost tempted to do a cut and paste from your answer to the Jeep forum. That would shake him up.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:20 pm

you can add my photo, if, it'd help:

gaminwench · Post by **gaminwench** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:53 pm

most rednecks I know (I grew up in Lubbock, Tx) would respond positively to...
"We go out to the remote desert, make really BIG bonfires, drive modded LARGE vehicles, play with SERIOUS pyro, blow HUGE stuff up...
and we have LOTS of all-you-can drink-for-FREE-24/7 saloons, a drive-by SHOOTing range, and world's largest collection of NAKED TITS in captivity;
there's also Art and hippies...but you can avoid that, if you try..."

good luck with that...

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:23 pm

We have a winner! I posted your response as being from a Redneck in Lubbock. Should be interesting to see what his response will be.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:07 am

I don't generally use the word "burner" except around other burners, as most people think it refers to pot.

On a forum, I'd link to the 10 principles and one of the better articles about it (ie, not going on and on about nudity and drugs).

You can't really explain it - well, you can, but then I could, and somebody else could, and all of our "definitions" wouldn't necessarily add up.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:19 am

it's a cult.

Just like the Dallas Cowboys.

Larry is just like Tom Landry, and Crimson is just like Roger Staubach.

pretty easy, huh.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:08 am

It's like a Tractor Pull, only weirder.

cowboyangel · Post by **cowboyangel** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 10:27 am

http://texas-review.blogspot.com

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:26 am

It's just a camping trip in the desert.

swampdog · Post by **swampdog** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:36 am

Funny thing is, as I drive through the outback towards Bman I see all kinds of weird shit off by the side of the road.

I think people who live far outside of the mainstream tend to be independent, creative, self contained sorts of people. So I think in redneck terms it might be something like:

You know crazy Uncle Henry who lives way out on that dirt road, who used to throw those wild parties where everybody looked like Willie Nelson and they'd have a big bonfire? Yeah, Uncle Henry who stacks up old slabs of tractor parts and welds them together? Well, half of Burning Man is people like Uncle Henry, another half are stone hippies, and the other half is people looking for a hell of a party, and everybody else is just crazy.

chiefdanfox · Post by **chiefdanfox** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:52 pm

this was the best description I could find:

gaminwench · Post by **gaminwench** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:01 pm

Geo...I'm happy you could use my blather, but I must point out that, while I spent 18 formative years in Lubbock, I am NOT a redneck - I just know quite a few!

geospyder · Post by **geospyder** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 4:05 pm

Me neither!

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:33 pm

Lessee...

A progressive pseudo-hippie raver invasion in the outskirts of Marfa? About right...

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:45 pm

C.f.M. wrote:I don't generally use the word "burner" except around other burners, as most people think it refers to pot.

On a forum, I'd link to the 10 principles and one of the better articles about it (ie, not going on and on about nudity and drugs).

You can't really explain it - well, you can, but then I could, and somebody else could, and all of our "definitions" wouldn't necessarily add up.

That's a thought.
I've used the term just as code that would be recognized by anyone that knows.
No one has ever commented on it.

I tell people about BIG FIRE and open spaces, endless choices and not enough time, high explosives and bunny ears.
I just say it's an arts festival in the desert.
That's crazy enough for most of them.

Only people that get it, that aren't born to burn, are rednecks.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:24 pm

gyre wrote:
Only people that get it, that aren't born to burn, are rednecks.

Really ???

What about those with Chronic bronchitis or extreme dust allergies ?

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:28 pm

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:29 pm

Think about it.

justfred · Post by **justfred** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 2:39 am

It's just a bigger version of Flipside. http://www.burningflipside.com/

I'd think the most succinct redneck explanation would be "Buncha f'n hippies."

OP, people on the expedition forum I'm on http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/ seem to understand it. But they are pretty negative toward the Rainbow folx.

Then again, I'm one of those who thinks "protect" ... "jeep" (or other offroad vehicle) is an oxymoron. Sure, you can protect the diffs and door sills from rock damage, but a little dust? Pfeh. That's what they're made for. Don't drive it during windstorms. Don't use it to anchor otherwise catastrophic shade structures. If it has a top, doors, etc (why have a jeep, and) keep them closed. When you get home, have it washed and interior-cleaned (once a year, whether it needs it or not), good as old.