So uh, how do you describe Burning Man to people?

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 12:51 pm

"So uh, how do you describe Burning Man"

I dont know why I've spent so much time thinking about this question. Probally because it's a good question, and the only thing I've come up with is something that is not to generalize Burners .......... well maybe most.

Here goes;

To me IMVHO, Burningman is, Witty folks having a really witty time doing some pretty witty things with thier witty minds durring a witty time of the year at a very witty place in Nevada. Wittingly speaking of course.

I tried.

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 12:54 pm

The Superbowl of Superweird

Silver · Post by **Silver** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 3:55 pm

The ones that I repeat depending on my impression of who is asking

a place where you can go psychotic and neither you nor anyone else will notice

Let’s put it this way, on Monday a green bunny with flashing red horns scampered up to me out of the darkness, kissed me and scampered away. On Monday that was ‘Holy shit, Wow’, by Wednesday it was 'What! no tongue?'

A neighbor came by one day; he said “You know; (long pause) you can see everything in the world here.” Long pause; “I just saw a naked midget go by on a motorized scooter”. Long pause; “Never saw a naked midget before.” And then he just wandered away.

Rob the Wop · Post by **Rob the Wop** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 4:22 pm

Silver wrote: Long pause; “Never saw a naked midget before.” And then he just wandered away.

Gentleman just needs to rent the right porn. Or the wrong porn.

ramen · Post by **ramen** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 6:56 pm

A drug-fueled, drunken orgy full of crazed hippies wearing glow-in-the-dark clothes and careerning around on motorized art platforms.

They burn a giant figure in effigy while worshipping his demise. Satanistic practices mixed with paganistic rites of mortification.

Oh, and bring your own water.

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 5:40 am

A county fair, designed by Terry Gilliam.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 3:46 pm

The best way to remember to stop wearing white.

P-Mobius · Post by **P-Mobius** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 6:57 pm

digging into my archives, ive unearthed Black Rock Gazette volume 8, sunday sept 5, 1999

and while Piss Clear has by far been my favorite read on the playa over the years,
an anonymous chap developed a "phrase generator" for this BRG issue which gives you a swell ole time making up descriptions for bman if ya ever want a new slant on describing the beast

youve got four columns and 20 lines---so theoretically 160,000 combos

you can pick and choose, or of couse bust out the dusty isocahedric 20-sided die and roll away randomly
heres some examples--
BURNING MAN IS A:

crypto boho cyber freakfest
pyro psycho apocalyptic orgy
homo deadhead dada confab
meta erotic satanic powwow
intervisionary ecstatic mindmeld
antiarchaic nerdo narcissistic conspiracy
postdruidic postmodern preprimordial premenstral glyptoglyphic Om circle
etc etc

its fun...of course after a few runs through the phrase generator one starts spewing and morphing new and unorthodoxly quixotic combos

in fact --it time for an updating this year
black rock citizens--keep your eyes peeled--

Dan D. Lyon · Post by **Dan D. Lyon** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 2:14 am

P-Mobius wrote:digging into my archives, ive unearthed Black Rock Gazette volume 8, sunday sept 5, 1999

and while Piss Clear has by far been my favorite read on the playa over the years,
an anonymous chap developed a "phrase generator" for this BRG issue which gives you a swell ole time making up descriptions for bman if ya ever want a new slant on describing the beast

youve got four columns and 20 lines---so theoretically 160,000 combos

you can pick and choose, or of couse bust out the dusty isocahedric 20-sided die and roll away randomly
heres some examples--
BURNING MAN IS A:

crypto boho cyber freakfest
pyro psycho apocalyptic orgy
homo deadhead dada confab
meta erotic satanic powwow
intervisionary ecstatic mindmeld
antiarchaic nerdo narcissistic conspiracy
postdruidic postmodern preprimordial premenstral glyptoglyphic Om circle
etc etc

its fun...of course after a few runs through the phrase generator one starts spewing and morphing new and unorthodoxly quixotic combos

in fact --it time for an updating this year
black rock citizens--keep your eyes peeled--

Here's a working version:
http://www.burningman.com/press/myths.html#generator

I think Stuart Mangram is the originator (one of the pioneers of the BR Gazette).

glam_daddy · Post by **glam_daddy** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:23 am

seen on a sign driving into black rock city:

If this is your first time to burning man, no explination is possible.

If you are returning home, no explination is necissasr.

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 3:06 pm

DVD Burner wrote:"So uh, how do you describe Burning Man"

I dont know why I've spent so much time thinking about this question. Probally because it's a good question, and the only thing I've come up with is something that is not to generalize Burners .......... well maybe most.

Uh, Why?

One must go and seek out the prophets themselves.

A II Z

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Wed May 26, 2004 12:25 am

For co-workers and gym friends curious about vacation plans, its simply "I'm going to the Black Rock City Arts Festival!", said with much enthusiasm and as if everybody OF COURSE knows what that is. Occasionally somebody's eyes light up and I know there is one with whom I can share the secret wonders.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 26, 2004 1:34 am

Image gallery.

Malochango · Post by **Malochango** » Wed May 26, 2004 11:28 am

Why would you want to tell anyone about Burningman? Obviously if they don't know about it yet they don't need to. don't confuse them. Keep it a secret. We're doing fine without them.

DangerMouse · Post by **DangerMouse** » Wed May 26, 2004 2:25 pm

So far when dealing with most of my friends I've figured out that the Fight Club rules work well.

The first rule of Burning Man: You do not talk about Burning Man.
The second rule of Burning Man: You do not talk about Burning Man.

My wife still insists I'm going to Birmingham, and then asks me why I'm going.

My response, as it always has been in such situations, is simply: It's something I want to do at least once. I've followed this board since about '97.

When people ask me I tell them: It's like a giant McDonald's playground filled with the oddest sort of art and behavior imaginable. They'll even let you supsersize your happymeal.

Of course I have no idea what I'm talking about as this will be my first trip home.

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:14 pm

DM,
you've known about the event for 7 years?
make this the year to go. it's better than you think.

of course if your other half won't let you, then that's a bag of worms in itself. DTB and go.
-b

DangerMouse · Post by **DangerMouse** » Wed May 26, 2004 9:27 pm

Oh I'm going. Already have the ticket.

scotto · Post by **scotto** » Thu May 27, 2004 9:11 am

What is...What it was...What it shall be...

Burning Man is a 29-hour a day party for a week...

It is about looking at your 'Box' and deciding if it must remain a Square.

It has shown me that building 'Community' takes effort, shared effort...

...bringing multitudes of people together from divergent parts of the Globe and creating a shared safe space to learn and grow together

The Playa is about discovery of self...

...The discovery of those we just met or those we have known for a lifetime

Only 94 Days till we BURN!!!!
Scotto

burnerboy33 · Post by **burnerboy33** » Thu May 27, 2004 2:47 pm

When I asked the question befor my first year I got this simple answer:

"It's woodstock meets mad max, beyond thunderdome"

Toque · Post by **Toque** » Thu May 27, 2004 3:52 pm

I like to say: "it's Nevada's fifth-largest city -- and it exists for only one week a year."

Usually that comes somewhere after mentions of flame cannons, nudity, art car, Kabuki Bondage Theatre, website referrals, etc.

But yeah, it's just a fucking camping trip is always a good one.

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Thu May 27, 2004 7:43 pm

I asked a friend about going the other day. She said, "Isn't that a bunch of naked people and orgies? Why would I want to pay that much to see that?" I said, "Well there's that, plus there's a bunch of participatory art and dancing, and there's no commerce at all, except for buying ice and coffee." So now she wants to come.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat May 29, 2004 1:12 am

No one had to describe much to me to get me interested. I'd already been all over the rest of the western desert, friends of mine had gone for a few years, and eventually they tricked me into helping them do a little plumbing.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Sat May 29, 2004 1:14 am

As for describing it to "people" -- the less said, the better.

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Sat May 29, 2004 1:23 am

Bob wrote:No one had to describe much to me to get me interested. I'd already been all over the rest of the western desert, friends of mine had gone for a few years, and eventually they tricked me into helping them do a little plumbing.

Jeez I hate to say this but seems you and I have something in common there.

I got tricked into doing sound my first time to the BRC. ( and I got paid to go. That included hotel and travel.)

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Sat May 29, 2004 7:45 pm

sparkletarte wrote:I asked a friend about going the other day. She said, "Isn't that a bunch of naked people and orgies? Why would I want to pay that much to see that?" I said, "Well there's that, plus there's a bunch of participatory art and dancing, and there's no commerce at all, except for buying ice and coffee." So now she wants to come.

Yep, bet it was the nakedness and orgies that really interested her, but paying to see "ART" now that's classy and so socially acceptable!

Better let her see this first and if she still wants to come, she BM's kind of art lover: http://www.modernpirate.com/burn.html

A II Z

magnus greel · Post by **magnus greel** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:02 am

I have to avoid reading very much of all this because of a bad eye disorder, but after pages one and four, I wonder, is there any great or worthwhile experience that can't possibly be described by anybody? Not even partially? I'd also say that no great experience can be reduced down to just words, but there ought to be someplace inbetween.

I ask because I came here to try to connect with people despite my not being able to go to BM. My body systems, especially my nervous system, are on a hair-trigger, and react severely to most of the world, but mainly light and petrochemical-based substances. This sort of thing isolates you, so I feed various words into search engines hoping to find groups to connect with... the main trouble has been that I can't come up with any words that describe what I'm looking for. Lately I've tried "Burning Man", "surrealism", and "SubGenius".

I don't know what else to say. I have to start posting here, but can't find a proper entry point. I can't comment on most of the specific things people bring up about this or that thing that happened at BM.

I came to this section hoping for discussion of the meaning of it... that doesn't seem to be what the threads are about though. It all has to mean something, right? And we have this very flexible, useful English language that can reach toward some very difficult-to-characterize experiences.

It's not the same old dreamy, pretentious, empty, New Age-y type of thing, is it, where people feel good about themselves by believing in pre-packaged "meaning", which doesn't really result in real, human , original thoughts or feelings about themselves, or the world?

If it's just a party, that's good. I'd just sort of like to know.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:49 am

it is really plastic. There are so many varieties of experience there that it is quite troubling to ask one person, or even twenty, in order to get a feel. It is potential. It is chaotic. It is what you make it, no really. It is also a huge party, unless of course you have lots of work to do while there. Then it is a huge work party. Some call that angle 'working man'.

if you can't make the event, for whatever reason, but are still interested in the community, try to connect with burners in your area. We are legion.

Last Real Burner · Post by **Last Real Burner** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:00 am

"Describing Burning Man to Someone."

Good Luck!

mr.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:40 am

friends of mine had gone for a few years, and eventually they tricked me into helping them do a little plumbing.

I know you were there before Chicken John pulled his little playa wide plumbing prank.

magnus greel · Post by **magnus greel** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:12 pm

stuart, et al--- 'plastic' as in 'flexible' I guess rather than empty and fake?

If you take a few hundred steps back and view the whole thing at one time, there must in the vaguest sense be something that all the various experiences of BM have in common.

I mean, I'm sure you can throw around a few adjectives about what it definitely isn't, so it isn't all totally random and chaotic, so there should be words for what it is. It's not conformist I would guess, it's not... hell I don't know. Worth trying to figure out, sounds like.

So uh, how do you describe Burning Man to people?

the Frase Jenerator

Re: the Frase Jenerator

Be Real!

Tell people about Burningman?

What is Burning Man to me?

bit cryptic, but a fave image

~

Re: ~

........No, I mean alone....as in, You Leave......