Center Camp: Time for a change?

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:59 pm

Imagine if there was no center camp? No place to buy something with currency? No geographical superiority? What if Burning Man LLC just left that space blank? Imagine. It isn't hard, if you try.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:00 pm

Imagine if there was no center camp? No place to buy something with currency? No geographical superiority? What if Burning Man LLC just left that space blank? Imagine. It isn't hard, if you try.

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:27 am

Chai Guy wrote:Imagine if there was no center camp? No place to buy something with currency? No geographical superiority? What if Burning Man LLC just left that space blank? Imagine. It isn't hard, if you try.

i question whether any spot has geopgraphical superiority... that is defined by one's perspective... and most perspectives being different...

blank space... i believe it would be filled, similar in properties like a vacuum... it would suck you in... (Godfather III reference)

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:28 am

Chai Guy wrote:Imagine if there was no center camp? No place to buy something with currency? No geographical superiority? What if Burning Man LLC just left that space blank? Imagine. It isn't hard, if you try.

i question whether any spot has geopgraphical superiority... that is defined by one's perspective... and most perspectives being different...

blank space... i believe it would be filled, similar in properties like a vacuum... it would suck you in... (Godfather III reference)

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:31 am

i really did not mean to post twice.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 12:41 pm

I find it a more practical excersise to simply not go there.

KellY · Post by **KellY** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:16 pm

Lord, this debate gets old.

There is one thing I'd like to say about the Cafe that makes it one of the coolest places ever, especially if you've ever had to work a service job: If some jerk in line is giving a counterperson lip because it takes longer than 8 seconds for their Decalf Soy Mocha Thingy to appear, the counterperson is not only allowed but encouraged to tell that person to shut up and behave or go to the back of the line. No cringing "customer is always right" obsequiessness here. The goal is to provide a service, NOT to make enough for the owner to buy their spouse a new SUV, and we don't care whether we get your money or not.

It makes our servers very happy. It doesn't mean they get to be rude themselves, but it does mean they get to have fun and not endure assholes because they're afraid of losing their job. Too bad all commercial transactions aren't like that.

Ranger Mickey · Post by **Ranger Mickey** » Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:23 pm

Not to rag on Larry's anti-vending thang, but Burning Man just hasn't been the same since vending (in general) stopped. In the good old days sanctioned vending around Center Camp just *made* the event.

The times I spent with friends at McSatan (1996), enjoying a fine burger cooked by a tattooed biker, with the propane flames from a rebar sculpture of an animal licking my feet, they were precious.

I'm all for radical whatever, but a hot burger goes real well with that.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:31 am

KellY wrote:If some jerk in line is giving a counterperson lip because it takes longer than 8 seconds for their Decalf Soy Mocha Thingy to appear, the counterperson is not only allowed but encouraged to tell that person to shut up and behave or go to the back of the line. No cringing "customer is always right" obsequiessness here.

Now THAT makes it sound like paradise on earth. It may be commerce, but at least it is subverting a dominent commercial paradigm.

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 11:04 am

theCryptofishist wrote:
KellY wrote:If some jerk in line is giving a counterperson lip because it takes longer than 8 seconds for their Decalf Soy Mocha Thingy to appear, the counterperson is not only allowed but encouraged to tell that person to shut up and behave or go to the back of the line. No cringing "customer is always right" obsequiessness here.
Now THAT makes it sound like paradise on earth. It may be commerce, but at least it is subverting a dominent commercial paradigm.

"just give me my fucking coffee and keep your opinions to yourself..."

i believe that is what i said to the counterstaff once in '01.

no I wasn't right, nice or polite...

I was in need of some morning brew...

coffee, black... like my moods.

Center Camp: Time for a change?

What do you think about Center Camp?