Have we ever liked a Theme?

Clar-i-ty · Post by **Clar-i-ty** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:49 am

Every year someone somewhere hates the theme.

When and What was the last theme anyone liked?

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:56 am

Clar-i-ty wrote:Every year someone somewhere hates the theme.

= we?

Someone always hates something and tells everyone about it.
I don't think people in general "get" this theme yet.

Clar-i-ty · Post by **Clar-i-ty** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:14 am

Well isn't Burning Man itself a Rite of Passage? Your first Burn, First Critical Tits, First time you cried at the Temple, First Playa Booger, First Naked Hug, First break down on the way there, First break down on the Playa, First Love, First Lust, First Gift, That moment when you do "Get It"

Plus BMORG is planning some Major changes which could also be considered a Rite of Passage.

http://www.clarisaclarity.com/2011/04/0 ... nonprofit/

Kinetik V · Post by **Kinetik V** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:22 am

I think that "The Floating World" theme was the best. And yeah, I've bitched about every theme since. But the themes have helped inspire some pretty amazing things out there and been sparks of inspiration to get the creative fires burning more than once.

In short...Larry needs to keep dreaming them up. It works. Don't fix it.

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Sat May 21, 2011 9:25 am

i've heard that next years theme is better

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Sat May 21, 2011 12:38 pm

Clar-i-ty wrote:Well isn't Burning Man itself a Rite of Passage?

Try harder.
Death, birth, Marriage. Divorce, coming of age, starting a new chapter in your life, grieving, retirement... It requires a little bit of introspection. Most of us are going through rites of passage more profound than our first dust storm.

Post by **AntiM** » Sat May 21, 2011 2:07 pm

Kinetic V wrote:I think that "The Floating World" theme was the best. And yeah, I've bitched about every theme since. But the themes have helped inspire some pretty amazing things out there and been sparks of inspiration to get the creative fires burning more than once.

In short...Larry needs to keep dreaming them up. It works. Don't fix it.

+100

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sat May 21, 2011 2:17 pm

graidawg wrote:i've heard that next years theme is better

+1

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:01 pm

I'm a big Floating World fan, too. Also, Vault of Heaven, --shit what were the themes in 2008, 09, and 10? I have a feeling that I liked at least two of those.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Sat May 21, 2011 6:03 pm

Yeah, I'm sorry I missed metropolis and evolution was kind of cool.
American Dream got a big Fishy eyeroll.)

Clar-i-ty · Post by **Clar-i-ty** » Sat May 21, 2011 8:10 pm

Ugly Dougly wrote:
Clar-i-ty wrote:Well isn't Burning Man itself a Rite of Passage?
Try harder.
Death, birth, Marriage. Divorce, coming of age, starting a new chapter in your life, grieving, retirement... It requires a little bit of introspection. Most of us are going through rites of passage more profound than our first dust storm.

Dunno Dougly, I for one can say that I was profoundly changed after my first Burn. I'll admit I came in a skeptic. I took myself far too seriously.

The first time I was able to really connect with someone on the Playa made a difference in how I live my life. It re-awakened something that was lost in childhood. Now I take that experience and carry it with me.

Of course, it also opened up my evil chamber of snark as well, so now all the world suffers! BWA HA HA HA!

Galaxo Magic · Post by **Galaxo Magic** » Sun May 22, 2011 12:12 pm

Yeah, my first burn, 2001, was a Rite of Passage. I have never been the same since, thankfully.

I always try to gleen something from the Theme. And we generally tried to modify our Mutant Vehicle to the theme if possible. I will try and have a costume or two that fits and have even changed my playa-name for the Theme's until 2008 when my name stuck.

The Floating World was awesome, we built an island with palm trees.
Vault of Heaven we built a space camp dance floor and I brought lots of Star Trek uniforms. I was Captain Skirt.

American Dream, we had nothing for that one.
Metropolis was good.
Rite of Passage, we are ready for this one as well.

So in general, I like having a theme. Gives the mind something to ponder and process. Creativity just needs a kernal and energy to sprout and grow.

goathead · Post by **goathead** » Sun May 22, 2011 2:00 pm

Loved American Dream,
pissed people off.

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Sun May 22, 2011 3:29 pm

I've had mixed feelings about a few of the themes but I REALLY love this year's theme.

My first Burning Man was a definite rite of passage.

I'm excited that my daughter is going for her first time this year as I suspect it will be a HUGE rite of passage for her.

knowmad · Post by **knowmad** » Sun May 22, 2011 7:35 pm

Clar-i-ty wrote:Well isn't Burning Man itself a Rite of Passage? Your first Burn, First Critical Tits, First time you cried at the Temple, First Playa Booger, First Naked Hug, First break down on the way there, First break down on the Playa, First Love, First Lust, First Gift, That moment when you do "Get It"

Plus BMORG is planning some Major changes which could also be considered a Rite of Passage.

http://www.clarisaclarity.com/2011/04/0 ... nonprofit/

BMORG shifting to being a non profit as a Rite of Passage.
kina cool idea like Daft Punk Playing by the trash fence.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sun May 22, 2011 7:51 pm

Except that the Daft Punk thing is a joke, the non-profit thing is not.

knowmad · Post by **knowmad** » Sun May 22, 2011 8:05 pm

oneeyeddick wrote:Except that the Daft Punk thing is a joke, the non-profit thing is not.

Yeah I Know....
rights of passage, that feeling like it might be a rumor then pow it isn't. like a green one eyed 30 foot giant flame spewing penis truck.

of the two burns I'd say I liked Evolution the best.

oneeyeddick · Post by **oneeyeddick** » Sun May 22, 2011 8:12 pm

You should have been here in whatever-year-it was that the streets were named after the planets.
You could have seen my Big Green Penis on Uranus.

But seriously, nothing has been as good as The Floating World IMO.

Galaxo Magic · Post by **Galaxo Magic** » Mon May 23, 2011 12:59 am

oneeyeddick wrote:You should have been here in whatever-year-it was that the streets were named after the planets.
You could have seen my Big Green Penis on Uranus.

But seriously, nothing has been as good as The Floating World IMO.

The Floating World was awesome! But I have heard Larry won't do another theme that let's people think they can be pirates. Arrrrrrr.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon May 23, 2011 6:51 am

I'm still waiting for Glitter Monkey Rodeo.

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Mon May 23, 2011 6:54 am

AntiM wrote:I'm still waiting for Glitter Monkey Rodeo.

I like Portland, OR's regional theme this year for SOAK...The Snarkle Pony Rodeo.

huang540 · Post by **huang540** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:56 am

I agree with you dreammissu.

Post by **Elderberry** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:00 am

I don't pay much attention to the theme.

I wonder how not having a theme would effect the event, if at all?

Post by **trilobyte** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:26 am

+1 to what jkisha said. It's never really had much of an impact for me, it doesn't impact build or camp plans for me. I really didn't care for the 'american dream' theme in 2008, it just really felt out of place at what felt to me to be a global event, and to have it in an election year was just a bit more off-putting. I didn't go that year (though we couldn't have afforded it if we wanted to). I'd be curious to see if there are folks out there who got their creative spark for a project or suddenly became inspired to make or do something because of the theme.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:32 pm

I liked floating world, but them I'm a fish.
I liked 2009, but I"ve forgotten what it was.
I'm still a little miffed that I missed Metropolis, although I think M is a better movie.
But themes are not really worth getting emotionally invested in.

euthlogo · Post by **euthlogo** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 8:45 am

I like Rites of Passage for a theme. It is a little too broad though, but I guess that's the point.

Wouldn't it be interesting if the burn had a very specific theme? I often find that the more restrictive the guidelines, the more creative people are/ have to be to meet them.

What if the theme was Goats, or Sidewalk chalk?

Could be interesting...
-Tim

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Aug 26, 2011 9:44 am

If nobody hates it, then it's not a theme. Simple.

Seems that most themes have a couple of different interpretations, that's the beauty of it.
But, no, we're all free to do our own themes.

Have we ever liked a Theme?

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