Top Asshats of 2011 Burning Man

[CalebCamera]

[quote="Trishntek"]
My mates wanted to dismantle him right there and then, but I,,,, being the anti-drama shit that I am, said, " no,,, just let it go,,, it's not worth ruining our vibe." He dropped by once more after the man burn. I simply ignored him as much as possible,,,, not worth my time or energy to deal with a user such as him. But now as I decompress,,,, let it be known that Ben absolutely pissed me off!


HAHA.. I was at Area 51, 'Bossy Ben' we called him. One day he insisted that I download, format, edit, and publish a dvd of the youtube 'Hitler at Burning Man' videos. I declined and he put the task on another young lady in camp.

[andrewknutsen]

I really hate the old, tired, "Sit Down" complaints. Here are two things you can do for yourself without requiring cooperation from other people; get there early enough so that you do not have to deal with people standing in front of you, or find another place to sit down instead of behind someone who intends on standing.

You are only ruining the burn for yourself by escalating the requests and making it less desirable for some people to acquiesce to your demands.

It is just as selfish to expect other people to sit down so that you can get a better view as it is for those who are standing and blocking the view of others.

Only assholes get violent in an attempt to shove their burn-view down other people's throats.

Well, in my experience, consensus among early arrivers creates a seated area. There is usually a standing area between it and the vehicles. These people were standing right in the middle of the seated area. I don't think they even arrived before the people behind them. And perhaps if they'd all sat down except for the injured one people would have been more understanding, but given the impossibility of telling their story to everyone, and the obvious bad karma they were drawing, they really needed to pick a spot in the "standing" area closer to the cars.

[Elderberry]

Well, in my experience, In order to have a true consensus wouldn't the early arrivals have needed to consult with the late arrivals?

Well, in my experience, consensus among early arrivers creates a seated area. There is usually a standing area between it and the vehicles. These people were standing right in the middle of the seated area. I don't think they even arrived before the people behind them. And perhaps if they'd all sat down except for the injured one people would have been more understanding, but given the impossibility of telling their story to everyone, and the obvious bad karma they were drawing, they really needed to pick a spot in the "standing" area closer to the cars.

[andrewknutsen]

Well, in my experience, In order to have a true consensus wouldn't the early arrivals have needed to consult with the late arrivals?

Well, in my experience, consensus among early arrivers creates a seated area. There is usually a standing area between it and the vehicles. These people were standing right in the middle of the seated area. I don't think they even arrived before the people behind them. And perhaps if they'd all sat down except for the injured one people would have been more understanding, but given the impossibility of telling their story to everyone, and the obvious bad karma they were drawing, they really needed to pick a spot in the "standing" area closer to the cars.

When the ratio is several hundred to 3, its hard to imagine the 3 changing the consensus in this situation. Perhaps if everyone was telepathic, the fact that the person had a bum hip could have been broadcast... or maybe a bullhorn would have helped this one. However, in reality, allowing every late arrival to challenge the existing consensus would lead to chaos. I think everyone knows that.

[Elderberry]

LOL my point exactly. If you know how it is up front, why fight it, or wish it would be different...position yourself somewhere else! Duh!

Well, in my experience, In order to have a true consensus wouldn't the early arrivals have needed to consult with the late arrivals?

Well, in my experience, consensus among early arrivers creates a seated area. There is usually a standing area between it and the vehicles. These people were standing right in the middle of the seated area. I don't think they even arrived before the people behind them. And perhaps if they'd all sat down except for the injured one people would have been more understanding, but given the impossibility of telling their story to everyone, and the obvious bad karma they were drawing, they really needed to pick a spot in the "standing" area closer to the cars.

When the ratio is several hundred to 3, its hard to imagine the 3 changing the consensus in this situation. Perhaps if everyone was telepathic, the fact that the person had a bum hip could have been broadcast... or maybe a bullhorn would have helped this one. However, in reality, allowing every late arrival to challenge the existing consensus would lead to chaos. I think everyone knows that.

[C.f.M.]

I really hate the old, tired, "Sit Down" complaints. Here are two things you can do for yourself without requiring cooperation from other people; get there early enough so that you do not have to deal with people standing in front of you, or find another place to sit down instead of behind someone who intends on standing.

You are only ruining the burn for yourself by escalating the requests and making it less desirable for some people to acquiesce to your demands.

It is just as selfish to expect other people to sit down so that you can get a better view as it is for those who are standing and blocking the view of others.

Only assholes get violent in an attempt to shove their burn-view down other people's throats.

Well, in my experience, consensus among early arrivers creates a seated area. There is usually a standing area between it and the vehicles. These people were standing right in the middle of the seated area. I don't think they even arrived before the people behind them. And perhaps if they'd all sat down except for the injured one people would have been more understanding, but given the impossibility of telling their story to everyone, and the obvious bad karma they were drawing, they really needed to pick a spot in the "standing" area closer to the cars.

The first ten rows+ should be people seated ON THE GROUND. No chairs. Then some standing room, no bikes. Then art cars. Then the bike clusterfuck.

[Elderberry]

Might as well just advocate for bleacher seating. Oh and VIP special box seating too while you're at it.

[ygmir]

Might as well just advocate for bleacher seating. Oh and VIP special box seating too while you're at it.

I saw the VIP seating hanging from cranes and people lifts.

[trilobyte]

+1

[graidawg]

isnt this burning man, a place of free expression? if the guy doesnt want to sit or cant who the fuck are we to tell him he is doing it wrong? it's his burn too.just how close to someone would you have to sit for a person to bloke your view of it? i mean i was standing right by the art cars and ok i couldnt see the ground where it was burning but i could see the man on a FUCKING HUGE PLATFORM so really if someone is bloking your view how about moving maybe 3" to the side TA DA now you can see again.

ffs. sick of the whining now stop it.

[Bounce530]

isnt this burning man, a place of free expression?
who the fuck are we to tell him he is doing it wrong? it's his burn too.
ffs. sick of the whining now stop it.

just sayin'

[Foxfur]

There was a huge bus sized MV blocking half of my view of the temple burn, but you know what?
It was still the BEST BURN EVAR!
It really was...

[Bob]

Catch-22. Prior to the Ten Principles, which I believe were developed by senior org members on staff retreats to discourage knifing each other in the jacuzzi, there was one particular prime directive -- Don't interfere with anyone's immediate experience. While this principle survives in the org's Press FAQ, I'm not sure it survives intact in the Ten Principles. If we assume it does -- wrt the Temple burn -- who's interfering with whom?

[marck]

To me, it appears the clear solution is:

When you arrive at any of the burns, you should be considerate of those who have arrived BEFORE you have.
If you intend on standing, Then do not do so in front of others who have chosen to sit, you should find another place where you do not block someone's view.
If you intend on sitting, Then respect the decision of those who have arrived BEFORE you who have chosen to stand. If you choose not to sit behind the people standing, Then find another place to sit.

[marck]

The first ten rows+ should be people seated ON THE GROUND. No chairs. Then some standing room, no bikes. Then art cars. Then the bike clusterfuck.

If I arrive an hour after most everyone else and there are not 10+ rows of people sitting where I have chosen to stand, I am going to assume it is OK to stand there.
(I've not seen this occur before, I usually have at least 7-14 rows of people in front of me)

As one of the people who wind up with knee issues by the end of the week, I also take issue to the no chairs thing. I understand that most of the folding chairs are hard to see over, but I use a sling-lite chair, without the headrest, which seats me lower than when I'm just sitting on my ass and takes the pressure off my hips and knees.



If I was able to use something reasonable like this, I'd have no issue regarding sitting.

[Elderberry]

Oh that suggestion would never work. It's much too logical and considerate.

To me, it appears the clear solution is:

When you arrive at any of the burns, you should be considerate of those who have arrived BEFORE you have.
If you intend on standing, Then do not do so in front of others who have chosen to sit, you should find another place where you do not block someone's view.
If you intend on sitting, Then respect the decision of those who have arrived BEFORE you who have chosen to stand. If you choose not to sit behind the people standing, Then find another place to sit.

[Lassen Forge]

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[Bob]

[Sic Pup]

Cheese!

[goathead]

Me

Monday afternoon after the burn, for getting a hmmm, a little "intense" with some Mendocino hillbilly.
Don't really give a shit about growers, until I start hearing stories of spiking dog food with anti-freeze to kill bears.
Giving firearms to the mexicans so they can poach deer to feed themselves.
Then telling me they are "untouchable".

Everyone is touchable.

[Elderberry]

Yikes! Amazing the lengths people will go. I think anybody listening to that story would have reacted the same way.

Me

Monday afternoon after the burn, for getting a hmmm, a little "intense" with some Mendocino hillbilly.
Don't really give a shit about growers, until I start hearing stories of spiking dog food with anti-freeze to kill bears.
Giving firearms to the mexicans so they can poach deer to feed themselves.
Then telling me they are "untouchable".

Everyone is touchable.

[goathead]

yeah, but I scared my campmates, I should have just dialed it down some.

[gyre]

Why do so many people sitting at the temple not understand physics?

"Everyone can see over everyone else if everyone sits down."
Invisibility, perhaps?

Of course, these are the same morons that show up an hour after everyone else has lined up, standing up of course, and want you to accomodate their picnic plans.

It's disrespectful to sit at the temple burn.

Sit if you like.
Don't whine because you're sitting and others are respectful.

[ygmir]

Me

Monday afternoon after the burn, for getting a hmmm, a little "intense" with some Mendocino hillbilly.
Don't really give a shit about growers, until I start hearing stories of spiking dog food with anti-freeze to kill bears.
Giving firearms to the mexicans so they can poach deer to feed themselves.
Then telling me they are "untouchable".

Everyone is touchable.

*standing by GH, holding hands in agreement*

[gyre]

Has to be a twit if he's talking like that.

Last guy I heard talking like that showed up on Most Wanted within a year.

Serial killer, caught within an hour of the show.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

not to be mistaken with....

1. unfuckwithable

To be the pinnacle of whatever you do; a person/place/thing that is the ultimate person/place/thing; it/they can't be beat whatsoever.

"in 1972, mark Spitz was UnFuckwithable"

[chiefdanfox]

just that chiefdanfox guy, geez what an asshat! Just a note for next time when we build the full size horse

I nominate myself as well, for the asshatery I pulled at the DPW basketbrawl game on Wednesday night, the week before the festival. No dribbling and I climbed the pole to make the baskets. Full contact, no fouls. My kind of game. Yes, full size horse next time. The half-size model functioned as predicted. If we added Bill's zip line out of the nose (no landing run out, just a 45 degree angle into the playa), the cannon out of the chest, and rolled it over the top of the man, then we could win this asshat contest with a significant margin. It is good to have goals.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

little known playa legend, but eerily true to this day.

besides the temple, anyone or group who dares to supercede the Man in height is doomed the next year.

let us not forget the gross pompousness of the Temple of Mez in 98', run by some recently fabulously wealthy microsoftie.

it had guest chefs, full time on site chemists making designer drugs, organic chai before there even was a Whole Foods in Seattle, and a 60' SCAFFOLD TOWER.... just yards from first camp, yup...the whole nine.

where are they now?

yes, just like the Hope Diamond, and the Ancient curse of Tut, size matters to the Man, and next year, said Horsey would end up at the black Rock Glue Factory (locaTED IN Empire, of course) or as a burning pile of MAN-ure.

my advice is to make it pony sized.

[Bob]

Just make more horses and outflank Him.

[thekidsparrow]

There was a girl working the perimeter of the Trojan Horse the night it burned who was holding a cat (or maybe a small dog?) in her arms, hidden in her cape. Thousands of people, flaming arrows, fireworks, loud music....could you imagine if that cat ran out of her arms?