What can you see given the amount of time at BM? - The Math

[Crux]

Burning Man lasts 8 days...

30,000 people show up (...a Very conservative estimate. They think it was closer to 38,000 this year)...

If 1/4 of those people brought something to show on the playa (...again, a Very conservative estimate) that makes:

7500 things for one individual to see during the course of the week

If you NEVER slept you'd have 11, 520 minutes to spend during the course of your time there. [11,520 min = (24 hours x 60 min = 1440 minutes x 8 days )]

If you focus 15 minutes on each thing you could get to, that would get you:

768 things you Could Possibly see...

IF you are like most humans and get maybe six hours of sleep a night, that leaves you with 8640 minutes of excursion / viewing time which works out to:

576 things you Could possibly see...

*If* you get there on day One...*and* don't have other stuff to do...like eat...or drink...

This equation does not take in to account going to the bathroom either...

Just thought you all might like to see it written out....

I know...I'm a geek...

[dragonfly Jafe]

But the real take-away here is that (using your numbers for a start) one has appx. 70 seconds per object, and that includes travel time to the object. So if the average period between seeing two different art pieces exceeds 70 seconds, you're not going to see it all (which is something I think anyone who has been there before understands intuitively)

This is why the BMorg should allow high-speed dirt bikes/dune buggies and rocket cars (or my personal favorite, hovercrafts). After all - it's all about the art!

[Crux]

You are very right. I did not put that in, just 'cause from the end of the note on into time it gets into subjective interpretations of experience and how to go about it...

Many people I know NEVER see things that they were actually heading to find - distraction is one of the sincerest forms of attraction out on the playa in my experience...

"I want to see that! Over there!..But wait? What's this? This is SO cool too!..."

Does that negate the experience?

No, but it can add to the "frustration" of not being able to encompass the Entire Experience, which, by it's very nature cannot be experienced in the whole...

But I kind of like that...

[theCryptofishist]

But the real take-away here is that (using your numbers for a start) one has appx. 70 seconds per object, and that includes travel time to the object. So if the average period between seeing two different art pieces exceeds 70 seconds, you're not going to see it all (which is something I think anyone who has been there before understands intuitively)

There was a young lady named Brite
Who traveled much faster than light
She started one day,
In a relative way
And returned home the previous night.

The only way to see the playa--although being a General Relativitist's daughter hasn't helped me. Just not enough immunity to the drama.

[Crux]

...But I'm still not exactly sure how you got 70 seconds an object...

My figures are based on 15 minutes an object...

If you spend 70 seconds on any given piece of art / thing / object / moment that would allow you to get to:

without sleep for the week - 10285.71 things to see - pretty good, actually...

with sleep - 7714.28 things to see

Tha t sleep thing *Really* cuts down on the whole experience, don'cha think?



...But yes, that Still doesn't cover to and from time, or distraction derivation deviation from the path time...OR going to the bathroom...

Later!

[Crux]

...Ah! never mind. Your numbers INCLUDE to and from time.

I didn't put those in there 'cause they were Such a variable 'cause Some things were within 6 inches of you and some were in BumF**kPlaya and were not accessible given certain inebriated states people could find themselves in...

I'm sure there's an algorithm in there somewhere...



The math keeps going...The people stop.

[dragonfly Jafe]

...But I'm still not exactly sure how you got 70 seconds an object...

7500 things for one individual to see during the course of the week...<snip>...IF you are like most humans and get maybe six hours of sleep a night, that leaves you with 8640 minutes of excursion / viewing time which works out to:

8640 minutes / 7500 things = 69.12 seconds per thing (I never said WHICH numbers I was using. Remember - there are lies, damn lies, and statistics.

[sparkletarte]

I figure I saw 15%, not using any math, just my guess, and the more I thihnk about it the lower I make that number.

I lived at earth & 7. Only once did I venture further out into the solar system- one day when I was on 10 I went down jupiter to 7 (and found a hopping dance spot where I got a shot from a dildo!). Other than that I stayed on earth and inwards, except for going all the way out on 10 and 2. Not very adventurous!

[Bob]

http://pic.templetons.com/brad/photo/bm04/plane/

[geekster]

Thanks Bob! Great shot! I can see my house from there!

[playasnake]

Other things to factor in:

1. coefficient of drama: D
from campmates, or other mates... basically the more drama you have to deal with, the less time you have to go out and see things.

2. hangover quotient: Hq
Depending on how much you partied the night before, or day, or days even... this will affect both your Sleep (S) and your ability to move quickly (V : velocity)

[Crux]

[quote]Other things to factor in:

1. coefficient of drama: D
from campmates, or other mates... basically the more drama you have to deal with, the less time you have to go out and see things.

2. hangover quotient: Hq
Depending on how much you partied the night before, or day, or days even... this will affect both your Sleep (S) and your ability to move quickly (V : velocity)[/quote]

Hmmm. I see a formula developing for viewing quotients of art vs. the human condition.

I would add a couple of more variables as well.

...Unfortunately it has to be written out w/out notation

Art Density (A per sq. ft) - self explanatory...

Yahoo Density (Y per sq. mile) - sometimes You Just Can't get through the crowd of people milling about to reach the intened destination. By the time you extricate yourself, it's "Where was I going again?" Which leads to...

Distraction Factor (D / (A per sq. ft) x (Y per sq. mile) )

I see this spilling over into the real world as well...

BM tends to concentrate...experiences of all types, as if under an emotional magnifying glass...

This could get fun!

[unjonharley]

I don't know Bob, One has to get pretty high to see that much. Been there The get down was a bitch;>]

[sparkletarte]

Thanks Bob! I got to show my co-workers where I lived- the first ariel I can actually pick our spot out in. Earth & 7:05, right beside the big open space that is the Woo village stage.

[mars]

I love you crazy geeks!!

I've done my own calculations and have come up with figure of 1/8 of a pie as the total amount I can see during a week at Burning Man. This is with eating, and, most nights, sleeping. And it includes travel time, to and from, for the simple reason that on the way "there" there's always something else to see/experience and it all becomes part of the 1/8 pie total.

This means that it will take me 8 years (2 so far) to see the entire pie, except for the fact that each year the pie is a different flavor, causing me to conclude that I will be eating Burning Man Pie for the rest of my life, 1/8 of a pie at a time.

Mars

[birdbrain]

I love you "geeks" and oh, how I wish I had a mathmatical mind. For my next incarnation/avatar, I plan to put in an order/request for a mind better able to comprehend equations.

Nevertheless, I think maybe I saw one-billionth of what there was there to see: Basing it on a philosophical understanding of fractals, what with the curves and all, I barely raked the surface.....