Where is Burning Man going?

Share your views on the policies, philosophies, and spirit of Burning Man.
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swampdog
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Camp Name: Rising Arms Pub
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Borg2

Post by swampdog » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:26 pm

I'm surprised no one has mentioned yet - 2005 was the year of the Borg 2. I've been to Bman 3 times - 2004, 2005, and 2007. 2004 - well, it was my virgin year, I was totally overwhelmed, and I maybe I just wasn't tuned in, but I didn't see as much art as I'd expected. 2005 was the Borg 2, and everything was insane. Not so much the huge projects, but just creativity in all scales everywhere. Then 2007 - lots of small projects, some HUGE projects, but I didn't see so much of the ferment and mid-sized projects as I had in '05. Then it sounds like '08 was back to the doldrums.

So maybe we need a bunch of obnoxious creative crazies to come around and poke BMorg in the eye with a stick again. Maybe every 3-5 years it gets stale without somebody throwing a fight.

I'm just sayin'

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Simon of the Playa
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Burning Since: 1996
Camp Name: La Guilde des Hashischins
Location: BRC, Nevada.

Post by Simon of the Playa » Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:08 am

just wait til you see how i fuck it up NEXT YEAR
Frida Be You & Me

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Sail Man
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Camp Name: Kidsville: Delicious
Location: 20 Minutes into the Future

Post by Sail Man » Sat Nov 08, 2008 10:16 am

CLARKcon wrote:As with alot of things (if not everything), "it is what you make it". Sooo, if you want to have the best year ever (1st time or 20th time) than make it the best time ever. Create, build, dream, envision and soak it in. Make a rad camp, so if the outside environment/entertainment is lacking, than you can go out and pull people togetther for a house party :D Depending on you intention (i.e.-purpose for going in the first place), your ideals will be either met or denied, depending on the expectation level you set. I get exactly what I need from the desert each year, without failure: a vacation, c r a z y camping conditions, inspiration, aspiriation, a connectivity to humanity (never experienced elsewhere in that level of sincerity/intensity) and an electricity that I can apply to my art...and if not anything,a great f'ing suntan :D :D If you want to set yourself up for a bad time, then just let you preconceptions, doubt, and a nagging self-conciousness take over. If you want to set yourself up for the best time ever, just clean the slate of your mind and open your eyes, ears, and understanding...ahhhh....feels good, don't it? :P
Well said. 08 was my first year. I concentrated on surviving the burn without being a burden on my fellow burners. Well enough I might add that my neighbors thought I was a veteran burner and were surprised that I wasn't 8) Actually I come from a tourist town and we grew up making fun of the tourist's (fudgie's we called em) so I've learned to fit in as much as possible wherever I go.

That said, while I did some limited costuming and fun with my camp, next year I will be able to concentrate more along those lines, ratchet it up a bit. I'm already adding to my costume inventory, have picked up a sewing machine and will try my hand at that this long cold dreary winter, and have new and improved idea's to have fun with my camp.

Burn on.
Excuse me Ma'am, your going to feel a small prick.
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Simon of the Playa
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Camp Name: La Guilde des Hashischins
Location: BRC, Nevada.

Post by Simon of the Playa » Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:38 am

cant we just take a clue from BOB and apply for religious / cult status?

it would be a whole lot cheaper in the long run as a tax exempt event.




i get to be Pastor Panties.....DIBBS!
Frida Be You & Me

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cullen
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Location: Kennesaw Ga

Post by cullen » Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:14 pm

i call dibs on Father Discipline.

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ygmir
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Camp Name: qqqq
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Post by ygmir » Wed Nov 12, 2008 9:28 pm

not sure if I want to be Major Labia, or, private parts..........
YGMIR

Unabashed Nordic
Pagan

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Captain Goddammit
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Camp Name: First Camp
Location: Seattle, WA

Post by Captain Goddammit » Wed Nov 12, 2008 10:51 pm

Before Captain Goddammit I was Major Woody...
GreyCoyote: "At this rate it wont be long before he is Admiral Fukkit."

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Sail Man
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Camp Name: Kidsville: Delicious
Location: 20 Minutes into the Future

Post by Sail Man » Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:59 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:Before Captain Goddammit I was Major Woody...
Sooo, you keep getting demoted. Soon you'll be a butter bar. :(


Lieutenant Stinkpot. :twisted:

Bwahh hah hah hahhhhhhhhh
Excuse me Ma'am, your going to feel a small prick.
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Algorithms never survive the first thirty seconds of patient contact

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BAS
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Location: Wisconsin

Post by BAS » Thu Nov 13, 2008 4:59 pm

Hmmm. Too many names to chose from...

Maybe I will just go with blupe-- be a civilian contractor. (They get paid more, anyways.)
"Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
Do things that have never been done."
--Russell Kirsch

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Teo del Fuego
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Post by Teo del Fuego » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:49 am

I noticed this year a marked decrease in the scale of the art and the amount of it, but I suspect the economy and, primarily, fuel prices, may have played the biggest part. I fear for 2009 with the economy being in a bona fide recession. May be wrong, but I suspect that the creative types most likely to build and bring art are getting hit harder than others.

Jim White
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Location: Alturas Ca

Cha cha cha Changes.........(D. Bowie)

Post by Jim White » Fri Nov 28, 2008 6:50 pm

I have been going to BM for 8 years now. The changes have not all been bad, but many unfortunatly are. Seems to have more of a frat party feel than a spiritual awakening event. BM means so many things to so many people. That is part of it's allure to me. Believe it or not as an older Burner (over 50) I have actually recieved comments from more than a couple of youngsters that they really dont approve of us grey beards being out there. I cant help but think that those are the folks that dont, and never will, get my BM experience. But, then again, that is THEIR BM experience. I still enjoy it very much but as I am fond of saying the past few years, "More Geeks and less freaks".

klondike_bar
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Location: Toronto, Ontario

Post by klondike_bar » Fri Nov 28, 2008 7:31 pm

thats a shame. Burning man should be a community, unrelated to age of participants.

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fciron
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Re: Cha cha cha Changes.........(D. Bowie)

Post by fciron » Sat Nov 29, 2008 10:27 am

Jim White wrote:I have been going to BM for 8 years now. The changes have not all been bad, but many unfortunatly are. Seems to have more of a frat party feel than a spiritual awakening event. BM means so many things to so many people. That is part of it's allure to me. Believe it or not as an older Burner (over 50) I have actually recieved comments from more than a couple of youngsters that they really dont approve of us grey beards being out there. I cant help but think that those are the folks that dont, and never will, get my BM experience. But, then again, that is THEIR BM experience. I still enjoy it very much but as I am fond of saying the past few years, "More Geeks and less freaks".
That's fucking funny. Without the grey-beards Burning Man would be 10,000 kids in tents standing around wondering when the party was gonna start.

It takes experience and money to put this thing together.
Strickland Propane is proud to be supplying liquified natural gas explosive power to the art installations of the mega festival Burning Man!!!

Jim White
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Start the Party

Post by Jim White » Sat Nov 29, 2008 12:18 pm

Thanks for the support folks!
Well, I am not sure the younger generation needs to be told when to party. I think we all have done that. It is just that maybe thats all more and more folks JUST come to BM to party. That is sad to me but in our camp of many years we have had people less than 10 up past 60 years old. I have learned everyone, regardless of age, find what BM is to them. I do try and give everyone their due to that extent but it makes me a bit sad when all BM is to some a place just to party. I hope maybe they can see more at some point. On the other hand I can think of a lot better places to JUST drink beer and make PissMud.

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gyre
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Re: Cha cha cha Changes.........(D. Bowie)

Post by gyre » Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:16 pm

Jim White wrote:I have been going to BM for 8 years now. The changes have not all been bad, but many unfortunatly are. Seems to have more of a frat party feel than a spiritual awakening event. BM means so many things to so many people. That is part of it's allure to me. Believe it or not as an older Burner (over 50) I have actually recieved comments from more than a couple of youngsters that they really dont approve of us grey beards being out there. I cant help but think that those are the folks that dont, and never will, get my BM experience. But, then again, that is THEIR BM experience. I still enjoy it very much but as I am fond of saying the past few years, "More Geeks and less freaks".
Exactly how did this come up?
What was the context?
I would have told them most of us don't welcome classless assholes attending (age not critical to that).

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cullen
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Post by cullen » Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:09 pm

how about burning man move to georgia so i don't have to drive far.

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motskyroonmatick
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Post by motskyroonmatick » Sat Nov 29, 2008 4:24 pm

cullen wrote:how about burning man move to georgia so i don't have to drive far.
No playa.
Black Rock City Welding & Repair. The Night Time Warming Station. Crow Bar.

Card Carrying Member BRCCP.

When you pass the 4th "bridge out!" sign; the flaming death is all yours.-Knowmad-

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magicmarty
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Camp Name: Hushville - Althing
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Post by magicmarty » Sat Nov 29, 2008 11:52 pm

I guess that I'm one of the oldest burners at 76, and I never had anyone express an unwelcoming attitude toward me. To the contrary, most folks, young and old seemed to view me with a sort of admiration and as a preview of what life can be as one ages. Kinda gives the younger folks a bit of hope.

2009 will be my third year, and I practically count the days to get back to the wonderful community that is BRC. So much fun! So much creativity! So much community! So many new friends!

Don't worry about age, it just doesn't matter! Remember that quote form some old movie ... "Live fast, die young and have a great looking corpse!" I'm for the first two words, the rest, not so much.

See you all on the Playa in 2009!! I'll be in Hushville giving beautiful ladies foot massages!
"Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties" - Erich Fromm

Stay firm but loose!

MagicMarty

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Elderberry
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Re: Cha cha cha Changes.........(D. Bowie)

Post by Elderberry » Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:52 am

fciron wrote:
Jim White wrote: Believe it or not as an older Burner (over 50) I have actually recieved comments from more than a couple of youngsters that they really dont approve of us grey beards being out there. I cant help but think that those are the folks that dont, and never will, get my BM experience. But, then again, that is THEIR BM experience. I still enjoy it very much but as I am fond of saying the past few years, "More Geeks and less freaks".
That's fucking funny. Without the grey-beards Burning Man would be 10,000 kids in tents standing around wondering when the party was gonna start.

It takes experience and money to put this thing together.
I'm an older burner (over 60) and I have never heard anyone express disdane towards me or any older folks. (Maybe my hearing is going??)

Maybe it is the group I camp with, or the things that I chose to do on the playa; but from personal experience volunteering, it seems that the people that brings me in contact with respect for us old folks.

I really like the energy the mix of young, old and in-between seems to create.

JK
Elderberry

When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.
Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me

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