Let me introduce myself, my name is Larissa, this year was my first Burn and I totally fell in love with the people and the spirit in general. I actually loved it so much that i've decided to try and do my anthropological fieldwork there coming summer, and therefore write my final thesis on the matter of community forming at Burning Man... or something in that line. Anywayz, right now I am writing this essay for a course I am taking entitled 'Social Science and the Senses', and obviously I want to connect this to Burning Man and get some introductory writing and exploring stuff done before going in to my final phase of study.
And that is where this lovely digital internet media comes in so handy, and hopefully you! I just made this mini-survey, and already it has been going to the euroburners list (me myself, I am Dutch) & tribe.net, and I got some wonderful responses from those people. But the more, the better my case, so if you could please take some time to fill it in and send it back to me off-list, that would be great, super, and highly appreciated!
Anything you don't want to answer, needless to say you don't have to. Anything you want to add on the subject, or even away from the subject, needless to say I would love all remarks and feedback!
So, here we go! As I don ¡'t know how 'boxes to tick' work on my computer, just leave some sort of mark at the answer that suits you best. Oh, and, I know some of the questions are really hard to answer as so many things combine and intertwine and are therefore so powerful at Burning Man, but then please still try to pick one, or formulate one most appropriate (mostly instinctive) answer.
1. What is your most precious sense at the playa?
- Sight
- Hearing
- Taste
- Touch
- Smell
2. As opposed to the everyday, 'normal' use of the senses, which one of your senses you reckon is most altered by being at Black Rock City?
- Sight
- Hearing
- Taste
- Touch
- Smell
3. In the highly unlikely situation you had to choose to have one of your senses not function anymore at the playa, which one would that be?
- Sight
- Hearing
- Taste
- Touch
- Smell
4. How would you answer the above question if it was to count in your normal factual home routine?
- The same
- Different, this time the sense being: ... (please fill in)
5. When you could rate the factors that make Burning Man so unique, in which order would you do this? (please insert number 1 till 4)
- The social happening; community
- The (interactive) art; material
- The playa itself; nature
- The party vibe; music
6. Do you think Burning Man could be held at any other location and still be roughly the same festival?
- No, it needs the playa
- Yes, but it has to be a very similar environment
- Yes, please! Preferable somewhere less strenuous and more comfortable
7. Do you use certain enhancements (read: drugs) when on the playa?
- No, never. I don ¡¦t want it and I don ¡¦t need it.
- I did do it at times, but it is not something I go out looking for
- Yes, preferable so. It suits the experience
- I find this difficult to answer as it is different every time. I decide on the moment and sometimes that means that I really crave for enhancement, and sometimes it means I don ¡¦t want any of those substances at all.
8. How do you experience the - nearly inevitable - sensory overload at Burning Man?
- I love it, my senses can't be warped enough, I actively hunt for it
- Frankly, sometimes it can get a little bit too much for my liking and I need to find some way to shut off sensory input
- Sensory overload, what is that?
9. Would you agree with me when I hypothesize that because our existing sensory models change to such a degree at Burning Man, this change will significantly affect and influence the way we as a social group interact. Indeed: sensory relations very much bind social relationships in this way, and can be put to use in a very real sense. Do I make sense here?...
- Yes, I agree. And hopefully I have this to say on the matter: ...
- No, bullshit. But I do however have this to say on the matter: ...
Well, that was it guys. If you made it down the bottom this far, thank you ever so much! Please don't be too critical on me, and please insert all extra information and/or views on the topic!
Once again: thanks! Your time, thoughts and efforts are all very, very much appreciated.
Love and Playa dust, Larissa
