Comments on: The “Gift Economy” isn’t an economy at all, but that’s no excuse for your terrible, terrible gift

By: Burners Against Scalpers | Burners.Me Burning Man commentary blog

Burners Against Scalpers | Burners.Me Burning Man commentary blog — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:27:02 +0000

[...] some, radical self-expression is fulfilled by how much they selflessly give. This is what the true gift economy is all about – those who can afford to give [...]

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By: Attend Burning Man – Check! | A Musing List

Attend Burning Man – Check! | A Musing List — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 17:42:32 +0000

[...] interact. The spectacle of Burning Man is so amazing because it’s not a spectacle. Everyone is participating. Everyone is present. Everyone is there. Everyone is looking, and everyone is looked at, and that [...]

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By: johnnyxgames

johnnyxgames — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 04:44:47 +0000

it will always depend on the situation. How it was given and how it was recived. No matte how big or small. I learned that at my virgin year at the end as a matter of fact.

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By: stuart

stuart — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:07:24 +0000

LIB and Burning Man are fundamentally different: LIB is primarily organization driven. Burning Man is primarily participant driven. These create two very different temporary cultures at the respective events.

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By: Redman

Redman — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 17:37:05 +0000

Very good except the part about LIB. If you aren’t gifting because you “don’t see” other people gifting, aren’t you missing the point? If we all waited around for someone else to gift, well…you know how that works, right?

We were there at LIB. We gifted knowledge. We gifted the idea of gifting. We gifted by taking the time to share with an artist how their creations moved you. We picked up trash, and we invited people into our home and shared food, drink, and stories with them and explained how nothing was expected or even hoped for in return. So it wasn’t Burning Man. No excuse for not bringing the idea you embrace.

So once again, much of what was said is fucking incredible and very insightful. I would argue that a glow stick to the right person at the right time is probably a better gift than alcohol ever is, but that debate is for another time. Thanks for sharing your weaknesses, strengths, and what you gained from the ongoing sum of your experiences.

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By: BGV

BGV — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:47:08 +0000

Hi Caveat,
Thanks for the thoughts. Made me realise I’ve been blessed. In all my years of burning, in enourmous theme camps, or “Camp Half Ass” (what we call ouselves when we just camp) I have not encountered anyone who acted or felt “entitled” to a gift. Plenty of newbies who needed them (been on the recieving end of a few of those myself) but they were allways greatfull and sometimes astonished at the communities willingness to help.
You are spot on about the deeper meaning of it though. The process can serve to open us up to each other. I’ve allways felt enriched and elated by the act of busting my ass with a crew to pull off a theme camp (big & small) and watching people enjoy and interact with the experience we’ve provided for them. The buzz flows both ways.
Now, about those scrabble necklaces… Oh well. People just trying to participate. They’ll refine thier sensibilities as they grow. Some people put a lot of thought into thier trinkets and hit a home run. My first year as a newbie, I busted my ass for a week with my crew near center camp. At the end of the week, the guys in the camp next door gave me a beautifull pendant of the man they had made for that year (thanks Bear Lair). It has become a treasured totem that has travelled with me for a decade now.
See you on the Playa. I’ll be listening…

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By: andrew

andrew — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:08:53 +0000

nice post.
Might be of interest to folks here…I interviewed Larry Harvey a couple years ago on this very subject–the gift economy at BM. He actually mentioned your talking staff that you mention in your blog, although i cant remember if it was after I stopped the recording.
But you can listen to it here:
http://www.radioproject.org/2010/01/burning-mans-gift-economy/

Up top is a short 5 minute version, and below is the longer, 45 minute in depth conversation.

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By: brian

brian — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 23:58:50 +0000

Thought provoking.

A true gift is given with no expectation of a return gift. It is not given in the godfather sense of doing someone a favor so they will do one for you in the future.

Anyone who reads this: please give the gift of art and creative experiences to everyone on the playa. Free drinks, and all that are cool but please…..blow my mind.

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By: The Milkman

The Milkman — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:13:04 +0000

So well said Caveat.

Gifting is such a beautiful human interaction, shall it never be tainted with the wickedness that Economies seem to inevitably attract.

Reading this reminds me how blessed we are. :-)

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By: Chef Earthspice

Chef Earthspice — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:53:13 +0000

Thanks for that righteous post. It speaks the TRUTH! 2010 was my first burn, but I had done my research for several years before making my first trip out to the playa.
Ive been to hundreds of jam-band-hippie-festivals… but the thing that always left me feeling defeated was the corperate presence and the shitty economy. 1 for $3, 2 for $5 veggie burritos, $15 t-shirts… for what? There was no real meaning of these products. My cash had no real meaning. The only time a stranger wants to talk to you is to sell you some bunk L or a gram of hash…

When I got to the playa everything was so universal, the way we found our land plot, the way our neighbors taught us, the way we taught our younger neighbors, the meaningful conversation… it could have never happened without the gifting economy. I remember the day of the burn we were talking with a group of college kids and one had showed me a necklace, it was a wooden MAN that a fellow burner had given him. It was probably the most important gift that guy could have ever received. It was cool because it was so universal.

Awwww Shucks’ all you burners know what im talking about. I love you people and I cant wait for Rites of Passage .

LOVE LOVE LOVE

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