Personally, I would rather see Burning Man get more exclusive…like have it be a Citizenship-based participation where people have to apply for citizenship and earn their right to be a citizen. Think http://www.klout.com for Burners, and you have to volunteer with core infrastructure and get the head of the camp/group to sign off on your work. Thus you build a social reputation and prove your skills to be a contributor of a sustainable city. Environmental training should be mandatory and application/s of the Code of Conduct (per the Tribal Convergence and Gathering of the Tribes) should be considered for shared resources and welcoming guests.

I know some of you will have a hard time with this, but how can you build a model of sustainability and give back to the organization that makes it all possible. A friend of mine ran over a girl who decided to take a nap under an art bus after getting fucked up and dancing all night. Needless to say, this girl got run over. There’s also something to be said about gigantic theme camps who house over 300 people and have a core team of 7 doing all of the work. Not fun!

If Burning Man is the magical city that is talked about like Shangrila, then people should have respect when they visit and earn their invitation. If Burning Man were to leave Black Rock City and be hosted at undisclosed locations around the world, I support that, as I support only citizens finding out where it’s at and being invited to participate. Evolution requires that the rules of the game change. There’s too many people going now, and not enough focus on the spirituality and reason of why the Man burns.

My thoughts anyway…

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That said, look for tickets to pop up after Tuesday or Wednesday during Burn week at rock bottom prices as the scalpers get nervous about being stuck with them. If you can stand to miss a couple days, you might even score one for UNDER face value and turn their bad vibes right back on them.

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I’m completely with Halcyon with regard to going out there and concentrating on all the GOOD that the Playa will deliver. This will be my 6th year. We have a small theme camp that people seem to really enjoy “when we’re open.” The whole week is an awesome experience!
Yes there have been changes even since I started going that I’m not a fan of, such as: Seems like more drunken fraternity fools (and I used to be one); too many camps giving out cans of beer; tons of kids going just for a DJ with no plans to “participate.”
AND I’m aware of some of the changes “the old timers” don’t like: Too many people with plush “rock star” motor homes; people paying others to build art cars; “kids” that don’t get it.
What I say (even to myself if I start getting irritated) move 100 feet that way and say hey to the next whacked out cool looking burner in a costume. There are so many ways to have a great time (and to contribute to someone else good time) its totally on you if you let yourself get worried about whats not going right.
Tommy – its simply too easy to complain. You don’t impress me and certainly don’t influence me.
Great moments last year:
Arriving just AFTER a dust storm on Saturday, our first year before the open and finding an almost empty city.
Hunkering down during a rain storm (where did THAT come from) with neighbors in a Huka Tent.
Jumping on an Art Car and partying with the “owners” for about 4 hours Sat before the open
Delivering a “shoe shine” foot massage along with shot of tequila in our theme camp and hearing “I think that was the coolest thing anyone has done for me all week”
Chatting with a beautiful early 30′s topless woman on her first burn who said her favorite thing so far was the fact she was walking around topless and felt COMPLETELY SAFE because of the people and the environment.
Man I could go on for days. I’m gonna go find it again in a couple weeks.
See you on the Playa!

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