Comments on: Turnkey Camping: A Clarification

By: Martiena

Martiena — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:19:25 +0000

I am not a seasoned burner, in fact last year was my first year. I found a link online and followed it to Burning Man. I’ve read that few go because of the 10 principles, not me. I read those 10 principles and knew that I had to go. They are the values I have strived towards all my adult life. My closest friend also had a ticket, but had heart surgery so burning man was no longer an option.
Camping in a tent, and being radically self reliant was hard, but I felt more alive than I have in years.
This year my friend and I would love to go again, she would need air conditioning, and a place to rest during the day. I was VERY lucky and picked up 2 tickets in the lottery.
We rented a trailer that is supposed to be delivered to the playa, and taken away when Burning Man is finished. It is costly, but the only way she can attend.
I am thrilled I can share the burning man experience with her. Only possible because we are able to able to have the use of a trailer. Our situation is one many people at Burning Man must experience.
We will be burners in every way but we will not be sleeping in a tent.

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By: Martiena

Martiena — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:29:26 +0000

I am not a seasoned burner, in fact last year was my first. I am 55 and have had many challenges in my life. ( as many do) I found a link online and followed it to burning man. I’ve read that few go to because of the 10 principles. I read those 10 principles, and knew that I had to go. They are what I have strived for all my adult life. My closest friend also had a ticket, but had heart surgery so burning man was no longer possible. I camped in a tent and wasps radically

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By: Slutty Goat

Slutty Goat — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:48:04 +0000

Dude with a crappy “art” car after getting pancakes next door to our theme camp; “Hey, can put my paper plate in your garbage?”

(he was the third person that morning to ask)

My camp mate; “Sorry, we’re not garbage camp.”

Dude; “Aw, c’mon! I’ll give you a ride in my art car later on.”

My camp mate; “This is Burning Man. Pack it in, pack it out. Your art car is right there, don’t you have a garbage bag in that thing?!”

Dude; “Aw man! You guys are assholes.”

My camp mate; “Yes. Yes we are.”

There are two kinds of people at Burning Man. Those who contribute to the community and those who take from the community. And what makes it a community? Shared values. If someone is walking around, ignoring the agreed-upon shared values, then they are TAKING from the community… and yes, it is acceptable, nay, it is one’s DUTY to be an “authoritarian” asshole towards them so that maybe they will straighten up and decide to contribute instead of taking.

If you think Burning Man is all about anarchy and chaos and “doing whatever you want” then you are sorely mistaken. If you automatically label authority and rules and shared values as “bad”, then I think you have a bit of a simplistic outlook.

Yes, I will tell someone shitting on the playa that it’s “not cool”. Because it is NOT cool. It is not cool if I step in it, it is not cool if someone else steps in it, and it is not cool for the person who has to clean it up. It’s an act of thoughtless selfishness… THAT is who the real asshole is. THAT is the true authoritarian who forces somebody else to deal with his shit against their will.

Basically, at Burning Man (and anywhere else for that matter) if you are not dealing with your own shit, then you are shitting on the community and it is perfectly acceptable for the community to put you in your place.

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By: Lolipop

Lolipop — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 21:58:41 +0000

@harinama

“I’ll make it my primary focus to make their week a living hell”

like a good little authoritarian. you’ve earned your brownshirt. wear it with pride.

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By: harinama

harinama — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:26:28 +0000

Lolipop, i’ll be a ranger out there this year, and you can sure as hell bet, i’ll be ripping on the camps with the 24/7 unprotected generators. I’ll make it my primary focus to make their week a living hell, like their are making their neighbors.

90% of BRC citizens are good folks, 5% are clueless, and 5% are just plain aholes.

That last 5% better watch out for me.

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By: Lolipop

Lolipop — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:51:14 +0000

@Thermal

okay, you go out there with your honorary ranger badge and run around telling everyone what they’re doing wrong. yes, it’s boring. it’s boring because for every person you tell-off, you kill the buzz of the people you’re with and the people within earshot of your self-righteous indignation.

you people think you’re special and that you ‘get it’ above all the people you judge to be doing it wrong. you’re not special – the playa is absolutely littered with people like you – like the lady stomping around the portapotties with a bullhorn screaming for an hour every day very angrily that babywipes shouldn’t be thrown in the potties. every day for an hour! she thought she was doing the right thing just like you. there was absolutely no reasoning with her to get her to turn down the bullhorn, just like there’s no reasoning with you.

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By: Massive

Massive — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 09:25:15 +0000

To those who think that this is all a smokescreen, I’m just wondering… should this blog only and ever be about the ticket fiasco? I can understand if you feel like you haven’t gotten enough information from the Org — although how much can they give to satisfy those for whom there’s never enough? — but at some point you have to live with the question like all the rest of us. It’s all going to work out one way or the other.

And to dave above, please take that racist shit somewhere else, maybe a klan meeting. I’ve had stuff stolen from me, from bikes to things a touch more illicit, and I adapt. I don’t go blindly scapegoating groups of people out of petty anger or a overblown sense of loss.

And since I really should chime in on the subject at hand, I know a few burners that make the experience easier for others and get paid off playa for their time and effort, and I’ve only ever seen everybody involved better off for it. There’s more to life than money… isn’t that what decommodification is all about?

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By: gopher

gopher — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:18:03 +0000

this is why other events venues concerts continue to do well they provide this level of services as part of their programs. we all pay the level of involment we are comfortable with whether its cars housing or entertainment

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By: Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo

Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:44:57 +0000

Check Point Charlie is right. BMORG really did screw the pooch this year with the tickets. Kinda hypocritical too with First Camp. What I am am unsure about is if anyone is going to have any fun, or are they going to be talking about all this crap on the playa? “All my friends couldn’t make it because of BMORG” or “That camp looks like a Plug and Play camp so hide your children!”

Look in the mirror and repeat after me…

“I have finally identified the problem, I am a Jerk”

GET OVER YOURSELF!!! Now don’t you feel better?

Total Jerk and burner,

Joey Jo Jo Junior Shabadoo

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By: Check Point Charlie

Check Point Charlie — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:49:35 +0000

I think those entire Plug and Play camp is a whole lot to do about nothing. This seems to me a smoke screen to take away from BMORG for fucking up the ticket process for 2012. As one commented above if you want to see the ultimate Plug and Play Camp go see First Camp. To have management put their thumb down now seems hypocritical Let people experience Burning Man the way they want to IF they were so lucky to have been able to purchase a ticket….

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