Comments on: Who the hell are “Burners,” anyway?

By: Learning to be

Learning to be — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:41:23 +0000

@Mercedese – Thank you for posting! The response “we left our assholes at home” definitely describes my experience at Burning Man.

The playa is a place of unique individuals where you are not judged by your economic status, education or religion as you often are in the default world. The clothing (or absence of it) not only allows people to express creativity, it is an example of people allowing themselves to be “free” of the perceived norms and limitations held by society.

For some people attending BM may be their first experience that allows them to realize that they have been unconsciously doing what society expects of them – Burning Man awakens the unconscious mind.

For me…I have been told all my life that I am “too forgiving” “too accepting” and that I “trust people too much”. At Burning Man I discovered thousands of people who share the attitude of acceptance, which allowed more personal growth. Burning Man truly is home.

I agree with Open-Minded..Keeping the BM culture (and practicing unconditional acceptance) in the default world should be the goal of all “Burners”

Report this comment

By: Open-Minded

Open-Minded — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:56:43 +0000

Being a burner is a state of mind and going to Burning Man enables my states of mind to grow. If you practice BM culture in the default world than you are a burner.

Report this comment

By: inbal

inbal — Thu, 03 May 2012 01:56:16 +0000

I must say, I like you’re standing-on-one-foot explanation of what a burner is.
It’s so wonder-ful that people gather together and resonate with the energy of possibility and end up delighting and inspiring each other.

Report this comment

By: Mutant vehicle owners of America

Mutant vehicle owners of America — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:51:03 +0000

Really?….. This is the end of the thread?

Burning man is dead. Time to bury him.

Report this comment

By: Mutant vehicle owners of America

Mutant vehicle owners of America — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 13:29:20 +0000

Being a burner means that you are on PROBATION this year thanks to the Borg. BLM has put the event on probation because of too many burners at the 2011 burn. How did that happen? The management team for the Borg can’t count or are just greedy and let the overpopulation happen and damn the consequences. You just can’t fix stupid……

You can read the article in this Sunday’s online edition of the Reno Gazette/journal

Report this comment

By: Mercedese Witty

Mercedese Witty — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 06:20:06 +0000

What does is mean to be a “Burner”? It means you have had the expanding mind experience that you only can have at Black Rock City, and people, I don’t mean LSD, Shrooms, Weed or any other drugs… I mind expansion of your thoughts, your views, your spirit, your connection to whatever is your reality. You go there the person you have always been, and leave there the person you were meant to be. You come back to “reality” and realize that for the first time in your life, for 7 days you lived in a Utopian Society, where the rage, meaness and cruelty of Life was not existent, and if it happened to pop its head into Black Rock City, it either mutated to a higher existence or it got escorted out of the event with firmness and love. It is a feeling of pure love and a connection to your fellow Burners in a way that is most unusual in reality. People at Burning Man are just fundamentally good people. The first year I went 2008-American Dream, we did not have a clue where to camp, etc… we ended up camped right in the middle of some middleastern camp neighborhood, surrounded by Israelis, Pakistanis, Saudi Arabians and Palestinean’s. They all got along beautifully with each other. I asked one beautiful Israel young man “Wow, I am amazed, you are all getting along so well, how can that be when you have some serious problems in your own region of the world”? He smiled at me and said “We left all our assholes at home.” That said it all. You go to Burning Man because you are seeking a better world…maybe unconciously. You might think you are just going for the big parties, drugs, and pretty girls and boys, but it works it mojo on you and you leave a different person…. dusty, tired, body exhausted – but your spirit is filled and you can’t wait to “Go Home” again.

Report this comment

By: Dogknee

Dogknee — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 04:42:16 +0000

They have other issues too. The Co-founder has sued BORG to strip them of ownership of the event’s name and logo and to place the rights to their trademarks in the public domain
They want to grow the event to 70K over the next 5 years.

See the link,

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/national_world&id=8631197

Report this comment

By: Ghost

Ghost — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:57:05 +0000

Greetings,
Burning Man just got put on probation by the BLM for exceeding the 50,000 person cap last year ( BM claimed 53,000). According to the news BM is appealing the decision – why? if they get a probation two years in a row their permit will be cancelled. Hence, in a worst case scenario this could be the last year if they go over the limit.
Who are burners? obviously those who are under the cap with a ticket, and if the Borg lose the appeal, clearly this year they maybe having to refund tickets at the gate due to size limitations – that should be interesting if it arises. Maybe they just undersell the event, like if they still have tickets simply do not sell them.
The issue though is next year. By putting the burden on BLM to be the bad guy as to the number of people who can be admitted I am sure the ticket costs this year will pale as to the ticket costs next year, as well as which or what burners get in.
Question? do you have to go to burning man to be a burner?

Ghost.

Report this comment

By: Peace

Peace — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:07:05 +0000

@Frank NY

What kind of creepy big-brother monitoring do you think BMorg is doing? They’re supposed to know what happens on the venice boardwalk? You ARE there eyes. Now that you know, you can tell them and they can do something about it. Would it help for BMorg picture nazis to be around every corner. Ug. If you haven’t noticed they’re dealing with bigger fish right now.

Report this comment

By: Zach

Zach — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:53:38 +0000

I’ve been once, in 2008. I had a blast. Haven’t been able to make it since (school), don’t know when I’ll make it next (money), but I’d sure love to go back to the playa one of these years. I feel comfortable saying that I’m not a non-burner, but I don’t like to categorize myself nowadays any more than I did when I wasn’t a non-punk rocker.

I guess what I mean is I’m a whole long list of different things. And I liked going to Burning Man. And I don’t like wearing pants.

Report this comment