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Culture - - (+7|-0)
I co-founded Burning Man. The festival has lost its soul.(sfstandard.com)
8 commentsbyDrewski
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[-]JasonCarswell4(+3|0)

In 1986 IIRC, John Law was co-founder of Burning Man with Larry Harvey, and IIRC another guy - and the many people of the anarchist prankster Cacophony Society and other groups. Larry died a few years back. In 1991 they moved it from Baker Beach in SF on the solstice to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada for the week up to Labor Day.

John Law split from the BMOrg (Burning Man Organization) early on (well before I even attended 1999-2008). From what I recall, he seemed wise in his anarchist writings, and while the quitting seemed extreme, his reasons seemed sound - and of course back then I obviously didn't know all the details, knew much less about anarchism, and knew even less about the people involved and their motivations, ethics, and philosophical stances, much less the pragmatic terms (including dealing with the 3 county sheriffs, BLM, narcs, and practical expenses etc.) on which the festival's continued existence hung in the balance.

In 1999 there was a lot of drum circles and few rules with the official population of ~19500. (1998 was the last year of the drive-by shooting range.) By 2008 there was a lot of electronic everything and endless bureaucracy and officially 55000 people (often more). The rules were made because there were always stupid people doing stupid things among the rest of "normal" folks - but IMO they didn't really need so many rules so much as common sense. All this before woke became the rampant trend.

Looking forward to reading this. Thanks for posting!

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[-]pumpkin5(+4|0)

An excellent summary. My main contact there was Benjamin Wachs (Caveat Magister), but I don't know when he started their philosophical center and/or other projects. My personal (minor) involvement was only after 2008 or so.

The biggest problem - IMO - has been the cost of going. I would think some of the organizers were making an impressive profit, though I appreciate it's also an expensive gig to arrange. Still, many middle class folks haven't been able to afford to go, which is rather sad. There was always the potential for a more thought-provoking experience, but many of the wealthy folks who go seem to be somewhat shallow and uninterested in anything relatively sober or thought-provoking. Not that there's a problem with partying much of the time, but there have also been missed opportunities for other, more interesting experiences.

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[-]JasonCarswell3(+2|0)

Yes, the cost is prohibitive - but it was always possible. Somehow there were always poor dirty hippies there.

I spent zero one year. A friend got me a ticket. Other's helped in various ways. It was something of an experiment. I brought a tent but didn't set it up and was "homeless".

Two years of the ten I did sober. Another experiment. Some years I was moderate, some a little, some perhaps too much.

The biggest expense of the BMOrg as I understood it was paying off the authorities. I doubt they needed that many sheriffs, BLM, narcs, etc. but they imposed themselves and demanded their payola. Essentially all the Burner tax payers were taxed twice.

Yes, there certainly were vapid uninteresting folks from all walks, whether it's the mostly-local yahoos (too many thieves) who came in for the weekend or those with aircraft that came for the weekend - they didn't "get" Burning Man. It got to be that Thu and Sun were the best days.

Like anything, the 10% rule applies, so interesting stuff was there to be discovered if you wanted to look for it.

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[-]pumpkin1(0|0)

Thanks for this info. Good to know that this was like for someone who was there for 10 years.

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[-]RickSanchez3(+2|0)

Booze, drugs, sex, and acting like a moron because they can't follow BM's rules.

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[-]Tom_Bombadil3(+2|0)

All this before woke became the rampant trend.

Did this have a significant impact?

Did they try to rename it "Burning Person"?

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[-]JasonCarswell3(+2|0)

I just know that the world changed with Woke and COVID - including BM with their stupid 2020 virtual burn.

Also, back then I wasn't as aware, while being younger and trying to impress my peers in good and bad ways. I used to think jokes about eating babies and having sex with kids was edgy and hilarious - but learning that it's not just some imaginary taboo and the pedophocracy is real neuters whatever humour might reside there. Further, the cross-dressers and trans-folks one might run into knew the score and weren't retarded about stuff.

Even back then there were 9/11 skeptics at Burning Man with a giant "TRUTH" made from the same iron structure as the World Trade Center and they were going to do a thermite demonstration - but it got cancelled because of "environmental concerns".

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