Zidrooner posted:

People from all walks of life partying together and doing MDMA and LSD together sounds like it could do a lot of good. But not if the elites separate themselves from exposure to any ideology but their own by using bouncers. This action makes burning man look like less of a joke

Zidrooner posted:

People from all walks of life partying together and doing MDMA and LSD together sounds like it could do a lot of good. But not if the elites separate themselves from exposure to any ideology but their own by using bouncers. This action makes burning man look like less of a joke

fits my needs posted:

it's still just somewhat rich white people getting mad at obscenely rich white people for not inviting them to their party lol

thathonkey posted:

i cant think of a worse punishment for myself than having to attend burning man every year

hemophilia posted:

they do that without drugs involved at all. Give me some peyote, or some lsd, i'll pass on the uppers i don't want to literally mummify myself to death but come on what the poo poo

Angry Birds Suicide posted:

Zzulu posted:

isnt this basically just white people

Neris posted:

BURNING MAN GOON MEET! Friday of the event, at 4pm, 3:15 and A at Home Brew Haus


Welcome to our fourth Burning Man megathread, where you can ask burner goons about everything you might need to know about That Thing in The Desert, and regionals and burn-related events. Share your pictures and experiences of the festival, and generally discuss how this year is going to suck and also probably be the dustiest year EVER!

What's Burning Man?

It’s a lot of things but the fundamentals are as follows. It’s a 60,000 (ish) strong, seven-day long festival that takes place in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada at the end of August over labour day weekend.

But apart from that, it’s everything. It’s a massive playground for everyone of all ages.

It’s the most mindblowing collection of beautiful art and installations you will ever see in your life, all lit up at night for miles around like a big playground. It’s DJs and dancing in a dust storm wearing next to nothing with thousands of other people while a flame thrower goes off next to you. It’s stumbling upon a parade of a thousand people dressed as rabbits demanding rights for bunnies as they converge on the thunder dome. It’s thousands of bars, all free, serving everything from mimosas to beer, horrible skittle vodka and shots of rum. It’s loads of nudity, everywhere. It’s sitting silently at the temple at sunrise on your own before chasing an art car that looks like a church you can hear in the distance playing your favourite song.

It’s a massive playground for everyone of all ages. It’s home.

And it’s almost impossible to describe! But the stories people have to share are a good place to start!



Participation and the 10 principles

Most all, almost everything you enjoy to Burning Man was provided by your fellow burners for *you* to enjoy. This spirit of giving and wanting to provide happiness for everyone makes it one of the most, if not the most, wonderful, loving and accepting environments on earth.

Participation is key – and one of the 10 principles. No one is a spectator. If someone needs help, you help. And visa versa. This can be anything, from picking up a scrap of trash you see on the ground, to offering to face paint people. Giving people gifts, food, advice. There is nothing nicer than going up to a complete stranger, offering them an ice cold beer from your cooler and then walking off – except, perhaps, someone doing the same for you! You can do anything. Climb, create, build, be someone else.

There’s other important principles – Leave No Trace is key. At Burning Ma, you cannot leave trash anywhere. Cigarette butts are a no. Do not pour out your gross flat vodka coke on the playa. Do not disgard that empty can behind the portapotties. This is called MOOP (Matter Out Of Place) and MOOP is bad mmkay.




The environment and survival

The playa [pronounced ply-uh] is an exceptionally harsh environment. Attending Burning Man is not for the faint hearted and it is an endurance test. The weather is impossible to predict. It could be hotter than 100F/37C in the day while freezing at night. Dust storms and ‘whiteouts’ – where it gets so dusty you honestly cannot see your hand in front of your face – are common, and the dust is famous for eroding your electric gear, loving up your car’s AC, dying out your skin and getting into ever available nook and cranny imaginable.

You can survive it! As long as you are prepared!



I don’t drink or take drugs, will I enjoy it?

YES. There’s a lot of misconceptions around the idea that you have to be off your face to enjoy the festival. While a lot of people are drunk or high at Burning Man, there’s SO MUCH (and I cannot stress this enough) to see and do that you will absolutely have the time of your life. And if you don’t like the atmosphere of where you are, just go somewhere else. An article here.


Okay, I’m sold. I want to go to Burning Man. How do I do this?

Tickets for 2014 - http://tickets.burningman.com/
They're gone! If you missed out, register on STEP when it opens, or in the OMG sale, or try to find someone who's selling. Don't pay bajillions of dollars for a scalper ticket. these can be voided and are against the spirit of the event a hundred times over.

Try to get a ticket through other means – Craigslist, Eplaya and other online communities. Be calm when the ticket system falls over and crashes. It’s all part of the burn maaaan.

New for 2014 is the Vehicle Pass. If you plan to drive into Black Rock City, get a vehicle pass. These are likely to be scarce this year thanks to ticket panic and there being a lot less on offer than actual tickets.

How do I prepare for a week in the desert?

Read the survival guide. Read the survival guide. Read the survival guide.

This is a big one, especially as many of us come from far away and are limited by what we can carry on the plane. You’ll probably be in a tent, if you don’t go for the RV option.

Some essentials that you need to remember to get. Remember you cannot buy anything on the playa apart from ice and coffee. Some camps will give away food or drinks – this is to be viewed as a bonus and definitely not a way to subsist.

• Water. A minimum of a gallon per person per day. More if you intend to cook, wash yourself or dishes .
  
• Food. To quote Alfajor, OP of the previous thread, “. This is pretty hard, especially for first-timers, but you can't rely on anyone else but yourself. If you can't think of anything, at least pack a bunch of bagels, MREs, salami, granola bars and stuff that doesn't spoil easily.”
  
• Lights. There’s no public lighting and there are bikes, art cars and all kinds of things running around the playa at all hours of the night. At the very minimum, a headlamp worn around your neck will do. At the best, EL-wire (which you can buy online and is really fun) LEDs, battery operated Christmas lights. You want to glow like the beautiful fairy you are.
  
• Toiletries. Suncream! Chapstick! Wet wipes! All of the obvious, as well as a small amount of white vinegar which you can rub on your hands and feet to counteract the alkalinity of the dust which can cause some skin problems for some people.
  
• Dust mask and goggles. When a dust storm whips up around you, you want to have these on you.
  
• A fabulous cup. Bars do not provide cups, most of the time. Having a cup (ideally with a carabiner clip) allows you to handily enjoy all the booze, coffee, lemonade and other liquid delights on offer on the playa.
  
• Clothes. It’s very very hot in the day. It can be very cold at night. Some years, it’s been cold in the day. Be prepared. Bring a hat with a string so it won’t blow off your head non-stop. And if you’ve ever wanted to dress up like a nun/a unicorn/a man-robot-bear-pig hybrid in a tutu, now’s your chance.
  
• Your ID (if you are over 21 and plan to drink.) Most bars will ID you. One genius solution to the anxiety of losing your ID is to photocopy it, glue it to your cup, and leave your real ID in your tent.
  

Here is an extraordinary packing list that is a bit on the excessive side, but still excellent reading. - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AnZUbqyodtS2cGpZMG4yaWY2SDJYVTlyUkExOVBNWFE&output=html



Do I need a bike?
Yes! 100%! Wait, no! Not at all!

Lots of people get around Burning Man by bike, but it can be a bit of a hassle trying to organise to get one. It’s definitely nice to have, but not an essential – look into registering with a rental service like Kiwanis (asap though, as they’ve just opened and it will sell out soon.) Make sure you know what you’re doing after with it. You CANNOT leave it on the Playa as trash. Some people prefer not to have bikes because it allows them to walk around, and take in and interact with the festival more, rather than nipping from A to B.


Should I join a camp? How do I find a camp?
This varies from what you’re after, but I would personally recommend joining a camp, especially if you’re in your first year. It’s a great way to meet people, get involved in building and make friends, and enjoy communal shady rest areas you wouldn’t have if you camped solo.

Expect to pay camp fees, though they can vary wildly depending on which camp you’re in and how much is provided for you. $100 is a good baseline, but I met people out there who paid $400, $500, some of which didn’t even cover food fees, which the campers had to bring in with them. Camp fees usually help the camp with storage, transport, infrastructure, as well as nice additions such as communal shade, a shower with an evap pond and so on.

Finding a camp can be daunting if you don’t have a clue on the first way to start so look on Eplaya, Burning Man facebook groups, and talk to burners. Which brings me nicely to my next point.

And come to the on playa Burner goon meet up! It happens every year usually midweek I think. Or so I hear. I've failed at every attempt to get to one.)

Regionals and burners near you
This is an important part! Get to know your local burner scene. Look online to find out about local events in your area, and get involved. Burning Man pub meet ups are a wonderful way to meet people, and a great way to find out about camps, bikes, rideshares and other resources you’ll need out there, as well as being the best drat night out in town.

Additionally, I've attended several regional burn events (Nowhere and French Burn Weekend) and they are absolutely wonderful. If you don't think you can make it to Burning Man, consider going to a closer regional!

I live in [middle of nowhere] and none of my friends want to go! Should I go half way across the world alone to Burning Man?
Yes. Absolutely. And you wouldn't be the first. As long as you prepare adequately, you’re likely to have the time of your life. It costs a lot of money and time to get set up properly, but as long as you’re prepped, you’ll be grand.


Burning Man resources

• Burning Man homepage
  
• Subscribe to the JRS newslette, and your regional newsletter.
  
• Burners.me is full of Burning Man culture
  
• Follow @BurningMan on twitter
  
• Burning Man Facebook
  
• "The life lessons of Burning Man: Is there anything you can't learn from the insane desert art festival?"
  
• "The Truth About Burning Man"
  
• "You people have ruined me, thank you"
  

Photos
There's a million photos of Burning Man everywhere but here’s a couple of galleries to start you off.

• http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/09/photos-of-burning-man-2013/100584/
  
• http://www.scottlondon.com/photo/burningman2013/index.html
  
• http://vimeo.com/76244537
  
• http://www.stuckincustoms.com/category/travel/nevada/burning-man/

Videos
A shitload of videos, because more is more!!

• Lovely overview of the playa
  
• My Burning Man Adventure
  
• Dear Temple of Transition (possibly my favourite video)
  
• "DREAM - Art & Culture of Burning Man". A short film that talks a bit about BM and contains some beautiful footage.
  
• In The Dust, very pretty
  
• The Fertile Desert
  
• Art on Fire
  
• The Temple (2013)
  
• The Burning Man Ultra Marathon, this makes me laugh
  
• Forever Young Going to Burning man at the age of 86[/url]
  
  And the classics..
  
• Hula cam
  
• Home
  
• Oh the places you'll go
  (Thanks to kerb for helping come up with a bunch of these!)

Are Daft Punk playing?
Trash fence. Sunrise. Don’t miss it.

Goons on the playa!
Photos of us, by us, around us, etcetera.












Additions welcome!

i like that posted:

Revolution against 'rich parasites' at utopian Burning Man Festival as 'hooligans' attack luxury camp
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/04/revolution-against-rich-parasites-at-utopian-burning-man-festiva/
5 SEPTEMBER 2016

i like that posted:

Revolution against 'rich parasites' at utopian Burning Man Festival as 'hooligans' attack luxury camp
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/04/revolution-against-rich-parasites-at-utopian-burning-man-festiva/
5 SEPTEMBER 2016

dookifex_maximus posted:

but but but i'm naked and on drugs too why arent you penniless hippies treating me like the golden god i am

minato posted:

That's a pile of dog poo poo.

The first loving principle of BM is Radical Inclusion, and that doesn't go out the window just because "but I don't wannaaaa!" I got irrationally mad when I saw Paris Hilton's vacuous Instagram pics out there but so what, I'm not going to go trash her camp. That's literally the definition of terrorism; "the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes." All these vandals are saying is that they don't care about the principles of Burning Man at all, they just want to experience it with people exactly like them, and everyone else stay out. gently caress 'em.

I never camped with White Ocean but I know a few of the people that are part of that camp, and they are not rich 1%s. The founders might be rich, but they also make up 1% of the camp. The rest of the camp are just regular burners, and they work like dogs to get that camp set up. The founders used their money to provide my not-rich acquaintances with a platform to make their art and do their thing, but yet somehow everyone in the camp has to suffer for that?

Hustlin Floh posted:

How do they check tickets? Do they rope off the whole massive compound or something? What's to stop someone from just driving around the whole site?

Philthy posted:

I think there is like one road or something

its so out in the middle of nowhere that you really cant come in from the other side or whatever

quote:

The first loving principle of BM is Radical Inclusion, and that doesn't go out the window just because "but I don't wannaaaa!"

Hustlin Floh posted:

How do they check tickets? Do they rope off the whole massive compound or something? What's to stop someone from just driving around the whole site?

WhyteRyce posted:

Rich tech idiots flock to an area that is cool, hip, and/or full of culture because it is inhabited by people more interesting than them. Rich tech people then piss off and drive out said people via exclusionary practices.

Isn't that the Bay Area in a nut shell?

WhyteRyce posted:

Rich tech idiots flock to an area that is cool, hip, and/or full of culture because it is inhabited by people more interesting than them. Rich tech people then piss off and drive out said people via exclusionary practices.

Isn't that the Bay Area in a nut shell?

WhyteRyce posted:

Rich tech idiots flock to an area that is cool, hip, and/or full of culture because it is inhabited by people more interesting than them. Rich tech people then piss off and drive out said people via exclusionary practices.

Isn't that the Bay Area in a nut shell?

Zachack posted:

Yes but it's also because the city "mayor/council", rather than implement some sort of direction for growth and development, just let poo poo roll largely unimpeded until suddenly there wasn't enough room and the market started making decisions for them. At which point whining really began. I got dragged to a documentary on BM a couple years ago and if the purpose was to make the people in charge look like total idiots it succeeded magnificently (I don't think that was the purpose).

Again, just like the Bay Area.

Also just like the Bay Area most of the pre-tech people weren't really cool, hip, or cultural (at least not any more than the tech people) but really liked the little bits that were, and keep trying to put their little fiefdoms under glass, loving the poor harder in the process.

Darth123123 posted:

The tenderloin seems like a really cruel name.

Curdy Lemonstan posted:

Yeah my dream is sharing ideas about spirituality and ideology with some stupid hippies from usa. Not. Ive done it. Its acceptable until the drugs wear off. Hard berlin techno and ecstasy is way more fun and way less pretentious. Yes, berlin is way less pretentious than burning man. I have spoken.

WhyteRyce posted:

Rich tech idiots flock to an area that is cool, hip, and/or full of culture because it is inhabited by people more interesting than them. Rich tech people then piss off and drive out said people via exclusionary practices.

Isn't that the Bay Area in a nut shell?

Nirvikalpa posted:

i want to go to berlin and go clubbing, what is the best way?

fits my needs posted:

whitepeople.jpg

Curdy Lemonstan posted:

Travel there with some good looking friends and at least 1-2 girls if you wanna get in everywhere. Otherwise just travel there and buy drugs at görlitzer park (warning, tourist trap and generally poor quality drugs) and go to any club possible. Last I heard Prague is getting to be the new techno heaven. Idunno.