It appears that many many of my friends have decided not to go to BM this year! Everyone has a convenient excuse- be it the economy, the price of gas to drive an RV to Gerlach, how wasteful all the burning seems in this time of eco-crisis, the weather, other plans, etc. etc.
People are starting to get it!
I've been truly amazed....
It also doesn't seem like quite the faux pas it used to to announce that I hate BM. I even get people who laugh and concur!
People are starting to get it!
I've been truly amazed....
It also doesn't seem like quite the faux pas it used to to announce that I hate BM. I even get people who laugh and concur!
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SF Bay Area
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I see this trend, too. BM is jumping the shark maybe. Still, some idiots will always go no matter what I guess, especially those who really have nothing else interesting to define their self-identity. The true BM addicts who are beyond help.
I'm telling people I'll only go if it is part of a DJ/music gig and all my expenses would have to be paid. Even then I would only go in and out for the gig, staying as little time as possible. And I've never been before either. Just seeing so many of my once-individualistic friends turned into cracked-out over-sexed Burning Man sheeple, has given me a huge distaste for BM, regional burns, and really most Burners -- aside from those who are just artists using BM as a forum to promote themselves. Even then, I wish those artists could find other more intelligent and diverse audiences. -
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Don't waste your money on BM. Take your ideas, friends, etc & start your own "camping" event. It will be all yours, cheaper & a lot more fun without the ridiculous pretensions that come with a silly cult like BM...
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Ooo...even better....someone just asked me to host a party in lieu of BM.....since they know I wouldn't let anyone drag my rotting corpse there.
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Every year at Bondage a Go Go on teh Wednesday during burning man we host the annual "PLAYA HATERS CLUB". Last year we had a survivor style vote and voted 3 patrons and three songs to be perm 86'd from the club. Everyone who showed up got to vote.
That was fun. Can't wait to see what we do this year.
Honestly, I wonder what would happen if everyone that would normally hit BM took over the SE parking lot on treasure Island in SF. It's close, it's safe, it's a LOT of space. It's visible from the bridge and I doubt anyone would get too annoyed with shinanigans going on since there is nobody anywhere near. It's also as from from residential units on the island as you can get. It's all paved 100% fire proof, and it's on the water. Google Map 94130, switch to sat view and you'll see what I'm talking about.
--S
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Yikes. I think of "bowel movement" when I see "BM" so it gives this thread an unintended level of humor.
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The shorthand "BM" -"bowel movement" has been a nickname for the event since the early 90s. That & "druid puke" was used to try to poke fun at Larry’s lack of humor regarding his golden cash calf icon...
In 93 or 94 Joe "Bogman" Fenton showed up with a bunch of "druid puke" buttons & passed ‘em out. I think that was the same year Vee got a bunch of us to mod the "no spectators" sign to "nose tators" as a comedic protest to Larry's early pretentious sloganeering/propaganda.
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Someone said it could be the last year? That's the best news I heard all day! Can we please start spending money on greening our homes or lives?
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Yes. In fact, I'd rather spend money on yoga and developing deeper breathing capacity....as opposed to breathing playa dust.
I feel better already! -
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oh please let this be the last year!
i have decided to host my garden party when people are gone to BM, rather than try and have the party when all my friends will be able to attend. I'd rather sacrifice the attendance of the few Burner friends i have than let Burners descend upon my sacred garden potluck and talk about Burning Man all night. Away with them for one last hurrah! -
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This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.Well don't have it after burning man. They'll all show up in they're playa cakes clothes and boots, because they have to PROVE they were there, much like in high school not washing the hand you finger banged some girl with for fear the smell will fade and you'll lose the proof you actually went there.
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H A L L E L U Y A H ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
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I doubt this will be the last year. I'm sure the current & coming woes this country is & will be experiencing will slowly cull the heard. It is an unnecessary & exorbitant luxury most artists cannot afford. (how we got there the first year & did what we did is beyond me) people will trickle away & when it cost more to put on than what the org is making, only then will it stop being held in the black rock. Chances are, they will make it a more visible local franchise (bay area & regional) and hold it someplace like Candlestick Park, Hunters point, the Alameda base tarmac or some other large space with lots of parking. Oh, & the 6 or so people that make up the BMORG have already made enough money to have nice retirement plans, etc. there wont be a problem finding new employment (if they so choose) they would probably get city jobs curating some public art thing. BM is the aesthetic gift that will keep giving (or polluting, depending on your perspective) for decades to come.
On the bright side, it will be nice one day to return to the black rock when the BMORG no longer has use for it & not have to witness residue in the off season. -
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Icky-
Cause in '1987 when I graduated high School gas his a low that summer of $0.59/gal
Cheap gas means freedom to travel (without papers). Thats' where i find fault with the "Well they pay $8/gal in Europe! You Americans are spoiled!" No, we like to travel, we like to stretch our legs, we like to go places. It's freedom.
You can't get in the car and take a road trip at $5/gal. Gas goes up, all costs go up because everything has to be transported, even local goods. Can't travel by planes trains or cars now.
How much gas and oil did BM waste last year? How many of our freedoms did they destory?
--S
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Even at NIMBY, one of the primary burning man art shops, about 3/4 of the people aren't going. No big projects are being built there for burning man, which is definitely a first.
It used to be that when people saw any project I was working on, they'd ask "Is it for burning man?", and would give me this quizzical look when I invariably said "no!". Nowadays, I get asked the same question, but about half the the time they then say "Cool, fuck burning man!"
The tide is turning!
I still think it's great gallery space, if you have a project that needs more exposure (like the binaural brainwave research), but other than that... meh. $400 buys 5 bottle of amazingly good single malt scotch. Mmm, scotch. -
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Here's what I never got with most of the "art" at burning man...
create art
Pay a lot of money for a ticket ($300)
Pay to haul your art to the desert (ymmv, call it $1000 for food, gas, supplies, survival)
Burn the art at the end of the party and not haul it back.
I mean... what if Burning Turd existed waaaaaay back? What about the Devinci's, picaso's, and other works of great art today? Is the art people create such utter pop culture trash that it's disposable? Real art should last through the ages, not be some fleeting thing that is destroyed after a week.
I remember another group that liked to destroy and burn works of art.
They were called Nazi's.
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How well do you think a lot of that art (especially Picasso with all of his mixed media- cardboard, canvas, decoupage, etc) would survive the playa?
Van Gogh used his reject paintings to line his chicken coops. He had some self-esteem issues, apparently. -
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I'm betting a chicken shit stained Van Gough would still be priceless. ;)
On the other hand having seen what seem people claim under the "art" banner it's probably best that it is burnt.
Anyone ever watch Kids in the Hall? Anytime I use art in " " I like the hear it as the art sketch...
"Yes... come over and look at my.......... AAAAArt. This is my AAAAArt. Here! Let me take your coat! I'll put it next to my......... AAAAAAAAArt."
--S
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