A reflection from Burning Man
I got back from Burning Man recently, and I thought I would share my thoughts here as I reflect on my annual pilgrimage to Black Rock City.
Burning Man was certainly weird this year. The unprecedented rains prior to and during the burn created everything from chaos to confusion to panic but also created opportunities for people to come together and do great things.
Burning Man is very different today than it was 10 years ago and extremely different from 20 years ago. It looks nothing like it did when it started on the beach in San Francisco in 1986. Some say this is a bad thing, but I think it is part of an evolution, and I am OK with things changing as long as the ten principles are at the center of the event, and it continues to attract creative, giving, and open people.
Burning Man has become more mainstream, attracting more people who typically go to Coachella, Bonnaroo, EDC, and other music festivals. But Burning Man is not a music festival, although it has attracted those who consider themselves festival-goers in recent years.
Before the burn, things were different. Normally, scarce tickets were available everywhere. The difficulty in getting a ticket vanished, and the value of tickets also vanished. And people were forced to reduce the price of tickets to get rid of them or even give them away for free.
Even before this burn, I wondered how that would impact the future of Burning Man. The organization sells FOMO tickets at an inflated price (fear of missing out) to people who can afford to pay more but are worried about not getting a ticket. The FOMO ticket guarantees that they will be able to attend. Burning Man counted on these high-priced tickets to raise additional funds to pay for art, infrastructure, and everything necessary to put on an event like this.
I wondered if anyone would buy those highest-priced tickets next year.
I wondered if it was because 2022 was so extremely hot and difficult. Many long-term burners didn’t come back because the burn in 2022 was just too hot. Too dusty. Last year was simply too hard for many people.
If people thought last year was difficult, they had no idea what was in store for them this year. The rains before the event caused delays in the creation of art and getting large projects finished on the Playa. The rains during the event made it impossible for people to leave, enter, and simply get around. It made 2022 look like a piece of cake.
Rumors & Misinformation
And then the rumors started. Ridiculous rumors of Ebola, of the National Guard and FEMA coming in, rumors that the government was building a fence around black rock city to keep people in. Rumors of human waste everywhere and overflowing Porta potties.
Of course, all these rumors were complete bullshit, yet they were reported on mainstream news and all over social media, tick-tock, Facebook, and Instagram. Even when I sent messages to friends telling them it wasn’t true, many didn’t believe me, even though I was there on the ground. They believe what they saw on TikTok over what their friends at Burning Man were telling them.
As frustrating as dealing with the mud was, dealing with the rumors and panic was even more frustrating.
While everyone outside of Burning Man was casting judgment and forecasting the demise of Burning Man, we were there, having fun, working together, fostering community, dancing, and having a blast. It was certainly a difficult burn, and for two years in a row, it was an event that challenged people to their core. But I’m glad that I went to both, and I look forward to going to more in the future.
When I talk about Burning Man, people who haven’t been just don’t get it. They don’t get it until they actually come. And then there’s a growing list of people who come but still don’t get it. It’s not like their favorite festivals back home. It’s too hard. They don’t really get the 10 principles; they don’t understand the community aspect; they’re more worried about themselves and their own suffering.
The last two years have created a pivotal time for Burning Man. It will separate the wheat from the chaff. It will separate the people who get it from the people who don’t. I believe the organization will struggle to sell tickets next year and raise the funds necessary to create the magic that happens in the middle of the desert each year, culminating on Labor Day.
I think Burning Man has hit a reset button, and I think this is a good thing. Spectators won’t come back, but fully committed participants will.
I think we will go back to the purer spirit of Burning Man, which is nothing like the music and EDM festivals that have gained so much popularity over recent years. It will become more about the art and about the culture of Burning Man than ever before. And I still believe this is a good thing.
There’s a saying that you don’t get the burn you want; you get the burn you need. But for many people, they won’t see the opportunity that this 2023 Burn gave to them. They will only feel the suffering and inconvenience. They won’t understand how people came together to overcome incredible obstacles. They will simply head home discouraged and never return.
I am grateful
I am glad I came to both difficult years. I learned a lot about myself during both of these events. I have grown as a person, as a friend, as a partner, and as part of the Burning Man community. I am grateful for the experience, even though they were difficult.
Lost in the chaos of the 2024 burn are all the magical moments that happened prior to the rains. I had a couple of amazing nights and even more amazing mornings. I met some great new friends and spent time with amazing old friends. I was once again inspired by art, by human beings, by music, and amazing creativity, sarcasm, and humor. This is what Burning Man means to me, and a little rain can’t take that away from me.
I have returned to the default world, inspired and more aware. Thank you, Burning Man, for teaching me so many lessons. I look forward to learning more and more in future years. I am taking this same attitude to other events, conventions, and group trips.
I wish more people looked at the positives rather than focusing on the negatives. They would be much happier if they did.
Naughty Bob