Saturday 9 August 2014

My Take

I don't know if it's a good thing (because it's big enough already and maybe I shouldn't be telling people how awesome it is) or a bad thing (because people assume things about me when I mention it) but I get a little frustrated/offended when I talk to people about Burning Man and their first response is how it's a week long drug-fuelled orgy in the desert.

NO!

I mean, sure.  There must be some people in a population of sixty THOUSAND who take drugs and have sex all day every day, but that's not what Burning Man is to me... or to, I'm sure, many many many of the other tens of thousands of people who go and/or try to go year after year.

To me, Burning Man is impossible to really describe, because there's so much to it.  You can't possibly understand how massive it is until you've been, or how much there is to see until you've been, but that somehow sounds elitist.  Like, oh, caviar?  You'll only know how tasty it is when you're rich enough to taste it you little person...

So I'll just say this.  To me, Burning Man is a chance to spend a week in a frigging gorgeous but inhospitable desert with tens of thousands of Scientists, Engineers, Artists, Dancers, Painters, Welders, kind, loving, soul-full strangers from all over the world who want the world to be the best possible version of itself that we can possibly imagine.

And to me, it's a time to stop worrying about work or stresses or what you're supposed to be doing and just be in the moment and witness the incredible genius and ingenuity and brilliance of humanity.  And it's a time to try to be those things you want to be... less shy, less self-conscious, more forgiving, less judgemental, more open-hearted and to try things you never knew you wanted to try!

To call it a "drug-fuelled orgy" is so unfair and so untrue and kind of hurts my feelings.

But, you know, this is just my take on how I feel about the experience and the place.  Your mileage may vary and although I'm a drug-free, monogamous person myself, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Burning Man being whatever you want it to be for you.  It's just not fair to paint the entire thing with the same brush, I don't think.

And that's all I have to say about that.

*steps quietly down from mini soapbox*

6 comments:

Army of the Frenetic said...

Shy guy over here. No way I could handle being in a crowd of tens of thousands. But I've also heard the, ah, negativity surrounding BM.

On that note, I assumed BM involved lighter fluid and some poor soul who drew the short straw.

*Attaches wheels to said mini soapbox, snaps on goggles for mini soapbox Grand Prix*

Victoria said...

Shy girl here! The only time I ever felt like I was in a crowd was the night the man burns. And because I was at the front of the crowd it was really only like I was around thirty/fifty other people. Sure there are a ton of people there but the place is massive. SO massive, there was never a crowd.

But, yeah, there is a ton of lighter fluid...or...whatever makes fire go firey! And no one draws a short straw, they're super good with security and safety and it's more like the one lucky guy who gets to safely light the thing while the rest of us watch and go oooooooh ;)

*Is unsure if part of the Grand Prix or having to wave the flag*

Army of the Frenetic said...

Even better.

You're Water Girl. You get to stand WAY, WAY over there and spray the crowd with a water spritzer.

*Nods, hands over spritzer and ceremonial Water Girl garb. Cape is mandatory, short skirt optional*

Victoria said...

Wow, I didn't know that was actually a thing?! :)

Anonymous said...

Burning man sounds great! Dont most people wear a costume? Are you going to do that? Thanks for blog. All best David

Victoria said...

Some people wear costumes, some people just dress the way they wish they could every day, some people wear very little, some people wear just regular clothes. I'm not going to wear a "costume" per say, but just what I feel comfortable and happy in that maybe also looks cool as a bonus ;)