Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 I just returned from my 9th visit to the annual Burning Man festival.If you've heard about it, but haven't been, then you're likely misinformed as news coverage either falls short of being able to describe the experience, or focuses on some marginal aspect such as celebrities in attendance.What it is, is an experiment in community living whereby 70K people gather in a desert that has no buildings, no trees, no cacti, in fact no rocks either... nothing but flat open space. These people live a life of artistic self-expression, following ten principles that define respect for yourself, others, and the environment.The result is a mind-blowing city of lights, art, and music with no cars, no phones/computers, no stores and no money. Just lots of scantily-clad and odd-costumed smiling people. I attend every year and act much as I do here, as a facilitator, and enjoy the challenge immensely. This year the temperature seemed to vary between about 0C to 35C, with awful whiteout dust-storms to boot. There's a bumper sticker I've seen there: my dream vacation is your worst nightmare.Photo: The giant man effigy is burned on Saturday night at Burning Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 What about toilets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 What about toilets? They have them... called potties, porta potties, JOTS. All good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 It's really about sex and doing lots of drugs and dancing. Everything else is fluff. Drugs everywhere. Naked people having sex all over the place. Dancing and music. I guess if that's your thing...lol. Hope you had fun and practiced safe sex. Hope you didn't do any bad drugs. You never know what people put in stuff that you take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 It's really about sex and doing lots of drugs and dancing. Everything else is fluff. Drugs everywhere. Naked people having sex all over the place. So you've been ? If so, your experience is very different from mine but in a city of 70,000 people that is to be expected. I wouldn't go to Red Deer or Drumheller or Prince Albert or wherever you live and expect to have the same experiences as everyone else (eg. hanging out in strip joints, drinking terrible beer and complaining about immigrants). If you haven't been then you should ask yourself why you are so eager to believe media reports that this is some kind of cross between Disneyland and an orgy. The term "I want to believe !" comes to mind here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msj Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 It's really about Quiznos subs: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 So you've been ? If so, your experience is very different from mine but in a city of 70,000 people that is to be expected. I wouldn't go to Red Deer or Drumheller or Prince Albert or wherever you live and expect to have the same experiences as everyone else (eg. hanging out in strip joints, drinking terrible beer and complaining about immigrants). If you haven't been then you should ask yourself why you are so eager to believe media reports that this is some kind of cross between Disneyland and an orgy. The term "I want to believe !" comes to mind here. Are you trying to say that drugs aren't everywhere there? Are you seriously denying orgys tents and villages? That's not all it is but come on. You can get pretty much any drug you want fairly easily. Open sex is all over the place. Like I said if that drug induced, free love thing is for you then I hope you had fun. I'm not knocking you for it. Or judging you. Just be honest in your represenration MH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Are you trying to say that drugs aren't everywhere there? Are you seriously denying orgys tents and villages? Are you denying that drugs aren't everywhere, and sex clubs are everywhere too ? Should I call Prince Albert "Fornication-Cocaine Town" ? That's not all it is but come on. You can get pretty much any drug you want fairly easily. Open sex is all over the place. How can you say that ? Have you been there ? I certainly wouldn't characterize it as "open sex"... Just be honest in your represenration MH. How can you say I'm dishonest without even explaining where you get your information from ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 It's really about sex and doing lots of drugs and dancing. Everything else is fluff. Drugs everywhere. Naked people having sex all over the place. Dancing and music. I guess if that's your thing...lol. Hope you had fun and practiced safe sex. Hope you didn't do any bad drugs. You never know what people put in stuff that you take. Really? Where is this again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Guy Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 I have a good friend who goes every year. He describes it as a bizarre, sociopathic, frightening, breathtaking, mind bending and wonderful experience. He has given me first hand descripitons of who, what and ? that he encountered. He is also a Woodstock survivor and rates this "celebration" as a more enlightening and soul searching ad "bonding with the world" experience. I had an opportunity to attend years ago and did not. I am very sorry I did not. I envy you and apparently you are better for the experience. Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Glad you had fun. Hope you stayed safe. Seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimeNumber Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) Glad you had fun. Hope you stayed safe. Seriously. Stick meet mud. Edited September 13, 2015 by PrimeNumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Really? Where is this again? In the desert. It's a giant sin festival for people to openly take drugs. Have sex orgys, wife swapping and the like. Music and dancing etc.I'm not going to share my wife with another man so I doubt I'd fit in...lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Stick meet mud.Yeah safe sex is a real downer. Pesky condoms. Always getting in the way. Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimeNumber Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Yeah safe sex is a real downer. Pesky condoms. Always getting in the way. Right? hahaha please tell me you are the guy that yells at kids from his rocking chair on the porch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 In the desert. It's a giant sin festival for people to openly take drugs. Have sex orgys, wife swapping and the like. Music and dancing etc. I'm not going to share my wife with another man so I doubt I'd fit in...lol. I wasn't planning on taking my wife... Aaagh , just kidding dear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 hahaha please tell me you are the guy that yells at kids from his rocking chair on the porch?HAHA. I'm not that old yet and I live in the country. I cannot see the kids nor could they hear me. Maybe if I screamed. I have a fairly pronounced African accent. I'd probably scare them anyways. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 In the desert. It's a giant sin festival for people to openly take drugs. Have sex orgys, wife swapping and the like. Music and dancing etc. I'm not going to share my wife with another man so I doubt I'd fit in...lol. Well, you've avoided any attempt to explain where you got these misconceptions. My experiences are first-hand from attending the festival 9 times. Yours appear to be just hearsay. The more you spread misinformation, the more you appear as - at best - a noisy gadfly. I haven't really noticed you on here before, but now I have. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Well, you've avoided any attempt to explain where you got these misconceptions. My experiences are first-hand from attending the festival 9 times. Yours appear to be just hearsay. The more you spread misinformation, the more you appear as - at best - a noisy gadfly. I haven't really noticed you on here before, but now I have. All the best. I never stated that that's all that goes on. I know it's also about art, free expression and the like. To say that the former doesn't go on is ludicrous. I don't see why you take such offense to it. It's not a big deal MH. It is what it is as the kids say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimeNumber Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 HAHA. I'm not that old yet and I live in the country. I cannot see the kids nor could they hear me. Maybe if I screamed. I have a fairly pronounced African accent. I'd probably scare them anyways. Lol. If not that then I'm guessing your church group told you all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canada_First Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 If not that then I'm guessing your church group told you all of this.Nope friends and family have attended. My wife's brother goes as well. I don't see why you're getting all in a bunch over it. It's fine if that's your thing. As I say. Sheesh. To each there own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrimeNumber Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Nope friends and family have attended. My wife's brother goes as well. I don't see why you're getting all in a bunch over it. It's fine if that's your thing. As I say. Sheesh. To each there own. So your wife's brother only goes to have unprotected sex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 It is what it is as the kids say. No, it's not. Until you try to explain where you got your misinformation there's nothing else to talk about and you're just posting in the wind. I'm moving on until we can progress this discussion with some verifiable sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drummindiver Posted September 13, 2015 Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) I just returned from my 9th visit to the annual Burning Man festival. ---SNIP--- Photo: The giant man effigy is burned on Saturday night at Burning Man. ---SNIP--- Looks like fun. Isn't Jared to Subway the same as Burning Man to Quiznos? Actually, I guess the other way around. Your avatar and Burning Man is a juxtaposition of incongruous parts. Edited September 13, 2015 by Charles Anthony ---SNIP--- ---SNIP--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hardner Posted September 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2015 Your avatar and Burning Man is a juxtaposition of incongruous parts. There are lots of older/middle aged ones there, I am but one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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