Burning Man Burned Early
Something is amiss in the world of hippiedom . . . .
Wait, did I just say that?
Of course something is amiss in the world of hippiedom. An important aspect of hippiedom is its latent subversive attitude. By definition, hippies must have something amiss in their world for them to be hippies. And by "amiss" I don't mean there is something wrong or bad necessarily, just something out of the ordinary, something counter-culture.
Unfortunately, there is something going on within a group that prides itself on not being ordinary that is not ordinary.
The 40 foot effigy that historically has been burned as a climactic event on the last night of the Burning Man festival was burned a few days early this year.
Now, if that isn't amiss enough for you, get this: It's been reported that the big guy was burned early by a San Francisco performance artist to cast light on the disillusionment of many who feel the annual celebration of radical self-expression has lost touch with its spontaneous, subversive roots. The hippies are disillusioned by their own festival!
For 20 some years, Burning Man attendees have traveled out into the desert in Nevada to express themselves artistically, spiritually, intellectually, romantically, and even pharmaceautically. They camp out in the Black Rock Desert for nearly a week, and do pretty much whatever they feel like doing. Traditionally, a good time is had by all.
But now some folks are disenchanted because they feel that Burning Man has been spoiled by crowds of yuppies and frat boys mostly interested in doing drugs and ogling naked participants. They don't seem to care much for doing drugs and being naked participants. They've gone completely counter-counter-culture.
The prevailing attitude by old school Burning Man attendees now seems to be: "We cannot allow these interlopers into the Burning Man inner sanctum. No self-respecting hippie, who is obviously concerned with more than just drugs and nudity, can be expected to put up with such a thing."
So let me see if I've got this straight. The Burning Man festival is a place to celebrate self-expression and subversive attitudes and ideas. But now, you're only welcome as long as your self-expression and subversive attitudes and ideas are exactly like everyone else's???
How the hell did that happen?
Wait, did I just say that?
Of course something is amiss in the world of hippiedom. An important aspect of hippiedom is its latent subversive attitude. By definition, hippies must have something amiss in their world for them to be hippies. And by "amiss" I don't mean there is something wrong or bad necessarily, just something out of the ordinary, something counter-culture.
Unfortunately, there is something going on within a group that prides itself on not being ordinary that is not ordinary.
The 40 foot effigy that historically has been burned as a climactic event on the last night of the Burning Man festival was burned a few days early this year.
Now, if that isn't amiss enough for you, get this: It's been reported that the big guy was burned early by a San Francisco performance artist to cast light on the disillusionment of many who feel the annual celebration of radical self-expression has lost touch with its spontaneous, subversive roots. The hippies are disillusioned by their own festival!
For 20 some years, Burning Man attendees have traveled out into the desert in Nevada to express themselves artistically, spiritually, intellectually, romantically, and even pharmaceautically. They camp out in the Black Rock Desert for nearly a week, and do pretty much whatever they feel like doing. Traditionally, a good time is had by all.
But now some folks are disenchanted because they feel that Burning Man has been spoiled by crowds of yuppies and frat boys mostly interested in doing drugs and ogling naked participants. They don't seem to care much for doing drugs and being naked participants. They've gone completely counter-counter-culture.
The prevailing attitude by old school Burning Man attendees now seems to be: "We cannot allow these interlopers into the Burning Man inner sanctum. No self-respecting hippie, who is obviously concerned with more than just drugs and nudity, can be expected to put up with such a thing."
So let me see if I've got this straight. The Burning Man festival is a place to celebrate self-expression and subversive attitudes and ideas. But now, you're only welcome as long as your self-expression and subversive attitudes and ideas are exactly like everyone else's???
How the hell did that happen?
posted by Sam Ogden at
10:35 AM
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