C’mon, guys…it’s the ~FREE~ press for a reason: it’s a marketplace for ideas. Nobody wants to buy everything in a market. I don’t disparage a meat market because it sells liver; I just don’t buy it.
Anyway, I've never given Burning Man more than a few moments thought, and my perception was not entirely positive--I thought participants had too much time and money on their hands. But, I subscribe to TFP precisely because I want to maintain an open mind, so I happily read this piece. It actually made me realize that I'm free to choose how I spend my week off however I want, so to the participants of Burning Man, have at it!
The most salient point of the piece to me was it's description of how the press covered it. I observed in real time that they were narrative building, not just reporting facts. That's an important lesson to take away and remember the next time there's a big news story of any kind.
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” ~ H.L. Mencken
I've followed Burning Man since its inception on a San Francisco beach in 1986. There is a lot more to it than naked revelers doing drugs. It's not for me, but thank God somewhere in America freedom still exists to cut loose a little. Enjoy, Burners, and ignore the Puritans with the too-tight underwear.
Sep 7, 2023·edited Sep 7, 2023Liked by Nick Gillespie
The Free Press publishes an article that tells a story contrary to the main stream media narrative... the literal ethos of this publication...and the comments are full of a bunch of conservative puritanicals are asking Bari to "do better" because the event is, what exactly? Not at a church? lol... Doesn't matter how "open minded" and "anti mainstream" people claim to be, if its not about their priorities, its not worth anyones time apparently. Love to see how inconsistent and intolerant most of you still are <3
“ Often miscategorized as socialist because commerce is banned and gifting encouraged, the event is, in fact, the ultimate expression of a capitalist economy that throws off so much surplus wealth, it’s where tens of thousands of people can gather to create self-destructing artifacts. Burning Man takes place way up and beyond Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs,” and its function is to remind us all to be intentional and inspired rather than reactive and routine in our grind-it-out lives.”
My kids have gone to burning man, and I’ve done enough weird things in my life to feel like I get it. I am totally onboard with humans pushing themselves in strange and generally harmless ways.
The press coverage was ridiculous. Most Burners are mentally prepared to deal with whatever happens on the playa. There was no real danger, but a lot of schadenfreude from the sidelines.
I confess that the charms of "Burning Man" completely elude me. Would much rather stay home with a good book. Nonetheless, this piece is another useful reminder about the complete untrustworthiness of the legacy press.
Or.....there's Ben Shapiro's take on the entire fiasco.
"
So now, I get to joke about how a bunch of morons decided they were going to jet-set into the desert, in the middle of nowhere — where it's 115 degrees — to screw each other. Then there's a giant, Biblical-style rainstorm and flood and no one bothered to bring enough wood to build an ark.
Some Burning Man revelers said Sunday their spirits remain unbroken.
Unfortunately, their toilets do remain broken. And so they are just sitting there in their own poop, screwing each other. It sounds like the height of human experience.
The elites there treated it as though they escaped the beaches at Normandy. You wonder why people don't trust the elite. You wonder why there's a giant cultural gap between the Left Coast and the East Coast on one side and everybody in the middle of the country on the other."
Yep, "a bunch of morons screwing in their own poop." Nicely sums it up. And they wonder why they're held in ridicule and contempt.....
Love The Free Press but.....
****yawn****
Happy for you Nick. And here is a list of things I’d rather do than go to Burning Man:
-drop a baby grand piano on my foot
-eat all the contents remaining in the sewage pipe after Andy Dufresne was done crawling through it at the end of the Shawshank Redemption
-Listen to every Katy Perry song ever recorded
-be beaten to death by 100 7 year olds with staplers
-take 40 more Covid boosters
C’mon, guys…it’s the ~FREE~ press for a reason: it’s a marketplace for ideas. Nobody wants to buy everything in a market. I don’t disparage a meat market because it sells liver; I just don’t buy it.
Sometimes after three lines I go straight to the comments. Love the comments.
Ah, more "do better, Bari" comments.
Anyway, I've never given Burning Man more than a few moments thought, and my perception was not entirely positive--I thought participants had too much time and money on their hands. But, I subscribe to TFP precisely because I want to maintain an open mind, so I happily read this piece. It actually made me realize that I'm free to choose how I spend my week off however I want, so to the participants of Burning Man, have at it!
The most salient point of the piece to me was it's description of how the press covered it. I observed in real time that they were narrative building, not just reporting facts. That's an important lesson to take away and remember the next time there's a big news story of any kind.
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” ~ H.L. Mencken
I've followed Burning Man since its inception on a San Francisco beach in 1986. There is a lot more to it than naked revelers doing drugs. It's not for me, but thank God somewhere in America freedom still exists to cut loose a little. Enjoy, Burners, and ignore the Puritans with the too-tight underwear.
The Free Press publishes an article that tells a story contrary to the main stream media narrative... the literal ethos of this publication...and the comments are full of a bunch of conservative puritanicals are asking Bari to "do better" because the event is, what exactly? Not at a church? lol... Doesn't matter how "open minded" and "anti mainstream" people claim to be, if its not about their priorities, its not worth anyones time apparently. Love to see how inconsistent and intolerant most of you still are <3
I’m officially adding ‘Burning Man attendees’ to my list of people who should not be allowed to vote.
Congrats on getting engaged, but c’mon Bari; what the hell is this bullshit?
“ Often miscategorized as socialist because commerce is banned and gifting encouraged, the event is, in fact, the ultimate expression of a capitalist economy that throws off so much surplus wealth, it’s where tens of thousands of people can gather to create self-destructing artifacts. Burning Man takes place way up and beyond Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs,” and its function is to remind us all to be intentional and inspired rather than reactive and routine in our grind-it-out lives.”
Good stuff.
Wow. Comments are brutal, self righteous, just plain mean. Not every post has to be earth shattering.
My kids have gone to burning man, and I’ve done enough weird things in my life to feel like I get it. I am totally onboard with humans pushing themselves in strange and generally harmless ways.
The press coverage was ridiculous. Most Burners are mentally prepared to deal with whatever happens on the playa. There was no real danger, but a lot of schadenfreude from the sidelines.
Best wishes to the happy couple!
Interesting case study in the Horseshoe theory of politics, I’ve heard the hippie side of the Burn, good to hear the Libertarian perspective.
Nick congrats on getting engaged to a strange and wonderful woman.
Also, can we see some pics of the giant flaming octopus of death?
I confess that the charms of "Burning Man" completely elude me. Would much rather stay home with a good book. Nonetheless, this piece is another useful reminder about the complete untrustworthiness of the legacy press.
A lot of hate in these comments. Seems that people just can’t stand other people having fun.
I’ve been to BM twice, 2018 and 2022... and I’ll be going back.
It’s an adventure... you don’t want to do it... don’t. We don’t give a shit.
Or.....there's Ben Shapiro's take on the entire fiasco.
"
So now, I get to joke about how a bunch of morons decided they were going to jet-set into the desert, in the middle of nowhere — where it's 115 degrees — to screw each other. Then there's a giant, Biblical-style rainstorm and flood and no one bothered to bring enough wood to build an ark.
Some Burning Man revelers said Sunday their spirits remain unbroken.
Unfortunately, their toilets do remain broken. And so they are just sitting there in their own poop, screwing each other. It sounds like the height of human experience.
The elites there treated it as though they escaped the beaches at Normandy. You wonder why people don't trust the elite. You wonder why there's a giant cultural gap between the Left Coast and the East Coast on one side and everybody in the middle of the country on the other."
Yep, "a bunch of morons screwing in their own poop." Nicely sums it up. And they wonder why they're held in ridicule and contempt.....