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Is Burning Man worth it?

CoffeeDrinker said:
oh yeah fuck bonneroo and all good. Once they get past a certain number in attendance it just attracts the wrong kinda bros and LEOs.
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i agree. and these kind of people are the kind of people i picture at burning man. but i could be totally wrong.
 
for me, burning man was a life-changing event. i recognise that it's not for everybody - that would be ridiculous.

i'm not personally offended when somebody thinks burning man is for hippies or that it looks like it sucks. or whatever. but i do see a lot of criticism of burning man that is woefully ill-informed and makes ridiculous (and in my opinion quite erroneous) assumptions about the event.

alasdair
 
I've probably spent about 2-3k in total (airfare, rental car, ticket, camp fees, food etc) each of the two times I've gone. Completely worth it.

I've not destroyed anything there but I would be hesitant to bring a new car for a multitude of reasons. Yes, your stuff will get playafied, I wasn't too bothered. Just don't bring things that you would be terribly upset destroying. Yes, it gets hot during the day and cold at night. You don't have to be out at all times of the day so you'll find ways to deal.

It really isn't the big hippy fest you guys are making it out to be. I see it more like a scientific, psychedelic, adult disneyland in hyperdrive, where the sky is the limit. It's all these big kids showing off what they can do and people sharing what they want to share.

It's a lot of preparation and yes, it is exhausting, but worth every fucking bit of it.

That said, I realize that Burning Man isn't for everyone. I've been told that many people will have a freak-out moment at some point during the week. I've been lucky not to experience that but I've heard stories. My friend's roommate freaked, left all of his stuff, walked out to the gates and hitched a ride back to SF. If you're high maintenance and need a controlled environment to feel comfortable, then it's not for you. If you can't deal with sweat, dust or being grimy, then it's not for you. That's OK! I've realized that while I think it's something people should experience once in their life, some of my very best friends would not be able to deal. I don't think less of them for it.

OP - I assume you have decided by now. I would hope so anyway, it takes a bit of preparation and the event is right around the corner. Let us know what you decided!
 
Do I think it's worth experiencing at least once in your life? Absolutely. Would I go again anytime soon? Probably not.

Burning Man is first and foremost an exercise in survival. The conditions are extremely harsh (hot days, cold nights and TONS of alkaline playa dust blowing around). Unless you have an RV you're going to be pretty uncomfortable, even miserable at times.

That said, it's also a totally unique experience where you can pretty much do/be anything you want. There's no other festival or gathering like it in the world. No money is exchanged; everything is 'gifted'. Commercial images are banned and care for the environment is Rule #1. The art is mind-blowing, nudity is everywhere and drugs are like currency, but you won't enjoy any of it if you fail to bring the basics.

Here are a few essential items that I can remember off the top of my head:

sunscreen
water (gallons and gallons of it)
large hats
goggles
heavy blankets/warm night clothes
a watch (no one ever knows what time it is!)
easy-to-cook foods
supplements and OTC medications you may need (Tylenol, Benadryl, etc)

I was able to find/trade for weed, shrooms and MDMA on the playa but YMMV. It helps if you take some unique stuff to offer up as a gift. Even regular stuff like cigarettes can be excellent barter items.
 
^
A trick someone taught me about time (if you're keen to keep track of it): If you're carrying a digital camera, make sure the clock is set right. If it doesn't automatically show the time, take a picture and it should have a timestamp. :)

I always had a camera on me, so this worked out quite well.
 
Lady Codone said:
a watch (no one ever knows what time it is!)
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maybe there's a lesson there? try spending a day or two without a watch and see what happens...

i am usually very attached to knowing the current time. one bm, a friend took my watch from me the moment we arrived in brc. i didn't miss it :)

alasdair
 
I really would love to go if it was in a snowy place instead. I have enough trouble coping with weather above 70 degrees, I would probably die there.
 
well I simply wont be able to go this year because of the work constraints i mentioned earlier. As predicted, my first week of the uni was pure chaos. Not only was finding someone to cover me not an option, but I ended up covering shifts for many of the other workers. I also just got off of the john muir trail so I may be psychologically exhausted and unwilling for another large survival event. However, I am going to go next year, for sure. I will have all year to prepare! If I can survive the entire John Muir Trail, I can survive (and enjoy) burning man.
 
I have never heard ANYONE say not to go or it was overrated.

Take enough water and then some.

Definitely a thing to add to bucket list imo.
 
Burning Man is amazing! There's always something going on, and no matter what you like, you'll find something that fits you, any time. Live music all over, things to look at and do, cruise around on weird looking huge cars with attachments and music inside, lots of cool people, dancing, bars everywhere, presentations.. If you're there all week you still won't see all of it. There's nothing like it. Attended yearly when it was possible, too bad it hasn't been in years. Hopefully will be able to this year or next year, should have a summer job this year, if that keeps going as well as working on the side, should be able to! If you're even considering going it's probably for you.. There's the main website on it, as well as documentaries and books. Check them out!
 
samhandwich22 said:
The cost of the ticket itself is one thing, but the auxiliary costs of attending (gas, food, etc) can easily stack up.
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"The only thing 'green' about Burning Man is the money..."
Quote from last time I attended BM.

It is what it is. A fascinating but expensive experience. Nothing in this world is free. ;)

B1tO'RoughJack said:
I have never heard ANYONE say not to go or it was overrated.
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I found it a bit overrated. It's quite commercialized, despite advertising itself as being "authentic." I had a great time, don't get me wrong... but it's not the survivalist-underground event that it once was. That being said, I think it's worth experiencing, at least once in a lifetime. You don't need to be a whipper-snapper to enjoy BM, it's something you can attend at 18 or 80 and still find your tribe.
 
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vagabond_drifter said:
It is what it is.
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it is.
vagabond_drifter said:
...but expensive experience.
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look at the value not the cost.
vagabond_drifter said:
I found it a bit overrated.
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as with most things, that says more about the subject than it does about the object.
vagabond_drifter said:
...but it's not the survivalist-underground event that it once was.
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of course not. why would it be? "burning man used to be better" seems to totally miss the point in a way, doesn't it?
vagabond_drifter said:
That being said, I think it's worth experiencing, at least once in a lifetime. You don't need to be a whipper-snapper to enjoy BM, it's something you can attend at 18 or 80 and still find your tribe.
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indeed.

alasdair
 
alasdairm said:
look at the value not the cost.
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It's easy for one to look at the intrinsic, aesthetic value of an event such as BM when they don't need to worry about extrinsic (=monetary) costs. That's the thing about BM... it's generally an event for the upper class. Although there are some low-income tickets, it's easier for the aristocrats to Burn.

On some levels, I appreciate the anarchistic broke-ass chomplifters who manage to bypass security and sneak into the event.

That's the thing about BM... it's a city, you'll find everything... from the gritty Robin-Hood crackheads to the gadget-flashing RV cats.
 
2 people. 2 opinions of burning man.
10 people. 10 opinions of burning man.
100 people. 100 opinions of burning man.

:)

alasdair
 
If you go to the website, you can see what type of things they offer (aka how you'd get your "money's worth"). That being said, if you go to events for music, it may not be your place to be. I go to events for music, it probably isn't my thing. It'd be a cool experience but still. I probably wouldn't be able to handle the heat. Hot days in Canada are too much for me. lol

Although the price seems normal. Every good festival seems to be at least $100, usually over $150. Burning Man has lots more so I can see why it would be so pricey
 
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