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Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Jorad — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:10:09 -0000

I've heard that the 2009 BM might be cancelled because this is the last year they can use the land that they do. If they can't find another space for it they would just wait it out until 2010. Does anybody know if there is any truth to that?

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Thomas Terashima — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:47:53 -0000

Speaking as a member of the Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksman, co-founder of the Fort Kanuckistan theme camp this year, "We are here to reboot America!"

My only real concern now is what the Burning Man organization will do for an encore theme in 2009.

-=TT=-

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

sp dub — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:35:49 -0000

well I sure hope all the people involved in organizing the event read this page. Not too many stoked people out there. Most of the comments were very accurate, and this might be the very end of burning man keeping it at least a little bit real. I loved the idea of opening stores and selling everything for cash. Thats the real american dream. Selling out, and stepping on anyone to get to the top, without thinking about anyone but yourself. A very disappointing theme. Can't wait to see to interpretations.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Sanchia — Sun, 25 May 2008 18:33:24 -0000

Hey Guys I have been reading your blog.

I am coming all the way from England to attend BM (I can not wait)

Stuck on ideas for costumes for the American dream theme.

Any Ideas?

Thank you for your help

Sanch

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Geoffrey O. — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:52:50 -0000

I will admit it's not the best theme, but it's better than what one guy said it should be... he said the 2008 theme should have been "Down on the Farm"-wtf?... also what do you think future themes will be?

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

emdub — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:14:10 -0000

Our camp's going to have BRC's first "general store" and sell all kinds of stuff--water, ice, coffee, tshirts, beer, sunscreen, earplugs, and anything else we think might sell out there. But you'd better bring cash, because we don't take stupid tchotchkes and we don't take American Express! It's cash only, baby--the American Dream is alive and well and this year we're bringing CAMP CAPITALISM to the playa!

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

estetik — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:01:45 -0000

The American Dream wonâ€™t come back on the Playa. Its nice to have a dream but I think Burning Man needs tangible and realistic goals.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

getnutri — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:07:04 -0000

Oh, and trustafarians? Hahahahano. That's like saying only spoiled kids of rich parents go to MIT (which has a healthy representation at Burning Man every year).

Some people going to Burning Man do have money they don't know what to do with. Others pool resources with striking ingenuity. Still others go into major debt (not that I'd know anything about that, oh no) in order to participate.

Not as much of the art at Burning Man gets destroyed as you seem to think.

I'll stop here.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

prefabrike — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:41:49 -0000

I know what some of you are thinking, this has to be a prank. Well if so, then the pranksters have access to the Burning Man website and have done a thorough job updating the art theme.

this nice word.. thanx soo much

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

prefabrik — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:46:20 -0000

american dream was an era that passed long time ago. It could only be a nostalgia.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

aikanae — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:38:51 -0000

The variations in what is American or what are the "dreams" are interesting. Just even the concept of "building this country to be a super power" - is that anymore enviable than unbridled greed that's made Trump an idol? Cheney and Bush's have more money than they can spend for generations - yet, they are still obsessed with amassing more. People who can't afford life saving medical care or food buy lottery tickets in the hopes of joining the same ranks.

Everyone wants to come to america to have their shot at grabbing the brass ring of wealth. I think that's the dream. The american elite.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Ian Carcosa — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 15:04:27 -0000

I think it is an open invitation to Jihadists everywhere!

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

jimmy loyd — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:09:38 -0000

I actually thought Green Man was pretty cool... a lot of interesting ideas for themes......BUT....AMERICAN DREAM? Are we supposed to be subjected to "leave it to beaver, " Elvis' comeback special and Italian and irish immigrant themes? Not to mention flag waving rednecks eating corn somewhere in Nebraka themes? Or maybe better yet the "Two cars in every garage farce?..How about riding harleys down route 66? I'm an american and also part native american Indian...I've got it! A re-creation of the massacre at wounded knee!.....Woudn't that make for a sad sight...Now even I have forgotten what "dream" I really wanted.....think I'll smoke another joint.....

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Cduke — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:57:49 -0000

I feel that a cold shoulder has been placed on all our foreign friends that attend this wonderful event....

This year i met over twenty different 1rst years many from outside the states....

Have you ever asked a German what his amerikan dream is?

How single minded of us to insue our nations problems and issues on a single weekly event, ment for togetherness and community. Talk about a wedge......and insiting distane out on the playa this year...

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

aikanae — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:49:21 -0000

The handwriting is on the wall. Eight years without having a meaningful voice or expression of viewpoints has left most people feeling more like corked volcanos than any 'dreamer'. Even on this board skeptical comments are spun into good/bad, right/wrong. I'm not sure the organizers are ready for this time of explosion.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Amsterdizam — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:28:06 -0000

The day that this country allows me to marry the man I have been with for 6 years, is the day I will be proud of it. Until then, no pride in the good Oleâ€™ US of A marching across this playafied face.

How can you say with an ouce of intelligence, that since the US wont let you marry your boyfriend your not proud of it. C'mon. Thats a pretty self centered view..I mean we have built this county from nothing to become a super power..Obviously youve never served in our military. I wish pot was legal, but you dont see me bashing the country for bad policy. It sucks...But thats one of MANY issues..you should be happy you live in a country that allows you to be a gay. Who cares about marriage...most end in divorce anyway..Youve got it good twinkle toes.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Robtastic — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 01:43:15 -0000

Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad theme. Jesus. My jaw dropped.

The day that this country allows me to marry the man I have been with for 6 years, is the day I will be proud of it. Until then, no pride in the good Ole' US of A marching across this playafied face.

I wanted to go to South America anyway. Here's my chance. Party in Buenos Aires anyone?

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Mark Smith — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:00:11 -0000

American Dream is a politically charged theme, and a very poor choice. It is going to degenerate into an anti-war rally, with a thousand people chanting, "F**K BUSH!" and I doubt the event organizers are going to be able to handle it. Incendiary politics and Burning Man do not mix!

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Carla — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 23:59:16 -0000

Try and look at this 2008 theme from a broad perspective. It can be taken many ways and it'll probably vary from Burner to Burner.

Here's my take: This will be an election year and it's the dream of many Americans to defeat the Republicans and this might motivate more Burners to vote. Another dream would be to restore checks and balances and to start respecting the U.S. Constitution.

On another note, achieving the "American Dream," which many define as owning a home and keeping it, has become more and more difficult since the Bush Administration took over. Foreclosures are up and the middle class population is shrinking.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

aikanae — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 22:25:04 -0000

Eat. Sleep. Drive. Shop. Sit. Eat. Sleep. Drive. Shop. Sit. Eat. Sleep. Drive. Shop. Sit.

Maybe you should avoid the cliche of 'American Dream' and create a theme, even so much as "Dreams of America" or "Dreaming American".

Afterall, the U.S. is

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

kim four — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 17:39:21 -0000

crappy theme.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Nicholas Powers — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:42:55 -0000

It's our time, this year is our theme.

My first burn was 2002, the year after 9/11. I came to the desert wearing such armor. It had been a year of jumping at noises, heart clenching at jets echoing overhead. Terror had seeped into muscle and nerve, tightening my body into an alarm clock that rang at the slightest touch. When I arrived in the desert, the laughter and joy took days to seep into me.

I didn't believe love could overpower pain. On the third night, I wore all black clothes and a bright white noose around my neck but my friends, my tribe blessed me. They sang and danced, put tabs on my toungue and were honest, each warm word massaged feeling back into me. On the night of the burn, I was circling the inferno warily, scared and suspicous when someone brought an American flag out and lit it.

The whole 9/11 year, I'd seen flags in the city, like bangages on a wound we all shared but soon it became a gag to create a silence we obeyed. When the flag lit at the burn, I began dancing and yelling. It freed me from our fear and it gave the Man its meaning. It is a symbol of authority and order and control.

It's our time, this year is our theme.

New York Burners and New Orleans Burners share a responsibility to this year's theme. We live with the consquences of the American Dream. Not in the same way as Iraqis or Afghans, as American poor or working poor but we who have the money and privelege to come, and come from New York and NOLA are witnesses. We felt the shock wave of terror and flood. We witnessed the dark side of the American Dream, in NYC we got the religious fundamentalist reaction to our economic fundamentalism, in NOLA we survived the racist indifference to black life.

This year's theme is ripe for us. We are the ones who can create not art but life. We have inside us ground zero and for NOLA the ground below zero, its our time to make them count.

Nick

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

Alice — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:39:49 -0000

theme is lame & off putting. If the intent is to decrease attendance, this just might work. Are we really this ethnocentric? If we are shooting for celebrating "a patriotism that is based upon a love of country and culture", why are we focusing on just ours?

c'mon, how hard is it to come up with a better title for the described intent - Global Citizen? Countrification? Heart of the World?

here's hoping it's a prank.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

lotu5 — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:35:29 -0000

now this is just disgusting. here i was reading about paul addis and thinking i should finally go to burning man since i've never been and how long could it last, but after seeing this disgusting theme, there's no way in hel that i'm going.

Re: Burning Man 2008 Art Theme: American Dream | Laughing Squid

erin — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 09:09:02 -0000

Reply to Tom:

With regard to "I saw an upside American flag that I took down." That is such an asshole thing to do, pardon my language, but really it is. Just because you don't like what someone is saying doesn't give you the right or the authority to silence them. If you are such a big fan of America then you should be into freedom of speech, bucko.

With regard to "If you do not like America, then you do not belong on the playa of our great country." Listen, mate, I think you ought to go re-familiarize yourself with the 10 Principles of Burning Man - here's a link to make it easy for you http://www.burningman.com/w... - pay particular attention to that first one, Radical Inclusion.

And while we are on the whole you don't belong if you don't like America kind of stuff that gets pulled out all the time... that is just completely ridiculous because it isn't about all or nothing, it ain't that black and white. Those kinds of statements really yank my chain because they usually come from people who haven't bothered to explore the world outside of America themselves, but rather are blindly accepting the rhetoric that it is the best place to live. There is a whole big amazing it'll knock your socks off world out there full of beauty and wonder. You ought to check it out sometime... it might even cost less than going to your party in the desert every summer.