Pie Palace

As much as I pooh-poohed this year’s theme at Burning Man, I’m sorry that I’m not going. For all those who aren’t:

We Canadians are a snippy bunch.

From: Bork <xxxxxx@gmail.com>
To: Erigami <xxxxxx@piepalace.ca>, Bob <xxxxxx@elsewhere.ca>, and others
Subject: Burningman
	
I've got some friends out this way who are interested in going.  I'm going
to push off my trip to Europe for a year and return to BM instead.  Anyone
interested in joining me this year?
	
This year's theme is the American Dream!

Response 1:

From: Erigami <xxxxxx@piepalace.ca>
To: Bork <xxxxxx@gmail.com> Bob <xxxxxx@elsewhere.ca>, and others
Subject: Re: Burningman
	
Which is why I'm not going!

Response 2:

From: Bob <xxxxxx@elsewhere.ca>
To: Bork <xxxxxx@gmail.com>, <xxxxxx@piepalace.ca>, and others
Subject: Re: Burningman
	
Erigami said:
> Which is why I'm not going! 
	
Precisely my first response.  

I was considering heading out to Nevada this year for Burning Man. Then I looked at their theme for this year: the American Dream. I have nothing against our neighbours to the south, but the blurb makes the whole idea sound awful:

What has America achieved that you admire? What has it done or failed to do that fills you with dismay? What is laudatory? What is ludicrous? Put blame aside, let humor thrive, and dare to contemplate a larger question: What can America, this stumbling, roused, half-conscious giant, still contribute to the world?

I really don’t care about the national identity of the most self-obsessed country on the planet. I don’t go to Burning Man to worshop american self-adulation, I go their to spend time with some phenominally creative people, and see what people can do when they do what they love. In my mind, that transcends national identity.

2008 was going to be my last pilgramage to the Playa for a few years. I wanted another visit before embarking on the more adult (and cash-hungry) part of my life. But the theme really puts me off. Bastards.

Other years have had fun themes: the Floating World, Psyche, the Seven Ages. Why do they have to pick 2008 to say “Forget creativity for creativity’s sake, we’re hopping onto election year hype and making Burning Man more mainstream”?