Surviving the Burn
Burning Man is an event like no other.
by Silvia Good · Fri 1 Oct 2021
Burning Man is an event like no other. Held across nine days in the Nevada desert, Burning Man features art, performances, installations, music and more. The event is guided by ten principles that are essential to know in order to survive the burn:
- Radical Inclusion – Community is of utmost importance and the event has no prerequisites for participants.
- Gifting – Gift giving is essential to Burning Man. True gifting is unconditional and does not expect a return or an exchange of equal value.
- Decommodification – Burning Man creates environments that are free of commercial sponsorships, transactions and advertising.
- Radical Self-reliance – All participants are encouraged to rely on their own resources throughout the event.
- Radical Self-expression – All participants are encouraged to explore their unique gifts as an individual.
- Communal Effort – Burning Man values creative cooperation and collaboration. Every year, they strive to produce and promote social networks, public spaces and works of art.
- Civic Responsibility – Members of the community who organise events should consider public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants.
- Leaving No Trace – Respect for the environment is essential. Burning man is committed to leaving no physical trace of its events and activities. All participants are expected to clean up after themselves.
- Participation – Burning Man believes that transformative change can occur through personal and thoughtful participation.
- Immediacy – Burning Man values immediate experiences and believes that nothing can substitute for this experience.