Opinion | Burning Man Journal

A Guide to Gifting, Givers and Gratitude: A Treatise from the Philosophical Center

June 21, 2019 By Larry Harvey

Publisher’s Note: This essay was written over a year ago, but due to Larry Harvey’s untimely death it was not released at the time. We are grateful to share it ...Read More

Shenanigans, Tales from the Playa

The Triumph of Fun and Weird Over Sense and Efficiency

September 2, 2017 By Caveat Magister

After 30 years, someone turned the difficulty level up. Burners who have been here for decades and never had a ...Read More

Shenanigans

All of the Reasons Burning Man Was Canceled, According to People Who Have Never Been

August 5, 2017 By Anselm Engle

“Burning Man? Is that still going?” Yes, believe it or not, Burning Man is still going. Don’t get me wrong ...Read More

Serious Stuff, The Ten Principles

Don’t Bogart That Leadership — Burning Man’s Not a Zero Sum Game

July 18, 2017 By Caveat Magister

Not long ago I overheard a discussion between two OG Burners about leadership. Leadership at Burning Man, one said to ...Read More

Baker Beach Descent, 1989 (photo by Stewart Harvey)

Serious Stuff

The Single Cop Theory of Burning Man (In Praise of the Word “No”)

June 28, 2017 By Buck AE Down

This is a thought exercise. It’s about the endings of beginnings, the beginnings of endings, and beginnings from endings. It’s about ...Read More

Serious Stuff, The Theme

What We Can Learn About the Soul by Talking About the Body — Reading “Materialism”

June 5, 2017 By Caveat Magister

Sometimes I think that Terry Eagleton is a Don Quixote figure, on a quest that has taken him out into ...Read More

Serious Stuff

Why Burning Man Sucks at Transitions, and What We Can Do About It

May 30, 2017 By Caveat Magister

I want to talk about transitions. About leavings, about departures, about letting go. Because we suck at them. I mean ...Read More

Serious Stuff, The Ten Principles

How Creative Expression Enhances Civic Engagement

May 19, 2017 By Caveat Magister

Has it ever seemed to you that there are more ways to be a citizen of Black Rock City than ...Read More

Serious Stuff, The Ten Principles

The Evolution of Gifting

May 18, 2017 By Caveat Magister

Theresa Duncan spent her whole adult life doing development and fundraising work for non-profits. But after she went to her ...Read More

Shenanigans

The “Crime Wave” at the GLC Was Exaggerated: There Is No Black Rock City Crime Syndicate

April 11, 2017 By Caveat Magister

Look, I’m not going to deny that something weird was going on at Burning Man's Global Leadership Conference (GLC). I ...Read More