This is probably my favorite post of yours, Mo. The lack of "third places" is something that's been on my mind a lot lately, and I live in New York where we have access to more than most.
I went to Burning Man in 2015 and realized quickly that for an event that's ostensibly "moneyless", social class is very much on display, possibly even more than in regular society. There's not much to do at burning man if you're not hoping to catch the eye of someone who's wealthy. At it's heart, burning man is a networking event, which made me feel embarrassed for showing up expecting authenticity. Third spaces exist there (I found them, and ultimately created a good time for myself) but just like everywhere else, they exist on the fringes. I imagine it's only gotten worse in the years since.
Thank you so much! I honestly apologized to a friend of mine for this post saying it wasn't my best and I'm going through a lot, so I truly appreciate the words.
A friend of mine went this year and loved it, but he is a poet in Hawthorne CA not a schmoozer 🤣
Just goes to show, write from the heart and the people it speaks to will hear it.
I had fun at BM, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't want to shame anyone who enjoys it. But in hindsight, it felt inauthentic in the same way a LinkedIn post does. I recommend BM how I recommend Times Square to a tourist. Do it once, see the stuff, you'll probably never feel the need to return, but also don't overthink it.
This is probably my favorite post of yours, Mo. The lack of "third places" is something that's been on my mind a lot lately, and I live in New York where we have access to more than most.
I went to Burning Man in 2015 and realized quickly that for an event that's ostensibly "moneyless", social class is very much on display, possibly even more than in regular society. There's not much to do at burning man if you're not hoping to catch the eye of someone who's wealthy. At it's heart, burning man is a networking event, which made me feel embarrassed for showing up expecting authenticity. Third spaces exist there (I found them, and ultimately created a good time for myself) but just like everywhere else, they exist on the fringes. I imagine it's only gotten worse in the years since.
Thank you so much! I honestly apologized to a friend of mine for this post saying it wasn't my best and I'm going through a lot, so I truly appreciate the words.
A friend of mine went this year and loved it, but he is a poet in Hawthorne CA not a schmoozer 🤣
Just goes to show, write from the heart and the people it speaks to will hear it.
I had fun at BM, don't get me wrong. I wouldn't want to shame anyone who enjoys it. But in hindsight, it felt inauthentic in the same way a LinkedIn post does. I recommend BM how I recommend Times Square to a tourist. Do it once, see the stuff, you'll probably never feel the need to return, but also don't overthink it.