To be Curious or to be Pissed, I don't know...

[lemasquegris]

This movie called Nothing Without You is screening @ the Orinda Film Festival this friday.

A guy walks around BRC with nothing (he's nekkid when he starts this) and builds a theme camp 100% out of people's generosity. It's supposed to be an exploration into the generosity of the Black Rock Community.

I've had to deal with people with next-to-nothing looking for a handout the 2 years I went ('02 & '03) and believe me, I was not all "praise be the goddess for I whilst shine upon this less fortunate soul my kindness and generosity" on these people. There was one person that didn't have any food because her mates were a day late and she only had room for water and food for a couple of days. Plans afoul is far more understanding than "I am here with nothing & I need you to complete me, so may have clothes/food/water/shelter please?" It's not fair to me or to anyone else that spends more than a day preparing for Burning Man. Most people spend months prior to getting ready and at great expense. I bet some people save up all year just to go to the desert.

Maybe I'm being a bit cruel here, but I'd help someone, I just wouldn't be all open arms about it. I wonder if people could see a camera was filming them and realized something was going on and this guys wasn't completely nutso (even for BM) because pulling people's heart strings may result in different reactions with the presence of a video recorder nearby.

It just makes me uncomfortable to think that this is going to leave an impression on someone to do this on their. At least this guy had a crew and supplies in case things got bad.

On a completely different note:
Does this count as animal cruelty?

Comments

[cr0wgrrl.livejournal.com]

Don't you remember that guy? He was there the first year at the Playa, and even was given a space on the Esplanade. There was more to his project than just gimme-gimme... he had certain rules set up as part of the project, something along the lines of he couldn't accept a handout from anyone he knew before Burning Man, he had to accept it personally at his camp as opposed to anyone passing the hat for him, and so forth. We talked about it some on the Playa, and thought it was cool to see how willing everyone was to offer their help. I think you've gotten crotchety in your old age. :)

[ladyeuthanasia.livejournal.com]

I have mixed feelings about that. I do think his project was tainted by having a camera follow him around. People behave differently than when they're being filmed. My gut says to something like that "FUCK OFF!" but then if it's actually a study and not him actually just bumming supplies off people because he's a jerk, then maybe it's okay.

As for the video...um...ew? I loved the look the dog gave his owner. Priceless.

[phreddiva.livejournal.com]

I think there's a big difference between some damned hippie coming out and expecting a handout, coming in on foot and hitching and bitching any way they can, and someone doing it as, what sounds like, a bona fide art project. I do worry about any trend it might create - it's bad enough to come out into the desert and forget your batteries and realize you have to ask someone for them. I like what it represents, though. I like that I can go out with a bottle of wine and come back half an hour later with a bag of coal.

[lemasquegris]

I like that I can go out with a bottle of wine and come back half an hour later with a bag of coal.
That is one of the cool things about engaging with others Burners in that community. Quite refreshing after dealing with the rest of the world the other 50 weeks of the year.

But as you mentioned, I'm just afraid of inevitable taking a good concept and messing with it to the point that it loses meaning and more people will die on the playa that don't have to.

Maybe (as said in a previous comment) I am getting crotchety at my feeble old age of 28. :D

[phreddiva.livejournal.com]

But as you mentioned, I'm just afraid of inevitable taking a good concept and messing with it to the point that it loses meaning and more people will die on the playa that don't have to.

Unfortunately, I don't think starvation/dehydration/exposure is going to cause any deaths at Burning Man. If it did I think it would improve the demographic. Granted, stupidity is slightly more punishable out there than in the real world, but still not quite enough. :)