I co-founded Burning Man. The festival has lost its soul
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Burning Man co-founder says the festival has lost its anarchist soul to commercialization.
John Law, a co-founder of Burning Man, writes that the festival has lost its anarchist soul. What began as an anarchistic collaboration of equals has become a commercialized escape hatch for the wealthy. He last attended in 1996 but says friends' photos and videos show the old punk-industrial flavor remains in some crews, though the event is barely recognizable from its origins. The article is largely behind a paywall after an introductory section.
What commenters are saying
Many commenters agree the festival's commercial shift has been obvious for over a decade. Some defend it, arguing that the event still offers adventure and chaos for participants who don't look closely at organizational politics. Others criticize the founder's perspective, noting he hasn't attended in 30 years and misses the wild-west era that included dangerous behavior. Regional burns are praised as alternatives, though some note the org mandates allowing children, which some oppose. Pollution concerns are raised, but countered that Burning Man's impact is minimal compared to air travel.