Burning Man: A Week-Long Demonstration of What We Can Accomplish as a Community, What Connects Us to Each Other and Our World
By Mckenzie Papa
“If you think we panicked, if you think the event was canceled, if you think we didn’t have fun, if you think we were unprepared, if you think we struggled, not only might it show that you don’t fully understand Burning Man, but it may also mean that you're not ready for it. While friends and family were understandably worried due to the media spreading misinformation, we proved to each other how much we can strive when we stick together.” A friend of mine who I camped with this year at Burning Man put the experience most eloquently in an Instagram caption, quoted above. Though Burning Man, 2023 was an anomaly of a year, it only served to highlight the spirit of Burning Man more than ever before. A spirit that is one of community and togetherness, deeply rooted in empathy, creativity, culture, and compassion.
Burning Man 2023 photos courtesy of Mckenzie Papa.
If you’ve never been to Burning Man, it’s difficult to grasp the true nature of the event. The headlines from this year’s weather “catastrophe” further proved this to be true. “Tens of Thousands Still Stranded by Burning Man Flooding.” “Trapped at Burning Man!” From an outside perspective the rain was quite a disaster, especially because Black Rock Desert had not seen rain in 10 years (during the event). It prevented cars and bikes from moving even a few feet, let alone completely off playa where Burning Man is held. But to say we were “stranded” or “trapped” is far from the truth. One of the main principles of Burning Man is communal effort. The extreme weather allowed us to connect more than ever before, as we worked together not only to overcome the challenges it brought, but to have fun despite those challenges.
The event and the 10 principles that guide Burning Man participants create one of the most unique environments on the planet. One where people from all cultures, all over the world come together to celebrate community, radical inclusion, and the human experience as a whole. There are not many places in the world that allow us to acknowledge and honor our differences while simultaneously recognizing that we as a human collective share the need for belonging, understanding, and empathy from others. Just like the humanities, Burning Man is about what connects us to each other and to our world, rather than what divides us.
As a journalist and writer, the humanities have always been close to my heart. I continuously strive to learn more about the experience of others, and about what brings us together despite living such vastly different realities. The University of Rhode Island defines the humanities as “the stories, the ideas, and the words that help us understand our lives and our world. They introduce us to people we have never met, places we have never visited, and ideas that may never have crossed our minds.” The playa is filled with such stories, people, and ideas. After the event, I felt that I understood myself, the people around me, and the world deeper than I ever have before.
Burning Man is a demonstration of what humanity can accomplish when we come together as a community to work together and celebrate each other, our differences, and what makes us human.
Mckenzie Papa is a recent graduate from the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno. As a public relations practitioner and a Program Assistant for Nevada Humanities, she enjoys connecting with others and sharing stories. In her free time you can find her spending time with friends or enjoying live music and art events.
All photos courtesy of Mckenzie Papa.