How the gays lead Burning Man 2025 out of the mud and into a beautiful allegory for life
This year’s Burning Man was a mix of struggle and triumph, an allegory for life with a bright neon silver lining at the end of the clouds.
Mark
I shed many tears at Burning Man this year.
I cried from laughter at The Chicken Ranch. This seemingly janky art installation featured an electrocuted rubber chicken, two rubber chickens engaging in a romantic encounter, and a rubber chicken resembling Marge Simpson’s likeness.
I haven’t laughed that hard in years.
The Office left me in hysterics, mocking bureaucracy, as it pointed me to fill out a form, take a number, get in line, wait for a stamp, fill out another form, take a number, all in the hopes that the woman behind the counter would fill my cup with libations.
The art car Long Feng — in just its second year, already a staple of the Playa — brought tears to my eyes with what was possibly the most shocking live performance I’ve ever seen. Arius manipulated lasers in a way that seemed impossible, a testament to practice and precision.
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John Summit rocked Mayan Warrior at sunset with his hits, plus a big f-you with his remix of “Missing” from Everything But The Girl:
“And I miss you like the deserts miss the rain.”
In addition to a personal and emotional journey at The Temple, one other significant moment stands out.
Titanic’s End linked up with the Black Rock Philharmonic at Burning Man. Yes, there’s a symphony at Burning Man.
For their “encore,” they performed Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” As the booming sound system of Titanic’s End elevated the philharmonic performance, the crowd of about 2,000 people sang together. The entire song.
“Nothing really matters….”
I cried at Burning Man this year many times. Yet I wasn’t driven to tears by the weather in any way. Instead, I embraced it. My entire Bro Holes camp embraced it.
This Burn was harder than most others. It started with road closures, torrential rain and a massive upheaving of dust that wiped out some camps and art installations.
No doubt, some people shed tears over the weather. Months of hard work were stripped away from some, taken from them by Mother Nature.
I feel for those people.
Yet Burning Man persevered. The people attending the most significant event in the world (and it is) marched on to experience a beautiful, impactful week.
As the Burners emerged from the mud, I was so proud of many of the gays. Even as most of the “straight” camps canceled their events due to the rain, Pink Ponies welcomed the gays to the Playa. Future Turtles held their kink techno party despite the mud.
Mystopia busted out their sound system and hosted an impromptu dance party.
Not even Mother Nature can hold back the gays.
As the days passed on, the week at Black Rock City became an allegory for life.
We are all presented with complex challenges. Work. Marriage. Family. Friendships. Life presents obstacles for all of us to overcome.
On the other side are rewards, beauty, hope, and memories that last a lifetime—a silver lining.
Burning Man did that this week.
I spoke with several people who had the Burning Man challenge trifecta: it was their first Burn; they waited 20+ hours at the gate to get in (after an already lengthy journey); and the rain upended their first few days.
“I am so coming back,” they told me one by one.
Burning Man is both a challenge and a triumph
Burning Man is not for the faint of heart. Every year, regardless of the conditions, attendees are presented with a challenge. Dust upheavals. Rain. Lightning. Searing hot days. Cold nights.
This year, everything rose to challenge attendees in the first few days of the Burn.
Yet on the other end were conditions that rivaled any other year at Burning Man. A relatively flat and clear playa for biking. Moderately warm days, perfectly cool evenings.
Patience. Perseverance. Trudging through the challenges life presents us, to welcome the gifts of our lives on the other end.
While the first few days tested everyone’s patience, the gift of the struggle was perfect conditions for several days of pure joy.
Life rewards the willing.
“The Obstacle Is The Way.” I started reading this book just a few weeks ago. As the rain poured down around us, I realized the opportunity to get to know the other people in my camp. The rain was a blessing.
The passing of the rain was a blessing, too.
While many people outside the Burning Man bubble seem to have relished in the struggles of the attendees this year, we also enjoyed the battle, albeit in a different way.
“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?”
Burning Man is both. A hope for the future and an impossible path, beyond the one week a year that life rises up for Burners and presents something deeply special. Truly unique. Indescribable.
Rain or heat or dust, I can’t wait for next year.
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