Gifting

Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.

Remember the notion “Pay it Forward”, well, here is a community where you have the opportunity to live this value day in and day out.

Your time is the ultimate gift that you give to people.

People called Steve Jobs a hard ass and a difficult person to deal with, think of it from his perspective, his TIME was limited due to his failing health. Do you think he wanted to “waste” his time listening to “nonsense” or progress the discussion forward? Think about it! Now do you still think he was a hard ass and a “rude” person if he cut you short and moved on, because you were not making any sense to him.

At burning man you discover the true spirit behind gifting and most of the time the gifts are immaterial, a hug, a kiss, a little time and patience. That is all it takes.

Yes, it is always good to carry extra water and food for that idle wanderer who inevitably drifts into camp, not really looking for food or water, but it would be a nice ice breaker to offer some food and water and wine to this wanderer. They might gift you in turn with some, hopefully, enlightening company in return. You never know.

I hope this little post conveys the spirit behind this important principle.

And yes, this post in no ways intended to make people who explicitly make shwag to bring to the event from not brining material gifts. I love having a burning man pendant to hang around my neck, some of them are beautiful indeed.

My point is that to gifting does not always mean something material.

Remember…

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust", a phrase from the Anglican burial service, used sometimes to denote total finality. It is based on scriptural texts such as "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return" (Genesis 3:19), and "I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee" (Ezekiel 28:18).