CALIFORNIANS IV

2/13/2020

Despised by religions but promoted by YouTube, Burning Man South’s theme is, “What Happens in BMS Goes on the Internet.” With a 24/365/ Forever, broadcast platform, revelers take pride in passing the slightly censored cuts   that are being filmed throughout the complex. Just short of murder, the vast majority of, Humans Behaving Really Bad, videos are posted on the Web. With an international audience of over 8 billion people, the clips are scrutinized for originality, humor and vulgarity. Very little footage hits the floor. The entire premise of the BMS experience is to get discovered, then get comped. Looking at the success of the JACKASS series, people will do just about anything to get a free room at BMS. Gone are taboos and social pariahism that plagued earlier generations. Nowadays, if you can get on the Internet bandwagon, you are deemed successful. Making a complete and saturated fool of one’s self and getting VDed (Video Displayed) globally is an ultimate honor. Struggling through life with a 9 to 5 career can now be traded in for fame and fortune in the land of Anything Goes, if you are gifted enough. With an influx of competitive people trying to one up the previous performer, the creativity of the human mind defies logic. Medical staffs and operating rooms are conveniently placed in strategic locations. Police are everywhere to ensure the foolishness doesn’t get out of hand, if you can believe that. The vast majority of visitors are just observers and hope to end up in the background as an “extra” and will return from their sui generis experience with bragging rights and a free T-shirt. The world of entertainment has morphed into a way of living and places ordinary people into the spotlight and hence fame for a brief episode in their otherwise boring lives. Opportunities like this are found nowhere else on this planet. The trains, planes and Aqua-subways drop off a world of average citizens and for a brief time a few can be Californians.