Thing is, I've always had a certain awe for how much some people put in to Kiwiburn, and tbh, one of the reasons I haven't taken more on over the years is seeing it as a kind of black hole. (That and the need to sort my life out. :/ )
I've also noticed a total disjunct between some attitudes expressed in the wider community and the reality of things. Over the years I've had a perch nearby lots of people on the excom, so I have a sense of that reality from there. But basically I think the average burner has no idea what it takes to put the festival on behind the scenes.
And this disconnect seems like a weird breakdown. Because the burn community is one with a lot of love, support and positive vibes baked in, at least on-paddock.
(Is it an NZ/tall poppy thing? The fact that the burn on paddock is about being a non-hierarchical flow? Or an effect of scale/larger community, in that earlier it was obvious who was doing stuff but now people are more invisible? Or just that people don't know what they don't know? I also suspect clueless entitled dickheads (TM) are the kind of people who readily voice their opinions online, which may give them the appearance of disproportionate weight, whereas just saying 'yay love you guys' is less of a cultural norm, especially when there is so much focus on the on-paddock vs the year round stuff.)
I don't know what would work to repair this - a regular section of the EFP, focused on what it takes to do this, year round? Dragging the excom, ops crew, etc, out to take a bow before one of the burns? I don't know. But good people being burnt out and unappreciated for doing great work that must be appreciated, and would seem like it would have to be appreciated, if it was known and understood by the raving joy filled community that goes bananas together on the paddock, seems awful. As a tribe we need a better way to acknowledge folks.
I am quite tired and spaced out on endorphins from doing a triathlon this afternoon so I don't even know if what I am writing makes sense right now.
I've also noticed a total disjunct between some attitudes expressed in the wider community and the reality of things. Over the years I've had a perch nearby lots of people on the excom, so I have a sense of that reality from there. But basically I think the average burner has no idea what it takes to put the festival on behind the scenes.
And this disconnect seems like a weird breakdown. Because the burn community is one with a lot of love, support and positive vibes baked in, at least on-paddock.
(Is it an NZ/tall poppy thing? The fact that the burn on paddock is about being a non-hierarchical flow? Or an effect of scale/larger community, in that earlier it was obvious who was doing stuff but now people are more invisible? Or just that people don't know what they don't know? I also suspect clueless entitled dickheads (TM) are the kind of people who readily voice their opinions online, which may give them the appearance of disproportionate weight, whereas just saying 'yay love you guys' is less of a cultural norm, especially when there is so much focus on the on-paddock vs the year round stuff.)
I don't know what would work to repair this - a regular section of the EFP, focused on what it takes to do this, year round? Dragging the excom, ops crew, etc, out to take a bow before one of the burns? I don't know. But good people being burnt out and unappreciated for doing great work that must be appreciated, and would seem like it would have to be appreciated, if it was known and understood by the raving joy filled community that goes bananas together on the paddock, seems awful. As a tribe we need a better way to acknowledge folks.
I am quite tired and spaced out on endorphins from doing a triathlon this afternoon so I don't even know if what I am writing makes sense right now.
Um. Yay Harm Reduction!
And: thanks for all you do and have done <3
But hell yeah, do what you gotta do for you.
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Also wait, you did a triathlon?
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Running is my nemesis and anyone who can do it in a sustained manner impresses the fuck out of me.
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