I read on the AP website that a late-summer storm wreaked havoc at the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada. The event was hit by heavy rain, leaving tens of thousands of attendees stuck in mud with no functioning toilets. One fatality was reported, but details were not provided. The festival was closed to vehicles due to the storm. Organizers postponed all burning activities, and authorities worked to open exit routes by the end of the Labor Day weekend. Attendees trudged through the mud on foot, with some walking miles to the nearest town. Despite the challenges, many described a resilient and supportive community.
You might think that I am antisocial but festivals and concerts have never been my scene. First off, I can’t stand the massive crowds. It’s a struggle to move, and the music gets lost in the chaos. Personally, I prefer vibing to tunes at home with my laptop and headphones. Plus, with COVID lurking around, it’s risky business. Infection central, you know? What is more, it’s not just COVID; you can catch all sorts of nasty infections in that mob.
Then there’s the noise. I can’t stand that ear-pounding racket. It’s like a one-way ticket to be deaf. Who wants permanent hearing damage? And don’t get me started on the prices. It’s a total rip-off, from the crazy entry fees to everything else. So, you see, I can only see downsides to hitting up these joints.
And, disasters like this, they can go down anytime. When it happens, people are trampling over you, or you can’t even catch a breath because everyone’s losing their cool. Once panic hits in the midst of that crowd, it’s a real danger zone.