Is Burning Man Burnt Out?

3. A Growing List of Rules To Follow.

Once a good thing goes mass, it has more people to please, more voices looking to change things. What was once all about freedom, has had to put a growing list of rules into place, angering purists.  In 2009, early arrivals were even given a bar code to be scanned before they could enter. [via] Progress and popularity can be good, as long as the festival stays true to its core.  But with trend followers coming into the mix, the balance may be thrown off with the role of spectator becoming greater than that of participant. For those looking for a good time, not invested or aware of the guiding principles, and  accustomed to luxury, its easy to envision trash piling up, Coca Cola being swigged, and money trickling in. We hope not, but we're at least interested to see how the newbies deal with temperatures in the 30s at night to near 100 during the day, dust storms, theme camps, and dirt.  Glamping, this is not. [via]