Commodification – the act of making something packaged, sellable, and exchangeable. In our global economic system there’s a lot of this. Like a lot a lot. Like the growth of the global economy seemingly depends on this. Like even the listen data on this podcast are probably getting commodified right now by whatever app you’re using into something that can be bought and sold to help “better” market to you…
SO – let’s do the opposite of all that and DEcommodify! That’s right, decommodification is one of the Burning Man Project’s 10 Principles and we’re going to jump straight into it. Hear us consider how this idea plays out on-playa and off. We talk about swimsuit copyrights, fishing net innovations, cerano-de-burgeac-esque costuming, discuss plug-&-play camps, family picnics, and more! How does this fit in with “you” – yes “you” and also “you” – and how does decommodification help make Burning Man…well…Burning Man?
Recorded: 12 Dec 2018
References & Resources:
- (Non) Newsflash: Burning Man Is Not a Backdrop for Your Product by the Burning Man Project (31 Jan 2019)
- “What does it mean to have decommodification as a principle?” by Caveat Magister (13 Feb 2014)
- “Before Decommodification, There Was Once a Merch Table in Center Camp” by Rusty Blazenhoff (11 Aug 2018)
- “‘Decommodification’ and ‘Cultural Appropriation’ – two great conversations that go great together” by Caveat Magister (17 Jan 2017)
- “Decommodification: A Teachable Moment for People Who Make Playa-Ready Stuff” by Burgundy Morgan (6 Jun 2017)
- “Decommodification Reminder” by John ‘Halcyon’ Styn (9 Aug 2018)
- “What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets” book by Michael J. Sandel (2012)
Comments? Ideas? Connections? Get in touch! playaboys-~atat~-accordingto-~dotdot~-us
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It’s just according to us disclaimer: We are not a part of the official Burning Man Project 501(c)3 nor Burning Man Organization and so we don’t represent this larger legal structure and institution. The opinions are solely our own as merely two individual participants among a city of 70,000+ and a community of way, way more. You know…it’s just according to us…
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