Burning Man co-founder says festival ‘has lost its soul’ and become ‘Disneyland for the well-heeled’

Key Points:

• John Law, a co-founder of Burning Man, criticized the festival for losing its original "anarchist soul" and becoming a luxurious event catering to wealthy elites, describing it as a "Disneyland for the well-heeled."
• Law highlighted the commercialization of Burning Man, noting luxury camps with private chefs and attendees arriving via business jets, contrasting sharply with the festival's humble beginnings as a small, egalitarian gathering.
• The festival has grown significantly, from about 70 attendees in 1990 to nearly 80,000 by 2019, with ticket prices now ranging between $550 and $3,000, limiting accessibility for many.
• Law attributes the festival's transformation partly to the influence of Silicon Valley elites and the internet, which helped turn Burning Man into a status symbol and corporate reward.
• Despite his criticisms, Law acknowledged that Burning Man remains a major cultural event, while recent incidents like the 2023 storms that stranded wealthy attendees have fueled public mockery and debate about its current identity.