Following Mike's lead, here my inventory for 11 a.m., August 30, 2007.
Being at Burning Man, my inventory is atypical. 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 30, 20007, I had just arrived at Camp Love Potion, whose address is 8:30 and Boreal, Black Rock City, Nevada. Although I camped at Contact Camp, I distinctly remember my possessions at this date and time because I had just walked to Camp Love Potion to search for my ride back to Los Angeles.
There were six articles in my possession:
- Robe: White cotton Moustafa Egyptian Tau robe. This design is a simple robe: Long sleeved and ankle-length.
- Sandals: Chocolate brown leather Teva sandals with velcro straps.
- Turban: Sienna stretchable silk fabric scrap (7' x 2') wrappped as a turban around my head. The tail of the turban is left long to be wrapped around my face as a dust mask due to frequent dust storms.
- Glasses: Brass round-frame Lanvin glasses, with clear polymer prescription (20/400) lenses.
- Water bottle: Transparent Arrowhead sports disposable plastic water bottle (20 oz), label removed, fliptop cover. The bottle has some distilled water.
- Love potion: Approximately 1/4 fl oz. glass vial of cinnamon liquer blended with dozens of herbs selected for their associations with love in European herbal folklore. This is worn around the neck by a thin blue elastic string acting as a necklace.
All articles and exposed portions of my body are dirtied by beige playa dust.
Analysis
The parsimony of articles implies a low-technology desert. The theme of the articles is pseudo-Arabian romantic anachronism and minimalism. Given that the only physical environment protective devices are a plain robe, a turban, and sandals, the wearer is likely in a hot environment with high-ultraviolet index exposure to the sun. The wearer's primary physical threats are dehydration, sunburn, and inhalation of dust.
The wearer is approximating a low-technology subsistence with high-tech substitutes. Each article is a modern-day version of technology that existed for centuries. Given the wearer is unencumbered, the wearer's needs are simple, survival-oriented. The wearer must be near a camp with access to shelter, food, and water.
No form of identification or currency is present, implying an immediate cultural environment that is pre-currency and has no identification infrastructure. Indeed, Burning Man participant agreement prohibits commerce, including bartering. Persons are recognized by face and speech only, and trust networks are founded on face-to-face reputation and recommendation.
The sandals and complete lack of transportation suggest an interest in walking the rugged playa. Given that the wearer has been wearing this robe and fabric for a couple of days, the wearer has little access or interest in laundry. Since the water bottle has been reused several times, the wearer seems to currently have very few material attachments, not even a permanent water bottle.
The potion suggests a playful desire for romance. Perhaps parties or other opportunities for flirtation are common. Combined with the garb, the wearer may be in a superstitious or theatrical cultural environment.
Altogether, the articles suggest a romantically anachronistic desert. The cultural environment is permissive and eclectic, permitting both a plastic water bottle with robe and turban in the same attire. The wearer is in a world that lacks technology for commerce, communication, and education. Due to a lack of tools for recalling the past, predicting the future, or even identifying the present time, the culture has only nomadic technology and focuses on the present moment.