Decommodification: Protecting Culture from Commercialism

<p>3️⃣<strong> Decommodification</strong>: To preserve the spirit of gifting, our community strives to create social environments that are not mediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We are ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. Many people obsessively remove any branding (covering labels on cameras, sneakers, etc.), but not everyone does. Sometimes this turns into a form of fun and art. In the USA, there is a popular company called U Haul that rents out (like car sharing) trucks. The service is well-known and widely used in the country, where many rent housing and constantly move by themselves. At Burning Man, vehicles are used to transport much of what is brought to the playa. So, despite the fact that the vehicles are 100% recognizable, many people make ironic comments about the slogans, the brand, etc., coming up with new names like RuPaul and twisting the inscriptions into funny variations.</p>