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I am making a proposal to the Black Rock Arts Foundation to try to bring the lightsaber battle to the streets of San Francisco.
Can any of you (Kristine?) review what I got so far before I send it out?
Here is the text minus the pictures:
Letter of Intent
Proposal for a Jedi Light Saber Battle of 5000 participants in the streets of San Francisco
By: Badass
A.K.A. Badacting Scenestealer.
returntheclonesback@gmail.com
Summary
I want to inspire a new interactive game for adults of the world to participate in. I want to cause one or more huge Jedi light saber battles to take place in the city of San Francisco, using 2500-5000 toy light sabers. The battle will be pre-announced, but also actively recruit passers by. People will be able to dance with the light, or dance with each other, and get out aggressions in a peaceful, fun, healthy, and artistic way.
Hopefully, this movement will grow to cause battles to ocurr on any given night at bars, nightclubs, general outings. And later on, it could grow to add an extension of symbolic power to non-violent protests (imagine a million JEDI march on the capitol), and benefit the liberty of mankind.
Physical
I have negotiated the purchase of toy light swords from a company in China. They can be purchased at $2.00 per saber. These swords come in boxes of 12, pre-installed with 3 watch batteries. A button allows the changing of the sword color to 8 different colors. The plastic swords can swoosh to expand their length from 12 to 36 inches.
Sample of participants with the light sabers.
Each saber will be individually marked with a label identifying the saber, and labeling the person who uses it. Each will have a unique JEDI name that is randomly created from words that are intended to be like Obi-Wan Kenobi's name, but comical, and somewhat suggestive. An example: “Wooki Fun HaHotti”.
Each label will also indicate a unique association of three classifications of the Jedi: Their Philosophy, Home planet, and Power Element. Participants will later be able to go on-line and get a individually tailored web page that describes what the symbols mean, telling the participant, in a interesting way, who they are, what the believe in, and where they come from. This classification is to help show that group classification is arbitrary and combat racism.
The sabers come in large boxes of 120 – each containing 10 smaller boxes of 12. They will be pre-labeled at the factory.
Example box of light sabers.
Interactivity
Although there is a following of Jedi enthusiasts, recruiting ordinary people to participate with light sabers is extremely effective. I have found that 90% of people, whether on the Playa, or off-Playa will take an offered light saber and want to play (some use the excuse that it is for their “kids”). Any busy tourist area would be an ideal setting to spawn armies. Children in the event will be encouraged to take two light sabers, as to offer an advantage against adult participants.
After given the light sabers, participants would then expand their sword, and see a crowd of people swinging around them. A desire, and lust for the hunt and kill, of being glorious in a war, will succumb them. They will use the sword to contact other members, playfully expelling their aggression without causing real pain or suffering.
Some participants will be further evolved from the baseless whacking of swords at each other, and will dance instead. The sabers act like large extensions of the hand, causing flowing, noticeable movements and enhancing all forms of human motion-emotion. A portable music system will help set the mood for this peaceful playfulness as well.
Subgroups will be formed by various means, and strategies will be formed. Harmless chaos is harnesses into an artful “dance of certainty” between thousands of people who otherwise would just walk past each other. After 2 hours, the people will start to disperse, taking their toy with them.
After the event, Participants will look at the symbols and artwork on the sword and see a website listed. Some will go to the web site, and find a form - asking for their JEDI name. Once entered, the web server will show a personalized site explaining the nature of the symbols on the saber. A dissertation of their home planet, philosophy, and power element will be amusing, similar to a fortune telling. Also on the site will be links to an online community, and event listings.
Those so inclined can take their sword with them to Burning Man, where a much larger event is planned for 2007 (at least 10,000 swords).
Community
The amazing thing about this event, is that almost everyone offered a sword, wants to participate. All people from an age of 5 to 65 have seen some of the Star Wars movies by George Lucas. This sets up a untapped instinctive pattern to join in.
Another instinct is in play: the instinct of war. Although we like to think of ourselves as enlightened beings, we are basically animals, and much our childhood play has a base with the excitement of violence in order to gain advantage. Other forms of childhood play are more artistic or social. What a trick it is to combine all of these forms with a simple toy.
Men, Women, Children, Workers, Tourists, Retirees, all get the game. They will enjoy it, and then tell others about it.
A more dedicated sub-group- the Star Wars fans, will also enjoy this beyond recognition.
Volunteers:
5 friends, and 5 random volunteers will help to disseminate the sabers in a quick amount of time. This is essential in order to create a point of saturation that engages people. Distribution of the swords will be done with a rented moving truck, and will only require myself to perform.
Outcomes
1.5000 people will have a memorable moment to talk about for years to come.
2.More people will come to Burning Man as a result, bringing new ideas and expericnes to people, and keeping Burning man fresh.
3.In New Orleans, Men will use the swords to collect bead rings from women, doubling the amount of interaction in this fun, but recently troubled town.
4.Eventually, instead of going out to a bar, drinking, and looking at a TV, people will go out to a bar, drink, and then take out their light-sabers. Women and Men can indicate attraction by “whacking” potties on the buttocks.
5.In the future, when liberties are ensnared, I wish to have a march of one million Jedis to peacefully demand and invoke change for the benefit of Mankind.
Why
1.The world needs new peaceful outlets for aggression.
The current method of releasing aggression in a peaceful way, has been reduced to watching sports on Pay-Per-View. It is not as satisfying as this aggression would be. The ironic twist is that a fight with light sabers turns into a creative and kinetic dance.
2.People need to interact more in this life.
Every time we walk past a person, and not say hello, it is limiting. And it happens a lot. Imagine all of the missed opportunities, connections, and chances to learn, and teach between people! I know that for myself, I am either disinterested because of preconceived judgments ( this person is not like me, and therefore I do not want to talk to him/her), or because of fear of rejection (she is too beautiful to want to talk to me, I am not like them). It takes some courage to talk to people. Burning Man helps us break these barriers and engage more interesting people. A toy sword does the same.
3.End racism and Xenophobia.
All sub-groups of humanity are arbitrary. We all have the same ancestors- our arch mother lived 120,000 years ago, and out arch father lived 40-60,000 years ago. This fact is almost never talked about, and I find that people get angry with me when I bring this idea up. It strikes them wrong.
The ten Philosophy's described could be a way for people to group with the light sabers: Love, Jedi, Burner, Screw, Peace, Star, Nada, Pasta, Logic, and Evil.
So could the 26 planets, or the 118 elements, or the 8 light saber colors be construed as a grouping of participating warriors.
Imagine a group of people on the Playa, all deciding to go out as green swords, and attack anyone who isn't green. One of the green group wanders off and sees a Red sword, and goes in to attack. All the sudden, he looks at her sword and sees a Star symbol on it. Instead of fighting, he says “your a Star! I'm a Star too!”. The new group of “Star fighters” join each other and help defend against the non-star people, until a new grouping is made.
4.Extend the power of civil disobedience.
The only thing that brings the message of nonviolent dissent from a protester to a tyrannical group is the eye. Several methods of avoiding eye-to-eye contact have been implemented – such as protest zones away from protested orginazations, Limited news coverage, or coverage where crowd sweeps are shown, and no eyes are seen. The toy sword can be a symbol of defiance, showing the intent to invoke abrupt, even violent change, with a restraint of resorting to violence. It is a powerful stance, and the sword is easier to see and understand from a distance, than the eye.
There will come a time, not now, but when something really goes wrong, that members of this nation, and this world, will need to stand up and change the nature of society. When this moment comes, I want to be ready. I want this game to have spread far enough, we could have a march of a million people. What a difference we will make, what a movement- where we show the strength, and inherent goodness in humankind.
5.Ego
To be blunt, it is a great ego boost to raise an army of Jedis. I enjoy being acknowledged for such accomplishments, and also humbly thank those who helped make my vision to be realized.
I am Badacting Scenestealer, leader of 5000 Jedis in the Battle of Innocence- Burning Man 2006. It was a great thing to do.
But even Ego has a place that helps others.
One early Tuesday morning, after having many nighttime adulterated adventures on the Playa, I raise the troops around me to go to the Man to watch the sun rise. Right outside my camp, was a beautiful young lady named Sarah, who joined us. It was her first time, but the morning burning light showed in her eyes, the knowledge of ages. Bellowing in pride at my light saber job, I looked to her, and said “I have created an army of peace. But I cannot imagine, from this, what will you do?”
Accomplishments
I have self funded 2 light saber giveaways at Burning Man 2005 and 2006.
In 2005 I gave away 1000 light sabers, which was not enough to create a saturation point.
In 2006 I gave away 5000 light sabers, 3000 all in one night. The event was deemed to be the Battle of Innocence, and had thousands of participants battling around the man.
My day job is as a computer consultant, which I have been for 13 years.
I am the moderator of the Black Rock Jedi tribe, a group dedicated to creating, well, light saber battles.
tribes.tribe.net/black_rock_jedi
Can any of you (Kristine?) review what I got so far before I send it out?
Here is the text minus the pictures:
Letter of Intent
Proposal for a Jedi Light Saber Battle of 5000 participants in the streets of San Francisco
By: Badass
A.K.A. Badacting Scenestealer.
returntheclonesback@gmail.com
Summary
I want to inspire a new interactive game for adults of the world to participate in. I want to cause one or more huge Jedi light saber battles to take place in the city of San Francisco, using 2500-5000 toy light sabers. The battle will be pre-announced, but also actively recruit passers by. People will be able to dance with the light, or dance with each other, and get out aggressions in a peaceful, fun, healthy, and artistic way.
Hopefully, this movement will grow to cause battles to ocurr on any given night at bars, nightclubs, general outings. And later on, it could grow to add an extension of symbolic power to non-violent protests (imagine a million JEDI march on the capitol), and benefit the liberty of mankind.
Physical
I have negotiated the purchase of toy light swords from a company in China. They can be purchased at $2.00 per saber. These swords come in boxes of 12, pre-installed with 3 watch batteries. A button allows the changing of the sword color to 8 different colors. The plastic swords can swoosh to expand their length from 12 to 36 inches.
Sample of participants with the light sabers.
Each saber will be individually marked with a label identifying the saber, and labeling the person who uses it. Each will have a unique JEDI name that is randomly created from words that are intended to be like Obi-Wan Kenobi's name, but comical, and somewhat suggestive. An example: “Wooki Fun HaHotti”.
Each label will also indicate a unique association of three classifications of the Jedi: Their Philosophy, Home planet, and Power Element. Participants will later be able to go on-line and get a individually tailored web page that describes what the symbols mean, telling the participant, in a interesting way, who they are, what the believe in, and where they come from. This classification is to help show that group classification is arbitrary and combat racism.
The sabers come in large boxes of 120 – each containing 10 smaller boxes of 12. They will be pre-labeled at the factory.
Example box of light sabers.
Interactivity
Although there is a following of Jedi enthusiasts, recruiting ordinary people to participate with light sabers is extremely effective. I have found that 90% of people, whether on the Playa, or off-Playa will take an offered light saber and want to play (some use the excuse that it is for their “kids”). Any busy tourist area would be an ideal setting to spawn armies. Children in the event will be encouraged to take two light sabers, as to offer an advantage against adult participants.
After given the light sabers, participants would then expand their sword, and see a crowd of people swinging around them. A desire, and lust for the hunt and kill, of being glorious in a war, will succumb them. They will use the sword to contact other members, playfully expelling their aggression without causing real pain or suffering.
Some participants will be further evolved from the baseless whacking of swords at each other, and will dance instead. The sabers act like large extensions of the hand, causing flowing, noticeable movements and enhancing all forms of human motion-emotion. A portable music system will help set the mood for this peaceful playfulness as well.
Subgroups will be formed by various means, and strategies will be formed. Harmless chaos is harnesses into an artful “dance of certainty” between thousands of people who otherwise would just walk past each other. After 2 hours, the people will start to disperse, taking their toy with them.
After the event, Participants will look at the symbols and artwork on the sword and see a website listed. Some will go to the web site, and find a form - asking for their JEDI name. Once entered, the web server will show a personalized site explaining the nature of the symbols on the saber. A dissertation of their home planet, philosophy, and power element will be amusing, similar to a fortune telling. Also on the site will be links to an online community, and event listings.
Those so inclined can take their sword with them to Burning Man, where a much larger event is planned for 2007 (at least 10,000 swords).
Community
The amazing thing about this event, is that almost everyone offered a sword, wants to participate. All people from an age of 5 to 65 have seen some of the Star Wars movies by George Lucas. This sets up a untapped instinctive pattern to join in.
Another instinct is in play: the instinct of war. Although we like to think of ourselves as enlightened beings, we are basically animals, and much our childhood play has a base with the excitement of violence in order to gain advantage. Other forms of childhood play are more artistic or social. What a trick it is to combine all of these forms with a simple toy.
Men, Women, Children, Workers, Tourists, Retirees, all get the game. They will enjoy it, and then tell others about it.
A more dedicated sub-group- the Star Wars fans, will also enjoy this beyond recognition.
Volunteers:
5 friends, and 5 random volunteers will help to disseminate the sabers in a quick amount of time. This is essential in order to create a point of saturation that engages people. Distribution of the swords will be done with a rented moving truck, and will only require myself to perform.
Outcomes
1.5000 people will have a memorable moment to talk about for years to come.
2.More people will come to Burning Man as a result, bringing new ideas and expericnes to people, and keeping Burning man fresh.
3.In New Orleans, Men will use the swords to collect bead rings from women, doubling the amount of interaction in this fun, but recently troubled town.
4.Eventually, instead of going out to a bar, drinking, and looking at a TV, people will go out to a bar, drink, and then take out their light-sabers. Women and Men can indicate attraction by “whacking” potties on the buttocks.
5.In the future, when liberties are ensnared, I wish to have a march of one million Jedis to peacefully demand and invoke change for the benefit of Mankind.
Why
1.The world needs new peaceful outlets for aggression.
The current method of releasing aggression in a peaceful way, has been reduced to watching sports on Pay-Per-View. It is not as satisfying as this aggression would be. The ironic twist is that a fight with light sabers turns into a creative and kinetic dance.
2.People need to interact more in this life.
Every time we walk past a person, and not say hello, it is limiting. And it happens a lot. Imagine all of the missed opportunities, connections, and chances to learn, and teach between people! I know that for myself, I am either disinterested because of preconceived judgments ( this person is not like me, and therefore I do not want to talk to him/her), or because of fear of rejection (she is too beautiful to want to talk to me, I am not like them). It takes some courage to talk to people. Burning Man helps us break these barriers and engage more interesting people. A toy sword does the same.
3.End racism and Xenophobia.
All sub-groups of humanity are arbitrary. We all have the same ancestors- our arch mother lived 120,000 years ago, and out arch father lived 40-60,000 years ago. This fact is almost never talked about, and I find that people get angry with me when I bring this idea up. It strikes them wrong.
The ten Philosophy's described could be a way for people to group with the light sabers: Love, Jedi, Burner, Screw, Peace, Star, Nada, Pasta, Logic, and Evil.
So could the 26 planets, or the 118 elements, or the 8 light saber colors be construed as a grouping of participating warriors.
Imagine a group of people on the Playa, all deciding to go out as green swords, and attack anyone who isn't green. One of the green group wanders off and sees a Red sword, and goes in to attack. All the sudden, he looks at her sword and sees a Star symbol on it. Instead of fighting, he says “your a Star! I'm a Star too!”. The new group of “Star fighters” join each other and help defend against the non-star people, until a new grouping is made.
4.Extend the power of civil disobedience.
The only thing that brings the message of nonviolent dissent from a protester to a tyrannical group is the eye. Several methods of avoiding eye-to-eye contact have been implemented – such as protest zones away from protested orginazations, Limited news coverage, or coverage where crowd sweeps are shown, and no eyes are seen. The toy sword can be a symbol of defiance, showing the intent to invoke abrupt, even violent change, with a restraint of resorting to violence. It is a powerful stance, and the sword is easier to see and understand from a distance, than the eye.
There will come a time, not now, but when something really goes wrong, that members of this nation, and this world, will need to stand up and change the nature of society. When this moment comes, I want to be ready. I want this game to have spread far enough, we could have a march of a million people. What a difference we will make, what a movement- where we show the strength, and inherent goodness in humankind.
5.Ego
To be blunt, it is a great ego boost to raise an army of Jedis. I enjoy being acknowledged for such accomplishments, and also humbly thank those who helped make my vision to be realized.
I am Badacting Scenestealer, leader of 5000 Jedis in the Battle of Innocence- Burning Man 2006. It was a great thing to do.
But even Ego has a place that helps others.
One early Tuesday morning, after having many nighttime adulterated adventures on the Playa, I raise the troops around me to go to the Man to watch the sun rise. Right outside my camp, was a beautiful young lady named Sarah, who joined us. It was her first time, but the morning burning light showed in her eyes, the knowledge of ages. Bellowing in pride at my light saber job, I looked to her, and said “I have created an army of peace. But I cannot imagine, from this, what will you do?”
Accomplishments
I have self funded 2 light saber giveaways at Burning Man 2005 and 2006.
In 2005 I gave away 1000 light sabers, which was not enough to create a saturation point.
In 2006 I gave away 5000 light sabers, 3000 all in one night. The event was deemed to be the Battle of Innocence, and had thousands of participants battling around the man.
My day job is as a computer consultant, which I have been for 13 years.
I am the moderator of the Black Rock Jedi tribe, a group dedicated to creating, well, light saber battles.
tribes.tribe.net/black_rock_jedi
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