Pragmatism doesn't seem to ever arrive on the Playa. 1998 for me the best year I have ever had at Burning Man. I became better friends with the people I knew already, made new friends with people I met, and confused an endless bounty of strangers. The experience in the desert engenders optimism about culture and society. Rules about boundaries and permissible friendliness are redefined.
People invite strangers into their temporary homes without hesitation.
Water is offered to passers-by as a friendly and thoughtful gesture. Meeting and hanging with the posse from the Bindlestiff Family Circus before and after Burning Man was a time I will treasure. The desert introduced me to many people I hope to stay friends with over the long haul. Every year feels like a reunion, where I see people who I only know from prior Burns. Burning Man is an excellent environment in which to cull ideas.