I co-founded Burning Man. The festival has lost its soul

John Law, one of Burning Man's three founders, argues that the festival has abandoned its anarchist roots and transformed into a commercialized luxury experience catering to wealthy elites. What began in 1990 as a grassroots, participatory gathering of equals has become an exclusive, high-end entertainment spectacle where attendees can purchase premium experiences like private chefs and chartered flights. Law, who left the festival in 1996, expresses sadness over how unrecognizable the event has become from its original vision.