A good decade-plus or so ago, I created a packing list for those going to Burning Man called “Surviving Burning Man: A Packing List for First-Timers.”
The list is published as a Google spreadsheet, and it is available to all. Always has been. Always will be. It’s an amazing packing list. Thorough. Detailed. Very helpful.
On the first page of the spreadsheet, I encourage folks to make a copy of the file and then customize it to their needs.
I do not, of course, make the shared-with-everyone spreadsheet editable by anyone except me. Makes sense, right? This is not a crowdsourced list. It’s my list. The one I created as a base for others to use to create their lists.
So, every year, a few–or maybe a handful–of people send me “request to edit” the file messages. To which I always respond with a general, “Hey, you can make a copy of the file, rename it and then make it your own personal list. Enjoy your burn!”
That’s the gist of my messages to them.
But this year — and I don’t know why — but the number of people who’ve requested edit access is off the hook. And sometimes, even after responding to people with the “Hey, make your own copy” message, they still send me messages asking for editor access, as though they never bothered to read my response.
There’s this part of me that wonders:
Do you not understand the basics of Google spreadsheets?
Do you not understand why I wouldn’t let you edit my work?
Do you not know how to make a copy of a file? To save it as a new spreadsheet?
I still write the same basic message to everyone. No snark, much as I feel inclined. And I wish them a good burn.
But, really, what gives?
I thought the young-uns were supposed to be the digitally savvy among us, but it seems they’re often the most unaware. (I can see the profiles and photos of the people who make the edit requests.)
What really gets me?
Not one of them says “thanks.” Not as in “thanks for the list,” but not even a thanks for responding and giving them some help.
I know people are busy, but I’m the one who made the very helpful list, I’m the one who made it publicly available, and I’m the one who responded to their request (despite having provided the info they needed had they read the first page). But they don’t have 13 seconds to type “Thanks. I’ll do that.” Or whatever.
Maybe I shouldn’t respond. Maybe I should let them figure it out. IDK. I want to be helpful. I don’t want to be anyone’s babysitter.
Packing list
bit.ly/burning-man-packing-list
