Not burning man but I had an amazingly similar experience of normed compliance.
I was standing outside a bar waiting for a friend. A couple stopped to show me their ideas at random. I was so shocked I just muttered 'oh no you are fine'. Within about 10 seconds, there was a line of other people waiting to go into the bar trying to hand me their ID's.
No request, no effort, just...people assume authority and comply. Taught me something I have been trying to watch myself do and break a habit of since then.
I was standing outside a bar waiting for a friend. A couple stopped to show me their ideas at random. I was so shocked I just muttered 'oh no you are fine'. Within about 10 seconds, there was a line of other people waiting to go into the bar trying to hand me their ID's.
No request, no effort, just...people assume authority and comply. Taught me something I have been trying to watch myself do and break a habit of since then.