The first things that needs to be addressed in this essay are what a rave really is, and the role that it has in our culture. A rave by today's standards is a large gathering of kids, generally aged 15-24, who are dancing to electronic music until the crack of dawn. "The actual concept of raves is not new-it is as old as time itself. At the base level, raves are very compara

After researching, and contemplating many things I have come to the conclusion that now is the time to turn the tables on society and not allow parties (raves) to go mainstream. I have attended raves for a good part of my life and feel that they are not the same as they used to be. The parties are just not as fun. Police seem to think nothing good ever comes out of raves, and with the media portraying raves the same way, it is time for me to hang up my dancing shoes and give up raves. I am old enough to make my own decisions and I feel that the media doesn't believe that many ravers can make their own decisions. I agree, some people are not responsible enough, and they shouldn't rave, but who am I to say who can and can not rave. I think the media is trying to take the role of police, and by attending raves, they exploit one thing, drugs. I don't know, I just feel that everyone is entitled to doing their own thing, and if the media wants to inform the public, that is what they should do, inform. But please, don't play social judge and try and take away the fun that the younger generation enjoys. Weren't they ever kids? Did they ever go to a Dead concert? Didn't most of the industry grow up in the Love Generation? It is sort of hypocritical, isn't it? Oh well, this world is coming to an end soon enough, and then we will start all over.

ble to American Indian ceremonies...where music is the key towards pulling oneself into a unique emotional and psychological state." (Alt. Rave FAQ 1). Rave culture can be traced back to the 60's Be-Ins, Love-Ins, and Acid Tests. There are even similarities to anarchist revolutions in Italy and France. Raving in North America began in the early 1990's after surviving in Europe for ten years. The rave scene actually began through the punk-rock invasion during the 1980's. The first raves in North America were held in San Francisco. Not long there after, the state of California became home to North America's rave central. "The rave scene has always existed as separate from mainstream society, and underground movement, a movement labeled as deviant by those in the mainstream. It has ben a subculture of escape"(Alt. Rave FAQ 1). Ravers are a unique crowd. While rave culture espouses individualism, a come-as-you-are mentality, there are definitely many similarities among ravers in general. The typical raver is between 17 and 25. He is equally likely to be a she. He or she is probably white. He or she probably came from a middle-class family, and is reasonably well educated. Rave fashion could be the topic of an entire paper. There is a definite sense of individualism within the rave fashion scene. You are likely to see someone in jeans, someone in black vinyl pants, or someone in costume. However, many people fit into a definite "typical raver" mold. The one thing that will never be left out when discussing raves are drugs. Drugs are widely abundant at raves, but as far as the media is concerned that is the only thing raves are good for. What about the sense of community ravers feel, and the spirituality that focuses on an altered state of mind that is caused by the music, and in many cases, drugs. Raves are a shared experience by all those involved. A sense of unity often develops among ravers in which personal creeds, race, gender, age, sexual preference, and everything else that our society places so much emphasis on simply fades into the background. There is a slogan among ravers. PLUR - Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. This motto has been around since the beginning of raves. No one really where PLUR originated, but for many ravers it is what they stand for, or even their dogma. Raves are a creation of space where love and happiness exist beyond everything else, in other words, reality does not exist within a rave.

This quote makes you think back to anytime that you have met a raver, wasn't he/she nice? It goes back the Golden Rule, treat others as you wish t

Some common words found in the essay are:
According Adorno, Rave FAQ, MDMA Schedule, Raphael M1, MDMA Scientists, Theodore Adorno's, Maybe I'm, Matt Demmon, Unity Respect, , popular music, serious music, rave culture, popular culture, rave scene, randall 1992, rave faq 1, rave faq, raves mainstream, raves media, rave music, randall 1992 p1506, music popular music, popular music produced, popular serious music,
Approximate Word count = 2870
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)