NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
... posts individualism, a come-as-you-are mentality, there are definitely many similarities among ravers in general. A unique aspect of rave culture is the fashion. 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. For males, baggy pants are the norm.
A very tight shirt, no shirt, or a sweatshirt is also common for males. For females, it gets more interesting. The typical rave girl has short hair; it is often in barrettes. She wears a baby doll dress, or pants and a cut off tee shirt. She is often sucking on a pacifier. Infantilism in general is very predominant among ravers.
Pacifiers, stuffed animals, lollipops, and shirts emblazoned with cartoon characters are common. In a sense, this embodies the culture. It is a regaining of innocence and a chance to forget about problems for a while. Drugs have been a part of the rave scene since the beginning. In England, the rave scene originated with MDMA or Ecstasy. In America, it was LSD or acid. "At first, acid and occasional marijuana use were the only drugs seen at raves in America.
Then, Ecstasy and other drugs moved in. Drugs are a frequent topic of debate among ravers. Some think that drugs should be done away with entirely. Others think that only drugs that increase the vibe should be allowed, namely marijuana, LSD, and ecstasy. Ecstasy or MDMA was created in 1912 and patented by the pharmaceutical company E (Robson 138).
MDMA causes a massive release of serotonin, which is thought to play and important role in regulating mood, sleep, hunger, sexual activity, and it is also known to increase one's senses. The drug is almost always swallowed, but can also be snorted or injected into a vein and the effect usually lasts around 5 hours or so. Some short-term effects from ecstasy use are clumsiness, drowsiness, fear or anxiety, depression, racing heart, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. The most numerous users are young, energetic "ravers" who consume this drug for several reasons.
Music becomes physically pleasurable and strangers become people to be loved. Ecstasy broke down egos. It was a perfect fit with the happy family that the rave scene was trying to create. However, as greed has taken hold within the scene, Ecstasy is no longer pure. (Robson 141). It is usually cut with baking powder, or worse, various pesticides and poisons. There are many other drugs, though not as popular as ecstasy, present at a rave.
Cannabis, or Marijuana is usually smoked and is said to be relaxing and stimulating. LSD or Acid is a hallucinogenic or psychedelic drug usually absorbed into little pieces of paper called "blotter. " Speed is a stimulant drug, which produces alertness, confidence and raises levels of energy and stamina. GHB, sometimes referred to as the "date rape" drug, usually comes as an odorless liquid and is classified as a sedative-hypnotic and usually causes a user to feel dizzy and sleepy, often causing loss of consciousness. Magic mushrooms contain psilocybin and are classified as a psychedelic drug with effects similar to those of LSD. Ketamine or "Special K" belongs to the class of drugs called 'dissociative anesthetics, ' and produces a hallucinogenic effect. Another dissociative anesthetic, nitrous oxide, is inhaled and results in temporary loss of motor control.
The use of alcohol is also commonly used before or during a rave (Robson ch. 9). There is a tangible energy that goes along with dancing to extremely loud beats with hundreds of other people. Raves are a shared experience. 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 magic moment that can happen at a rave, explains Steve Redhand... when everyone is dancing you experience a feeling of collective organism, and I think people that have had this experience view the world differently afterwards... the world is not made up of individuals vying for power, but rather...
one throbbing thing' (45). Another phrase commonly thrown around in circles of ravers is that of PLUR, which stands for Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. In many senses, PLUR is the dogma that ravers believe in. The rave scene has always existed as separate from mainstream society, an underground movement, a movement labeled as deviant by those in the mainstream. When the scene started, everything was done on an illegal basis. After a year or so of straight illegality, promoters made a conscious effort to secure spaces where their parties would not be busted.
Promoters must receive permits to use buildings for parties, and for sound, and many times the cops must be involved and present at a rave to assure that things are under control. There is definitely a beauty to the rave scene but at the same time it has been corrupted by commercialization, and the fears society has from this growing culture. The rave scene has become swamped in commercialism. When it started to grow in popularity, it was inevitable that some kind official would notice. The first officials to notice were police, and then city governments.
Then, it naturally moved to the boardrooms of major companies. (Martin 79) They have attempted to portray the rave scene in movies such as "Groove, " and "Go" which comes up way short in doing anything beyond simply enlightening the uninformed as to what a rave is composed of. The rave scene is being appropriated into mainstream culture. In a way, this is the best defense that society could have ever used against the rave scene. As the rave scene becomes more popular, fewer people are going to create a temporary loving space, and more people are going to be on drugs. It is now common to see kids sitting against the wall snorting crystal meth or shooting heroin, drugs that have never been a part of the scene. American society is fickle.
Fads do not last long. Electronica is the "next big thing" and is covered in Time and Newsweek. American consumers are gobbling it up. Punk music, grunge / alternative music, rap, all of these were once the "next big thing." The rave scene will be appropriated, for a while. Then, a new big thing will come along that society latches onto. What remains to be seen however, is whether the rave scene is strong enough to survive.
Will PLUR be forever lost to consumerism, or will it just be temporarily clouded over? Works Cited Jordan, Joel. Searching for the Perfect Beat. New York: Watson-Giptil Publications, 2000. Martin, Daniel. "Power Play and Party Politics: The Significance of Raving. " Journal of Popular Culture 32. 4 (Spring 1999): 77 - 99. Peace, Martin. "Techno Style. " Zurich: Edition Old, 1998.
Redhead, Steve, ed. Rave Off: Politics and Deviance in Contemporary Youth Culture. Aldershot: Avebury, 1993. Robson, Philip.
Forbidden Drugs. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism. London: Allen and Unwin, 1976.
Free research essays on topics related to: ravers, rave scene, rave, big thing, ecstasy
Research essay sample on Rave Culture And Its Effects On Popular
