wrote this in Cegep about 2-3 years ago. In retrospect theres a lot that id change (specially 1st paragaraph)in my approach to it.. There is no One experience of the scene.. read on si ca te plait


RAVING AND DEATH


With the advent of unprecedented levels of technological sophistication and

the daily progression toward what Marshal McLuhan infamously termed a “global

village,” there has occurred a cultural phenomenon which, in retrospect, seems an

almost inescapable and natural occurrence. It is the rave phenomenon. Rave culture

has created a self-propagating utopia which attempts to defy (psychologically and/or

spiritually) human mortality itself. With the combination of shamanism from ages

past, psychedelic drugs of relatively recent discovery, and precisely developed audio-

visual interfacing which employs the most innovated and advanced technology

available, raving has solidified itself as not just the party of the future, but (to

many) the very experience of the future.



Since its cataclysmic insurgence from Britain and thence America, the rave

scene has had one driving element which has remained constant throughout its journey -

the drug Ecstasy. More specifically known as 3.4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine,

ecstasy has played an integral role in the genesis and propagation of rave culture.

First marketed in 1912 as an appetite suppressant by the German company Merck, it was

rediscovered in 1960 by Alexander Shulgin, a noted biochemist who became a “prime

mover in America’s network of neuro-consciousness explorers”(Reynolds p.82) .

Originally used as a therapeutic agent for couples and those with repressed memories

(in which it had great success), by 1976 the more lucrative effects of ecstasy had

been published in medical journals, generating an ecstasy boon in the Texas and

Detroit all night club scenes in the mid 80's.



MDMA is a remarkable chemical which releases serotonin and dopamine, leading

to acute sensory intensification, a supercharging of one’s energy, a loss of

inhibition and ego, culminating in one pure unadulterated emotion: empathy.

Originally called such, the name was changed to the risque-sounding “ecstasy” in

order to boost sales amongst a younger crowd. Much like the edited name, ecstasy has

been falsely portrayed in the media and government in order to scare would-be-users

into abstinence. After being characterized as a killer amphetamine, ecstasy

apologists have pointed out that statistically one is more likely to die driving to a

rave than attending one on ecstasy, since on average seven people (out of millions of

regular users) die per year from the drug (Reynolds p. 188). Contrary to popular

belief, raving does not promote indiscriminate ingestion of any drug available.

Barbiturate and opiate use is severely frowned upon, being contrary to the peaceful

vibrations of a rave, as well as excessive intake of MDMA or Speed, another drug

commonly found at raves. Far less often mentioned are the psychological side effects

of ecstasy (considered more detrimental than any physical side effects) which are all

short-term through occasional use. These include insomnia, acute depression, anxiety,

confusion and even psychosis. Invariably, serotonin and dopamine levels self-regulate

before long. These effects can last as little as a day, and often do not present

themselves at all. They also show the way in which ecstasy does not create a physical

dependance, nor has credible evidence of a psychological dependance presented itself.



Unfortunately ecstasy was arbitrarily banned shortly thereafter by the newly

formed DEA as part of Ronald Reagan’s largely ineffective (and detrimental) war on

drugs, and despite the presiding judge’s recommendation of placing MDMA as a Schedule

III drug, it was placed as a Schedule I drug instead (Reynolds p. 82) . Aside from

drastically reducing the purity of (now illegal) MDMA tablets, this legislation

served to push the rave movement underground, and eventually to legitimate venues

hosted by sponsors.


Once underground, a plethora of electronic/techno music styles arose. Each

year from the 1980's on the rave scene grew in momentum in accordance with that of

audio technology advances. By the mid 90's it had attained the status of a full-

fledged movement. Consequently, as crowds began to reach in the tens of thousands for

some events, a type of large-scale musical bond between listener and DJ which some

view as “techno-shamanism” began to emerge. This mystical bond could be especially

seen at large outdoor events, as thousands of ravers (often fueled by MDMA)

jubilantly leapt in unison, arms outstretched toward the heavens, while those DJing

anticipated the rush and provoked it further with a precise flip of a switch. While

these events appeared as a frenzied hysteria to the untrained eye, others can deduce

a deeper connection heretofore assumed impossible within such large gatherings. A

great communal understanding coursed through the air, infusing it with an ethereal

quality. During the height of rave euphoria one undergoes a sense of everlasting

delight. The experience (although it is in reality temporary) ia in a way permanent,

as if a bit of joy materialized and was made imperishable.This can be explained from

the entrancing quality of techno and electronic music (particularly psytrance and Goa

trance). Through techniques like “beatmatching” and repetitive patterns within tech

music instill a sense of “all for one, one for all,” a feeling of everyone working

collectively as a well oiled machine “...In the throes of Ecstasy, it can feel like

the DJ is reading the crowd’s mind, playing the listener’s bodies.”(Reynolds 275). An

individual experiencing this comprehends the depth and scope of the rave movement,

the sheer force and potential of its escapist/curative effects. Not able to see a

demise anywhere in sight, the rave movement becomes eternal in the raver’s eyes.

Through the spiritually abstract yet technologically concrete music, it beckons to

the raver to contribute him/herself wholeheartedly through dance and spirit, as a

chance of everlasting life.


This epiphanic state of consciousness has proved sufficiently powerful to

attract the Catholic Church’s attention. In the UK, (in cities like Gloucester and

Bradford) attempts have been made to lure youth into the Christian fold via drug-and-

alcohol-free rave nights (Reynolds, 242). Clearly rave culture’s spiritual effects

have come closest to offering what the Catholic Church has long promised to its

followers: eternal life.



Part of the rave movement’s unqualified success is due to its contrast with

the capitalistic societies in which it flourishes. Its function is often to transcend

class and cultural barriers, something greatly valued in today’s often detached and

undiversified lifestyle. As (?) and strife (physically, politically and mentally)

become more commonplace within the industrialized world, the rave movement gains

momentum as an effective liberation and rejection of such pressures. When developed

responsibly (though it is not always), rave culture promotes peace, tolerance and a

harmony which is everlasting.