Rave (reɪv):
noun
a name given to various types of dance music, such as techno, that feature fast electronic rhythm
Other associations include drugs, most commonly Ecstasy. Ecstasy, or E, is a psycho-active drug that creates hallucinations, energy and euphoria.
The University of Southern California's President C. L. Max Nikias has written a letter to all his students concerned about the safety at raves. He strongly discouraged attending them, especially with several of them being hosted around the USC area. There has even been a proposed law, Anti-Raves Act of 2011, by assemblywoman Fiona Ma, to ban raves in public places all together. These actions came about after several deaths/injuries from the Electric Daisy Carnival and Hard Haunted Mansion last year.
While it is fair that USC President Nikias was merely concerned with the safety of his students, is going as far along as a ban taking it a bit too far?
A rave is nothing more then a music festival with just live DJs instead of live bands. It is similar to any other kind of music community; it has grown significantly more popular lately then it has been in the past. Although yes it has associations with drugs, drugs are done everywhere, not just at raves, and one certainly does not have to partake in such activities to have fun or enjoy the shows.
The safety concerns of doing drugs or staying hydrated is common sense. It is important to drink enough water whether you are at a concert, a dancing light show, or playing a sport. And although I by no means encourage the use of drugs, if you plan on taking any, make sure you are taking them responsibly. (I.e. stay hydrated, don't mix them, only buy off a reliable source)
Because electric music is somewhat of a new scene and only now becoming popular, many people are skeptical of it all. But to be fair, at one point in time Elvis Presley was deemed too sexual for swinging his hips. Just give it some time. 10 years from now some other kind of music form will be under scrutiny.
Still skeptical? New to electronic music? Start with Electrojan or Dancing Astronaut to get a feel for the music and see what it is all about.
What an interesting post that definitely brought up a lot of issues. While I have nothing against the type of music that raves play (although it’s not my favorite), I do have a problem with the way that raves have been associated with drugs such as Ecstasy. While I know that people who don’t “roll” go to raves, it is a major drawing point for people. I’m not sure what it is exactly about the rave environment that fosters this but I think that something needs to be done to deter people from using these drugs. Ecstasy is such a scary drug and it not only endangers the life of the person who takes the pill but it could also endanger the people around them. I know that one of my friends went to his first rave a couple of years ago and became obsessed with taking Ecstasy. I would be video chatting with him after a rave and he was depressed because of the low levels of serotonin and sometimes his nose would bleed out of the blue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to raves rather I’m opposed to the way that It has promoted drug use.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I know a lot of people that goes to HARD (and other raves) and don't do drugs.. I think it has gotten a little out of hand that all these raves are too associated with hard drugs because the music is actually very enjoyable! It is no more than a concert. I am personally against hard drugs, BUT I still go to some of the rave events. It would be horrible if they would ban these concerts because what happened at EDC and because it is too associated with ecstasy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting take on raves. I have been to two (EDC & Hard) and have found it not to be my thing. It is probably a combination of factors, whether it be 1) I prefer Dylan's Blood on the Tracks to an Avicci set 2) I don't particularly like being ran into for 6+ hrs 3) I don't do ecstasy. However, I think it is wrong to ban these raves. It should be an individual's choice. Yes raves are associated with ecstasy as classic rock was associated with weed. Yet does this mean they should be banned? No. Discouraged? Maybe. But by the time one enters college they should be allowed to make their own decision. Roll and potentially become dehydrated/sick/make bad decisions then it is on you. Let's see where electric music and raves go from here.
ReplyDeleteGreat post that brings up some great questions. While I think it is fair to say that we know people that go to raves and do not "roll" or do drugs, the reality is that a big part of the raves do consist of drug use. While we do have the free choice to choose whether or not we should go, the environment fosters and almost encourages drug use.
ReplyDeleteRaves have been going on for a long time. They have gotten a lot bigger, but I remember friends going to them over 10 years ago. I definitely do not think that raves are just concerts. I also don't think that raves should be banned, but I think that they should take extra measures to make it more "legal." A part of me wonders if people would still go to a rave that was extremely strict. Great post!
I do believe Nikias has good intentions, and that he is merely acting as a responsible university president by warning students of the dangers that exist at raves. However, the thought of a ban on these events is absolutely ridiculous. While I'm sure the intention of this proposed law is in the right place, the implementation is entirely wrong. Banning a certain type of concert is completely over-protectionist thing to do. If we allow raves to be banned, It will set a very dangerous precedent for the future. Furthermore, we have witnessed a countless number of times that banning things outright often times lead to more issues than they attempt to address by simply driving the behavior underground. It will be a sad day for democracy if this initiative ever gets passed.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all great post. Raves have been a big issue recently especially with the increasing injuries and deaths. However, the idea of banning them is a little ridiculous. The only thing that I would suggest is to increase security measures. Also the age limits should be enforced heavily. I personally do not take any of the drugs and have a great time at the shows.
ReplyDeleteRaves have been heavily scrutinized in the last several years but it doesnt come as a shock to me. While it doesnt seem to be different then any other concerts catered to the younger generations, the high injury and death toll is something to investigate. Even though raves have been associated with serious drugs, I dont think that permits grounds to ban the events entirely. Rather than a ban, more enforcement and searches should be required to prevent such drugs from entering the concert. I also agree that President Nikias was acting with good intentions to prevent his students from potential danger, but at the end of the day, each student is entitled to their own choices and hopefully they are the right ones
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