Essay, Research Paper: Its Not About The Drugs

It s Not About The Drugs
The rave scene is one of those things that people who are not involved in the actual scene will never understand. People get their opinions made and won t change them no matter what anyone says. Stereotypes are all over the rave scene. The biggest one is that it s all about the drugs, which is far from the truth. Ask and real and veteran raver, and the will tell you its about so much more. It s the music, the people, the atmosphere, the friendly feelings, and the inviting environment. It s not about the drugs.
Drugs have been around for ages, and they have been done for ages. The bottom line with drugs is that if someone wants to do any kind of drug, they are going to do it no matter what anyone says, and no matter where they are. They are going to find the drug from someone, and most likely do it in a place where if something bad happens they would not be able to get help. At least at a rave there is security, and people around that would be of help if someone has any problems, or overdoses. People go to raves to have a safe feeling; it s not about the drugs.
The rave scene gets a bad name from the kids that are sneaking their way into raves. True underground raves, not ones put on by a radio station or with thousands and thousands of people, but small intimate parties with somewhere around 400 people, are for people ages eighteen and over. The only way for minors to get into a rave is to sneak in or to use a fake ID. If a minor has a fake ID, their parents should be worried about a few more things then their children going to raves.
There are also many organizations that set up booths at raves to help the people who do choose to do drugs to be safe. There is an organization called dance safe that set up booths with pamphlets and test kits to test ecstasy pills to make sure they are safe to take. Many parents would say that they are encouraging people to take the drugs, when that is far from the fact; they are there to make sure that if people are taking the drugs they are not taking something that will send them to the hospital. If dance safe was not at parties like it is now, there are many people who would have taken a pill and been sent to the hospital because they thought what they were taking was ecstasy, when it was actually something else. No one can stop someone from taking drugs, but thanks to organizations like dance safe, people can learn to take them safely. People go to be educated on such things if they are going to do them, but it s not about the drugs.
Majority of true ravers do not do drugs at raves. They are there for the music, the dancing, and the friendly environment. One argument people give is, why can t these people just go to a club and dance with all the other people? Well the reason is just this, clubs play rap, hip-hop, and popular R&B. They don t play the music that ravers want to hear. At raves there are different rooms, all with a different kind of music playing. There s drum 'n bass, techno, trance, house, jungle, and much more. You can travel from room to room as you please and listen to what you want to hear. There are no dress codes at raves; one can go in whatever you want, as long as you have something on. People go to be themselves; it s not about the drugs.
The people are friendly to everyone, and the whole atmosphere is inviting. Many ravers are people who were once outcasts, or loners when they were younger, and the rave scene has made them more self confident, or more outgoing. When walking around a rave, nine out of ten people will say hi to you, or give you a quick smile, that s much more then you could get walking down the street or dancing at a club. People go to raves to feel welcome, and to feel as though they are special and that someone cares for once, it s not at all about the drugs.
The music at raves comes from DJ s, who have a spectacular talent. They make their money from raves, and none of them promote drug use. DJ s to this generation, better known as generation x, are like the bands that played at Woodstock. They make their living bringing music to people who enjoy it. It s a different way of entertainment, but it s exactly the reason that people go to raves. They go to see their favorite DJ play. It s not about the drugs. The bottom line about raves is that they are a place to go to feel comfortable and feel respected. Ravers invite anyone to come in, as long as they are there for the reasons that make sense. The music, the people, and the feelings they get, the dancing, the lights, the sounds, and the comfortable environment, it s not about the drugs.