While I'm all in favor of people getting involved with trying to influence the "system", I see the role of raving mainly as a promoter of individual mental and spiritual health. If Rave(tm) becomes a sociopolitical movement engaging itself with the world's obvious problems, then it will become part of the current system which is designed to incorporate and absorb such forces, no matter how progressive or revolutionary they may seem.

i really have to disagree. first, raving can be seen as a promoter of COLLECTIVE mental and spiritual health, which is in itself political, oppositional to a system based on greed and consumption and with no real understanding of "health." further, i see raves as TAZs (Temporary Autonomous Zones), where we can practice living as if we are free. i see freedom (the anarchist revolution big techno potluck shindig!) as a PROCESS, again, where we learn to live and take care of ourselves as if we are free, in a world we imagine (free of sexism, racism, heterosexism ... all forms of authoritarian repression). when we organize parties collectively we learn how work can be done without hierarchies.

in addition, gathering together to create healthy communities in a culture that seeks to divide us, or give us a false sense of community based on mtv and consumption, is a radical and political act. creating art and play outside of the marketplace (renegades and benefits) is a radical and poltical act.

further, raves can be a place where we share information - on health, spirituality, political and social movements and ideas ... and of course we can fundraise, which is CLEARLY and example of "rave...engaging itself with the world's most obvious problems."

every time i rave, i voice my protest against "the system" (who says protests have to be covered by the mass media-demons?) every minute i spend organizing parties with a purpose is my protest against a system that sees play either as superfluous, or as a "leisure-time hobby." NO - raving, right now, gives me LIFE. work just pays the rent and puts food on the table (and tries to suck all my life-energy out of me - sigh.)

of course, i'll continue to do the "regular" kind of political work (voting, marching, letter-writing...)...NOT because i believe this is the way to freedom, but because we'll get trampled all over if we don't!

so there's my rant for the day. and since we've been making book recommendations lately, i have to add Hakim Bey's TAZ and IMMEDIATISM (if you try to ignore his anti-abortion gibberish in TAZ). as well as Starhawk's TRUTH OR DARE.

take care everyone,
monicat

"We will build the new society in the shell of the old" - IWW