What is an acceptable age to start raving?

[Idi0tb0x]

Originally Posted by ChunkyLover53

Also idi0tb0x, while that may have been your experience with drugs, the vast majority of my friends started doing drugs regularly when they began attending raves. There were very few people I knew that partied sober, and every single person I knew at least had a casual relationship with illegal drugs.

True true, I'm just saying that not everyone who goes to a rave turns into a drug crazed youth overnight. (It took me 2-3 years...THEN I went crazy). Basically we agree that your average teen is not really aware enough to take responsibility for their consciousness and physical health where drugs are concerned.

I do think, however, that like attracts like and people who are prone to drug use are going to be attracted to situations and people where that is a more acceptable choice, like a rave. I don't think any really goodie-goodie kids I knew wanted to go to raves in the first place. I guess my point is that the kids who end up going to raves and using drugs like a pro are already somewhat predisposed to that behavior in the first place. Not that this makes it any more acceptable, on the contrary, those are the kids that really need guidance and support.

I just don't feel like raves are a gaurantee of drug abuse. Perhaps drug use, but there is a difference in my mind. However, I do think that a 14-15 year old has no place mucking with the rest of their life by doing hard drugs...and raves do make that easier.

Again, I propose a rigid system of testing...

[DreamCatcher]

I started when I was 17 and was without drugs for years after I started. I was what i consider to be a very young raver. Looking around everyone was 21, 23. I took a lil break, and I'm back in and Now I'm 21 and no one else seems to be my age. [/Bitching]

This is such a hard question because of the infinite range of people/kids out there. I've met some 15 year olds I think could handle themselves better than some of the folks my age who are there. This is however, usually the exception to the rule, and one of the reasons it sucks maturing early... you get left out of things that would probably be perfect for ya.

All that said I think the all responsible ages raves are gunna happen weather we like it or not. I think part of the solution is... good music at highschool dances. That's right, highschool dances should not be the soul-sucking, "let's all try to act like popular hip hop artist X" events they are. But that's not my problem, and it's probably not gunna happen.

The reason I feel we should up the age at these things is the drugs. As a neurochemistry teacher said (I paraphrase) ... "below the age of 18 and above the age 30 the body's ability to reproduce healthy braincells drops dramatically. Before 18 one jeopordizes it's ability to create new, unmutated cells. After 30 the body cannot replace the braincells with anywhere near the efficiency as it used to." The point she was trying to make is that drugs are much more dangerous, even on a chemical level for those who are younger. Because teenagers probably won't listen to this information (would you at 18?) I think raves should be "adultized" a bit more. I say so trepidatiously though, as I think we get into some smaller bits of discriminatory behavior, something the rave scene has been quite against for a long time. But if this will quell a lot of the crap that's been showin up lately, maybe its worth it.

In the end, I'm not 100% sure of any one point of view. Banning younger ravers sure seems like a solution to a growing problems. However the REAL (is unatainable) solution would be more successful parenting so that they wouldn't be here, unless they really were responsible enough to handle themselves like the adults we rightfully expect them to act as.

[Lowball]

hey guys, when all this boils down, it's all about the music, viva la hardcore!!

[SenseiKC]

I think around 18 is a good age to start raving. By raving I mean frequently attending raves and maybe rolling every month or two. I think it is alright for high school kids to go to a rave and roll as long as it is a very rare occurance. Maybe 1-3 times during their whole highschool career. I think this is especially okay if the high school kids are there with someone older. I've seen a few younger girls at raves who were there with an older brother that was keeping an eye on them while they danced and played with light toys, and I didn't think there was a problem with that. High school kids are too young to be raving weekly or monthly though. I don't think any age is a good age to frequently roll multiple times in a month.

[Juleswants2dance]

Originally Posted by ChunkyLover53

I would like to know, from people who have no bias, what you think an acceptable age is to start raving?

Keeping in mind that the age you start raving, will probably be the age you start to take hardcore drugs.
.

When I started raving, I didn't take any drugs and I never have. I'm tired of people thinking that because you rave, you're a stoner. I'm not against other people using drugs, but I wouldn't do it myself. And I started raving when I was 15 and I'm glad that I got to start so early, because if I were to be introduced to the scene at age 22, I probably wouldn't think about going to any more raves just because it's now a highschool kind of thing. To all you veterans, you're kickass, but now-a-days you don't see many ravers above 22. Anyway, I think once you're mature enough to know what you want to do and be in life is the right time to start raving.

[TheDei0niz3r]

Right on another raver along my lines, I started back when I was 16. And still the only thing I have even done is like smoke wxxd like 5 times since I was 16. Really its all about good music and dancing for me, so rock on and btw I'm just turned 24!

[autumn eyes]

17 years old is an acceptable age to start raving

[belowsanity]

im more of a 18+ age party with 21+ section just better surroundings i think personally

[Dead Baby Smoker]

18+ so we don't have to check IDs before we bang the girlzzzz

[ChunkyLover53]

So...onto the 2nd half of this discussion.

It seems as if most people agree that the majority of kids under 18 are not psychologically ready to understand the possible consequences associated with raving, and the afformentioned culture that it entails. Also, in another thread, EvoEnt has stated that they do not believe 15 is a responsible age to begin partying.

Knowing this, why do you believe promoters continue to promote 16+ or all ages shows? If the majority of people agree that kids shouldn't be out there until 17/18, what reasons are acceptable for promoting a party to kids that are under that minimum age? Is it morally responsible for them to do so, and if so, then why? If not, then why?

Discuss...

[Dead Baby Smoker]

also theres a HUGE difference between having a party be all ages and PROMOTING to underagerz.

Like i said before, most undergrounds I go to are all ages, yet everyone who goes is usually over 21. The reason why no kids show up is because they aren't promoted too. Also like I said before, hopefully some kids will OD at one of those kiddy raves soon.

But we already had this convo.

[ChunkyLover53]

It's not the same conversation, it's an evolution of the "acceptable age" conversation.

I am trying not to give my opinion as it's already known, and you should try to do the same. I want to know what the average 'of age' party kid thinks, without skewing the discussion with my views, or the views of promoters who stand to make money off of the results.