a fair few ravers just get bored and join the forces for the reasons DD stated. some even join the civillian uniformed services – including the Police! Most of them don’t return to the party scene or alternative lifestyles for obvious reasons – and for many their mindsets change to support the system.

Of course the current war isn’t a good thing and it can be argued its for the wrong reasons – but realistically the British and American people (even those who claimned not to support the war) are as guilty as Blair/Brown/Bush as many have consistently refused any limitations on the consumer society, the real driver behind this war to secure oil resources.

I think society is brutal enough today that even if Blair had said honestly “we are fighting this war to secure oil resources and defend our Western lifestyles” at least half the nation would still have supported it (even with a heavy heart). As for America, a common slogan in the First Gulf War (the one that happened in 1991, and few people protested against because those of us who were then teens we were all busy just getting high) was “kick their ass and take their gas”.

How many “anti-war” types recently bought a new gadget like a computer or mobile phone, or travelled hundreds of miles to a party, perhaps even to one in a foreign country using a cheap flight?

Also if you are looking at the moral side of it the rave/party/drugs culture has its own issues.

Whilst most ravers/drug users don’t go around killing people (or they end up in jail), we do take matters into our own hands to go against a UN resolution (the one that says drugs are illegal), and we take drugs knowing that at the higher levels of dealing a lot of people die in turf wars and gang disputes.

Even if this is because of prohibition I have encountered lots of people (particularly “small time/middle level) dealers who enjoy the “gangsta image” (including the use of violence in some cases, I’ve seen people enforce debts in my old city and its not a pretty sight) – so in many cases we are still contributing to war and conflict with our lifestyles…

What about when people kick off at friends/family on comedowns or the costs that the NHS pick up because of individuals who can’t regulate their own use and end up requiring treatment?

Thats not obvious “blood on peoples hands” but a lot of lives (including families) are wholly fucked up that way – we are all fighting against the war on drugs – but the families of addicts don’t want to “give in to the druggies”, so we are also fighting these “civillians”.

Its not a black and white issue either. You can never tell what happens in life sometimes.

You could join the forces and even if you end up in Basra never have to fire a shot in anger (or you could just end up sat in barracks or maybe even doing something positive like helping out after floods)…

But as a “fluffy raver” you could be put in a situation where you injure or even kill someone in self-defence at a sketchy squat party, or end up sorting your best mate out some drugs that they OD or go psycho on.. (especially with these research chemicals)

Fire and Rescue service?

Same camaraderie and chance to use both brains and brawn, lots of changing/interesting situations but here no one can say what you are doing isn’t morally right (you are preserving life and property whenever possible rather than destroying it)

Think about the effort they must have put in to deal with the recent floods in your part of the country..

paramedics have my utmost respect, anyone involved in the nhs service

savin people is so much more worthwhile than killin people

where abouts in yorkshire are you from

you have a brain on you… the army tends to mess with people who have sense to think about things… it’s the ones who fight for what they dont understand i feel for, as many of my mates are completin trainin now

thought of nursing?

not an easy option by any stretch but the job is regimented, the career prospects can take you anywhere you want, geographically or academically, its tough but incredibly rewarding and karmically unbeatable as far as i’m concerned.

😉

Fair enough, you gotta go for summat that’ll fit.

Submariners eh? Not something i could do, have known a couple tho an be warned they’re all mad as a bunch of sticks! (bit like nurses really:weee:)

good luck an keep us posted 😉

so you’d prefer to kill people than help them get better? sounds like you are a lovely person.

:group_hug

i met infantry person on saturday, and it just seemed like he was just trained to kill and not car about dying and i guess that is what war is all about. really crazy storys coming out from him, and weird knowing he could die, and reaaaallyy not come back from afghanistan