PLUR

Beads spelling out PLUR on a raver bracelet (see: candy raver)

Peace Love Unity Respect, commonly shortened with PLUR, is a credo or mantra^[1] of the rave culture. Many in the rave scene have heard this term at some time or another, although its common usage is relatively recent. Early 1990s and mid-1980s ravers often followed similar principles as did the original hippie generation, but did not use this coinage to describe their beliefs.^{[citation needed]} It may be interpreted as the way that a raver believes he or she should live his or her life, and how people are expected to behave at a rave. This philosophy of the rave culture theoretically takes precedence over any chemical aspects of the rave scene.^[2]

PLUR can also be viewed as a more mainstream variant of its predecessor, PLE (Peace, Love, Ecstasy), because it removes the drug reference. PLE was mainly used in Europe in the early 1990s, when the rave scene became a youth subculture.

Defined

• Peace – Hostility typically serves no purpose other than to defend an ego that is lacking inner peace. It is a common belief among the rave culture that violence is never the answer.
• Love – Acts and feelings of goodwill towards all others. The exchange of gestures such as hugging can be seen in immense amounts at any rave; this being a way of "spreading the love."
• Unity – We are all united in the human condition.
• Respect – A person must show regard for the feelings of others through their actions and inaction, and one must have respect for oneself and environment.

Origins

PLUR can find its roots in the mid '80s. There are several versions on the origin of the acronym and the adding of "Respect" to the "PLU"

According to one legend,^[3] the term PLUR was coined by the DJ Frankie Bones in response to a fight that broke out while he was mixing and he stopped the show to say, "If you don't start showing some peace, love, and unity, I'll break your fucking faces." However it wasn't until later on, in discussions of the speech on the usenet newsgroup alt.rave, that "Respect" was added to the Peace, Love and Unity to create the now ubiquitous acronym PLUR.

PLUR and Kandi Culture

When Kandi bracelets are exchanged, there is usually a series of hand gestures symbolizing the units of "PLUR" – Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. Peace is signified by both parties making a two-finger peace sign. Love is signified by both parties forming a heart, with the main fingers forming the upper curve and the thumbs touching to form the bottom tip. Unity is signified by the touching of open palms. Respect is signified by the clasping of upright hands. The Kandi bracelets are then passed over the clasped hands, without breaking contact. After the exchange of the Kandi, PLUR etiquette generally requires ravers to hug to show the new bond they have created.

Footnotes

1. ^ Jessica Kowal (2006-03-30). "Seattle's Shattered Rave 'Family'...". nytimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/30/national/30seattle.html. Retrieved 2007-11-27. 
2. ^ St. John, Graham (2004). Rave Culture and Religion. Routledge. p. 149. ISBN 0415314496. 
3. ^ Frankie Bones (2010-07-12). "P.L.U.R. EXPLAINED & DEFINED". http://www.myspace.com/djfrankiebones/blog/537031087. Retrieved 2010-11-30. 

A large part of the attraction of the drug fuelled rave culture, is that the nature of the illegal drugs experience (Primarily MDMA aka "Ecstasy") demonstrably reduces both the "fear of violence" and the propensity for inflicting violence on behalf of the participants, giving a sense of personal safety and well being rarely enjoyed by the greater population when they go out on a weekend. Also (again partly due to the nature of the drug experience) ravers don't often go home alone and usually enjoy the safety of several like minded companions.

Unhappily for most, the drug experience has to end for most ravers on a monday morning when they go back to work, and some say that the prevailing lack of Peace Love Unity and Respect in the "real world" can be very depressing influence. It is a sad observation that the effects of rave drugs, although not without benefits, definitely "change" the basic nature of the user, and that some of the effects can be persistant or maybe permanent.

It is not proven by any means that the inspiration conveyed by that the "P.L.U.R." ideal has yet made the world a better place, or that ravers are a "better" subset of society, however, what is beyond doubt is for a brief few hours you can pack a club with people of whom some 90odd% are having a really nice pleasant time.

References

• The Free Dictionary – What does PLUR stand for?
• Rave Community

www.twitter.com/plurphilosophy