Meth as a Sleepless Dream or Nightmare AddictionMeth has regained a place in the lexicon of "party" drugs. Hailed by nocturnal adventurers, condemned by raver idealists, is speed a sleepless dream or an addictive nightmare? Here at the turn of the millennium, the pace of modern life seems fleeting: a whirlwind of minutes, hours and days. In dealing with change, humans have equipped themselves with the tools to move faster and more efficiently. At the same time, a dependence on marketing, high-speed transportation and modern-day pharmacology has developed. In a race to surpass ourselves, we have moved dangerously towards the thin line between extinction and evolution. Therefore, the human ability to handle speed becomes a fragile balance. Our generation (see Gen X, in their twenties) could be considered the sleepless generation. An age of children weaned on the ideals of high-speed communication and accelerated culture has prided itself on mastering many aspects of human existence: do more, sleep less. The machines of this era have in a sense allowed us to create a 24-hour lifestyle. We have pushed the limits of the modern world even further: ATMs, high-speed modems, smart bombs and high-speed trains. However, the limitations of human existence, such as sleep, can still be the obstacle to infinite fulfillment. That is, without chemical aids. In many ways, capitalism fuels the idea. Our society is based on the mass consumption of these substances. Cultural ideals, while seemingly benign like “Have a Coke and Smile,” have sold the link of chemicals like caffeine and nicotine with the “good life.” Today, stimulants form the foundation of consumer culture. For our generation, this fascination was heightened by the 1980s raising the stakes of what it meant to have fun. Nightclubs, high-speed music and the 24-hour lifestyle have brought the specter of drugs into the fold as a necessity in order to achieve more. Unlike the psychedelics of the 1960s, in the 1980s these stimulant drugs became tools, utilitarian devices for gaining wealth, intelligence, and prestige. Sleep became an obstacle to success. Dreams were the frivolous luxuries of childhood. Raves, founded both in the post-conservative underground in the late 1980s and in the chaotic early 1990s, are pa... nature - as a refined, concentrated, addictive substance - only perpetuates the cycle of needing it moreover. There is very little concrete information about amphetamines and their dangers available to the layman. Research on the topic, aside from medical journals, is virtually nil. However, there is a great deal of dangerous propaganda: hearsay, lies, rumours. Misinformation is sometimes more dangerous than a lack of information, and real answers are only found through communication. Many other drugs have been part of the rave community over the years: nitrous oxide, Special K (ketamine), and especially ecstasy (MDMA), but none have shown the burning power. addiction rate associated with methamphetamine. While meth (or any other drug) is an inert substance that we cannot blame, by its nature it has raised the question, “Are we really built for speed?” It seems that the human body, while naturally resistant to many self-inflicted abuses, may not be a reliable vessel for the soul at high speeds. Methamphetamine may have the ability to chemically fuel the trip, physically it just might.