Straight edge or not?
 

GFF isn't exactly a haven for straight edge kids, but I was just wondering exactly how many of you there are out there? (Though I'm a little hazy on the exact definition of straight edge, I'll admit.)

If you're straight edge, why? If you're not, why? Did you used to be?

Myself, I am very straight edge in terms of GFF, but I'm usually considered the "deviant" in my close group of friends. I was raised by extremely conservative parents, and I don't regret it. I do occasionally still get smacked in the face with yet another culture shock from the "real world." Coming to GFF was like that.

I would consider myself straight edge.

I also came from a conservative household and while I think part of it does have to do with how I was raised, most of it just comes from my own morals and beliefs on how I want to live my life. The main reason is that I don't like being altered, or simply put I don't like not having control of my actions.

I have to admit, i'm very curious to see how many other GFFers live the "striaght path."

I had a very religious upbringing. From what I hear, I had a pretty sheltered childhood. School didn't make things easier hence my reclusive nature. Up until middle school, the worst thing I would do was go on cussing streaks with sentences filled with obsenities. Thought it made me one of the cool kids but that quickly got old.

My family however was pretty open with alchohol (open as in wouldn't forbid it). We always had the option of drinking around the holiday's but I could never stomach the stuff even if I tried. When high school came, I went to a couple drink ups, had a few harmless drinks (smirnoffs and 1 or 2 shots of whatever). I'd never drink to get drunk or to "test my limits". Just never felt a need. I will however sample drinks out of curiosity but they all taste the same to me. I've never been pressured into drugs or anything like that, nor did I have a desire to try anything.

Even when I started rebelling against religion and all that, the morals stuck. I've only smoked hookah if it was available but I'd only be able to puff cause for some reason, inhaling through my mouth makes me gag.

So um, as for a reason, I'll just blame my boring personality.

Well, I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, but I wouldn't consider myself straight edge - I've just never been inclined to do any of those things. I have nothing against people who do, since all of my friends do at least one of the above.

I've never felt out of place, though, mostly because of where I live. Syracuse (NY) is something of a mecca for straight edge hardcore music.

I guess that I could be considered straight edge, because I don't smoke, do drugs or drink, but, if I'm with friends that I trust, I'll try a sip of whatever it is they're drinking. I've never found any alcohol that I really like, though, so I don't bother with it most of the time.

How many people have you ever met that liked alcohol when they first tried it? I can't think of any. Most people that are just starting to drink do it because you get drunk, not because they like the taste. Liking it comes with time. If you are expecting some sort of awesome new refreshing drink, alcohol will never be good.


For all the people that ARE straight edge (im just curious and want to know) how many of you have sex? And how many of you are vegetarian/vegan? I really don't know what the connection is, but i've met quite a few kids that are straight edge and they also don't have sex and most all of them have been vegetarian. Is there some sort of connection between these things?

The majority of my family found something they liked right away. I'm not too concerned about it, and drinking to get drunk isn't fun for me. I don't mind if other people do.

I think the reason a lot of people that are straight edge don't have sex and are vegetarians/vegans is because they want to keep their bodies pure, or something. I don't know.

I actually kind of consider being a virgin as part of the whole "straight edge" thing. I wouldn't really consider someone who had sex to be straight edge. I could be misguided in that definition, but that's how it is in my head.

That being said, I'm a virgin and an omnivore. Holy crap, I love my chicken. You've no idea. In fact--this is truth--I have a chick-fil-a chicken sandwich in front of me at this very second.

I don't think chickens would consider me straight edge.

Oh, and by the way... I'm SO MAD at your sig. It made me freak out... "oh my GOSH there are suddenly all these bugs crawling on my computer!"

Well, I don't think I'd consider myself straight edge at all. The wares on my ftp alone well, yeah anyway.

I smoke, I drink when I get the chance, and yeah when I can afford it I always have some weed on hand. Everything can be enjoyed in moderation I figure, so I just live life for what it is.

I've got nothing against people who are straight edge obviously, I don't give them a hard time, all I ask is that they don't give me a hard time about my habits either. I'm not some ass that flaunts my nastiness, it's just something that is.

Hey! Where's your confession that you tried to WIPE ANDKEENERS SIG OFF YOUR SCREEN??

Don't try and hide it.

I haven't had sex yet and I don't know if I'm considered "vegetarian" in the traditional sense, but I don't eat meat. I didn't really consider the 2 being straight edge or anything, I just gave up meat cause a friend asked me to do it with her and it just stuck (she gave up after about a week). As for sex, well, I don't think I'd pass up the chance if I wanted to, but I'm not going to go out with someone solely for that purpose.

To be considered straight edge, you only have to abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and recreational drug use.

You can take it further if you want, though - staying away from caffeine, or being a vegeterian/vegan. The straight edge/vegan correlation comes from the animal's rights movement, which many edgers happen to be a part of. As far as sex goes, the idea is to have sex only with someone you love, to keep it meaningful. So no one-night stands, but you can definitely still have sex.

I consider myself a straight-edge. The out of the list made in this thread, the only bad thing I do is drink alcohol. But if I had a woman, we'd be sexxin' it up. :O

The general feeling is that all of this stuff makes you a bad person. With the strong exception of drugs and tobacco, I find all of it to be pretty normal.


OMFG. Was reading and I thought 3 little spiders were crawling on my screen! I flipped. :O

It's one thing not to drink, do drugs, or smoke. It's another to live under a stupid label which never really had any meaning. The whole "movement" is so ridiculous that the guy who fuckin' started it has disassociated himself from it.

Basically, it's a personal decision, but for the love of god, would everyone stop throwing the term sXe around so lightly because 'hay! that's sort of like me!"

EDIT: Post above for a perfect example. Being straight edge would mean that you have made a serious resolve not to do any of the above.

I'm not exactly straight edge, as I do have the occasional alcoholic beverage. I don't go out and get drunk. Or stay in and get drunk. But I don't smoke or do any drugs; never have. I guess I used to be more or less straight edge, since never really touched alcohol until a couple years ago. I'm not a virgin, so if that is a requirement of being straight edge, I miss on that point too. Oh well, nobody is perfect.

You could say I was straight edge five years ago. I was a virgin waiting for marriage (haha wtf), I never drank, I never did drugs (still don´t), mainly stayed home and stayed out of trouble.

Now I have two kids I´ve practically lost contact with. I´ve been to city, county and state jails and prisons. I´ve been deported. I occasionally smoke for the hell of it when I get absolutely wasted, and I have two tattoos. Something I would´ve sworn I´d never do back then. Really, it´s a loss of ideals and I just don´t care anymore. I´m just not stupid enough to go over the top.

blue - I shouldn't even post in here. We talk enough on AIM that you know the story of my "transformation."

That's not the way language works, though. If people use a word in a different context enough, it picks up a new meaning... It's not a bad thing. Curse words are an excellent example. They used to all have very specific meanings, but they were used less and less in those contexts and now can be thrown in just about anywhere. Language evolves... so??

Labels aren't always bad things, either. They're shorter ways of saying something, and they help the human brain to organize better. Why get bent out of shape over them?

That being said, I never knew that it was a movement or that there was a specific "guy" associated with it. That's interesting!

I didn't even know the term existed until this thread. If we're going by the whole no drugs, alcohol, and remaining a virgin until marriage idea then I guess I am straight edge. I'm an omnivore, so for those that want to add that into the mix then I am not as straight edge.

I also come from a conservative family, but I have a lot of friends that are probably the total opposite of "straight edge" since my family didn't become extremely conservative until after I was 18. They were conservative before, but back then they would've at least accepted my friends more. I guess I'm the stereotypical "good girl" among the wild girls/guys.

Ever hear of Minor Threat? =x

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_edge_movement

I'm not one or the other. I drink, smoke, occasionally do drugs, and I'm not a virgin. But I'm not devoid of morals either.

I don't think you can call yourself anything unless you are without trying. Saying you're straight edge when every fibre of your body is willing you to act out is just stupid.

Hmm, I thought someone would be saying the opposite. I mean, most people have wanted to do those things at various times in their lives, but have had to make an effort to abstain. Isn't that what often makes a certain trait or quality admirable? What I'm hearing you say is, "If you have to try, don't." There are many other reasons people might have for being straight-edge... good reasons--so they make that effort. My family, for example, would be very upset if I began smoking--my mom, in particular. That's a good enough reason for me to put the effort out not to do it (with the exception an experimental cigarette, perhaps).

But if you actually wanted to smoke, then you're defying your own personality by being a non-smoker (quite a poor point considering addiction but I think it applies for everything really). I guess I meant it as more of an image point. If I wanted to impress people by being t-total for instance, it would be pointless because I enjoy the things I do.
well, besides smoking, I resent that I ever started =(

This connotation to the term only really came in the recent relapse in the popularity of being a straight-edger. In the documentary Another State of Mind, Ian MacKaye (founder of sXe, former member of Minor Threat and Fugazi, owner of Dischord records) lets the completely wasted Social Distortion and Youth Brigade stay at his house during a 1982 cross country tour. The first straight-edgers just knew people who were really fucked up from drugs and they didn't want that for themselves. They didn't give a fuck what other people did. Later, it became this great convoluted self-aggrandizing bullshit with Nazi and hardliner affiliations.

Interesting side note, MacKaye (supposedly) got the inspiration for straight-edge from nonother than Ted Nugent.

That's what I've been trying to say ;___;

Point 1, and completely irrelevant to this topic:

The people who started it saw firsthand how alcohol and drugs could fuck people up, or experienced it themselves. They made a conscious decision to avoid that stuff for their own health. What it transformed into is utterly ridiculous:

a) As devo said, a bunch of prudish assholes.
b) Rich, white suburbanites trying to be cool and in da scene!!!1.
c) Hardline militants basically who start shit when people are drinking.

Point 2~

Being edge is a decision that you make. It's not really a byproduct of not drinking, smoking, or doing drugs. If someone was once an alcoholic and decides to give all that up, it's not like they're "not allowed" to go edge. Straight Edge is an effort to abstain, and you DECIDE that you're edge.

I guess it's sort of hard to explain how I see it. I don't drink, do drugs, smoke, and haven't had sex, but I don't think I'll ever declare myself edge.

I dunno... most kids I know who are "straight edge" aren't that way to be cool or be part of a movement. They do it because they were raised that way... just as many non-straight edge kids were raised in a more lax environment.

Ok, now that I have a better idea of what it is, I think I'll just claim to be a good girl and not edge.

I know what you mean. There are lots of people who go edge for a healthier lifestyle or ethics or whatever. I just think the term has become jaded, and to me doesn't mean too much. Especially when the sXe kids push their lifestyle, or vice versa.

;_;

Yeah, I think I get what you're saying. As for me, though, I'm straight edge due to being raised by ridiculously conservative parents. I wasn't allowed to say "gosh" or "gee." I was barely ever allowed to watch TV, either.

It took me a while, but I'm beginning to mellow a bit more. :)

Anyone who pushes their lifestyle is jaded.

I'm totally straight edge. I've never felt/had the need to smoke and drink. Maybe I would have succumbed from peer pressure, but luckily all of my friends were straight edge too.

I'm not a vegetarian though, but I am a virgin, if that means anything.

Absolutely "straight edge".

No drugs and no desire to even try, as I have the perception that they'll mess up my life and become an addiction. Gaming, anime and piano are probably the closest thing to drugs I'll ever bother with 8-)

No alcohol because I think it smells nasty and will probably taste gross. I laugh at all my friends who get drunk and black out after parties, and they laugh at me trying to picture me drunk. Evidently, both sides are cool.

No sex with others...Wouldn't want to risk an std, not that I could get anyone in bed >_>

I don't really party much, since I don't enjoy dancing, and my parents would be rather outraged if I stayed out past 11 or so at best.

I don't smoke by picking up cigarettes or buying them. I get enough second-hand smoke from just walking outside around Hamilton, thank you very much.

I'm not a vegetarian, and I love meat. Just not the yucky slimy fatty parts that feel like it wasn't quite cooked.

I guess the most straight-edge part is that I don't rebel or defy my parents, especially since I have no reason to.

You seem to have totally ignored all of nabhan's posts. Straight-edge isn't about what you do, it's about why you do what you do. Not liking alcohol "because it smells gross" has absolutely nothing to do with straight edge.

Well not just because it smells gross, but also, I don't think I would enjoy having no recollection and blacking out, or inadvertently saying things while I was drunk so I don't wish to pursue drinking. I'm also afraid I might become an addict and I would start liking it.

Of course I know with condoms, although I keep hearing stories about how condoms aren't apparently 100% foolproof so that's scared me into not doing it. Plus, chances are if I would screw someone she'd be the type that had slept around and would only be doing it with me to see my take on it.
I guess moreso than anything else though, I don't want to be perceived as a guy that would sleep around a lot. Plus, the whole wait until you're married thing.

Okay, you people are definitely getting too stuck on the definition of straight edge.

ALL I MEAN IT AS IS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T DRINK, SMOKE, OR DO DRUGS!!! Sex optional.

Geez, why you hafta make things so complicated? I'll make up a new word for it, if you'd like.

Christ almighty, kid. You maen to tell us you're only sexually attracted to whores, but yet whores inexperienced enough to find something exciting in a one night stand with a virgin?

I mean, it's not like I'm trying to convince you that it's wrong for you to not be sexually active yet. But you do know that girls are people too, right?

Going on a tangent, I hate this kind of rationalization. It's okay that you don't want to drink, we don't care. But you say that you fear that you won't have enough self-control that you'll get rip-roaring drunk. You say that you fear the girls you are sexually attracted to are whores. You feel that your liking something is the same as your being addicted to it. You're 18 or so now, you mean to tell me you haven't developed one single trait of self-preservation? If that's the case, that is something you need to address, and immediately.

This brood almost never does, Lurks.

I don't do drugs out of choice and alcohol and cigarettes. However I have smoked just because and I do social drinking. I enjoy tequila, some beers and Mike's Hard Lemonade. I'm even willing to try other drinks. So for those reasons I'm not straight-edge. I wouldn't associate myself with scene regardless as I hate the stereotypical person involved and the music as well. I don't care if people drink to get drunk, I've done it twice and didn't enjoy it. Regardless, fuck straight-edge.

Whats the point in just intentionally not drinking alcoholic drinks purely for the sake of not drinking alcoholic drinks?

Do people do it because they feel "morally superior" by not ingesting ethanol? how does that make sense?

Do people do it because they were taught not to? Do they not question why they were taught this? Because it really doesn't make any sense...



someone explain :/

Have you read any of the posts in this topic? They're full of different reasons why people don't drink. Check them out.

I don't consider myself straight edge. I think in order for someone to classify as such, you make it a point in your everyday life to follow straight edge things. Otherwise you can consider an entire bible study group straight edge when in fact they're not really. I am raised in a conservative household so I did not drink, smoke, or do drugs. Until college I began to drink casually and rarely with friends. I don't like the taste, but I do it to feel the buzz.

The first time I heard of the term was from a friend who lived up north. I never heard of it used ever, so when I first heard him say he was I was like come again? Anyway, the way he explained it to me was that he didn't do drugs, smoke, drink, etc. But he does have sex so I guess sex doesn't factor into the straight edge thing.

Consider me "straight edge" is I guess what I can say. I never smoked or drank, mostly because I have been around way to many people who have and saw how they turned out to be, and I wanted to be the complete opposite of a drunken stoner who banged chicks because I could. Although I know that last part has nothing to do with being straight edge.

Not quite. I just meant that would probably the only kind of girl that would even bother with me, apart from someone who actually would like me. My taste is not so unique that a certain kind of whore appeals to me. Though, for clearance, I'm pretty sure my reason now is that I do indeed want to wait for marriage. I don't want to sleep around with others, really.

Concerning self-preservation, I've already formed the mindset that however strong my will not to pursue something like alcohol or smoking might be, there might be something about it that makes so many people addicted to it. Although, maybe chronic alcoholics or smokers have no self-preservation about them. If I start, then there's no absolute guarantee that I can stop regardless of whether I like it or not, the degree of difficulty is indeterminate as of now, and that's why I'd rather not do it.

Well said, Summonmaster.

Well, there's the rub, I guess. For most people, the only sex they get is with people who like them, or with people who like everyone. that's a far cry from "the only girls I'd sleep with are the kind who'd sleep around."

It's not heroin, but okay, no skin off my nose if you don't toast the new year.

I can't believe I missed this the first time over. Of course condoms aren't 100% foolproof, but they're 99% effective at stopping pregnancies and transfering STDs. If you want to have sex, there is a very slim chance, which would amount to nil of you getting anything if you use protection. There are of course more than just condoms out there to aid in deterring pregnancy and STDs. Do a little bit more research before you succumb to ignorance and go off of horror stories.

I'm gonna have to agree with lurker on this argument.

If fear of losing control is the ONLY reason an individual chooses not to try something like drinking, smoking or drugs then you might as well just stop there. With that low level of self control, how can you play videogames or watch TV? If you dont have any faith in your self control, then thats just a sign of a lack of will power. These addictions don't take place immeadiate and are slow and gradual. There are far better reasons to not try things out than a misplaced "fear."

-------

I have respect for straight edges, dont get me wrong. My parents are immigrants from Korea and my brother is a workaholic health nut. When I first started trying illicit things out, it was definitely a different experience. The decision to be straight edge is perfectly fine. You save money and avoid the risk of addiction and health problems. But I only respect your decision if they have a strong moral conviction. For example, if you come from a family with a history of drug addiction, then don't do drugs. If you grandparents all died from lung cancer, don't smoke. I can respect that decision. I will not force my lifestyle onto you. The problem is every straight edge I've met has tried to tell me to stop. In fact, every straight edge I've met also carries this false sense of "superiority" because they are clean and untainted. Doing drugs and drinking don't make me better than you but also the other way around. Don't try to push your life style to me. Just don't do it. Different strokes for different folks. Try to accept the fact that there are people who think, act and feel differently than yourself.

About sex. If you are that worried about catching an STD, wear a condom and ask your partner if they have it. In fact, get tested yourself. Once again, if you choose to stay celebate til marriage, good for you. Just be prepared to defend your decision well.

Hyyyyde!

I hope you don't feel that way about me. :(

I'll admit that it can be tough, though. Those of us who were raised conservatively were taught that those things are bad, not to hang around kids who do that, etc. We were taught--however subtly--to dislike kids who weren't "straight edge." I've had to pull myself out of that rut--something that my parents never did. Sometimes I think it's a lack of compassion; sometimes I wonder if it's just how they were raised. People were a lot less "tolerant" back in the day.

At any rate, I think that's why so many straight edge kids come off as so high and mighty. I really hope that I'm not one of them--or at the very least, that I am improving rapidly.

On the other other hand, some people might try to convince you to stop because they care about you and think it's what's best. I'd like to make sure that case is distinct from the "better-than-you" case.

No, I dont. You're cool. ;)

It can be tough if you have a strict upbringing. I did too. I understand. But I think everyone should learn to be tolerant. Upbringing aside, tolerance is something everyone should be taught or develop themselves.

Its very easy for a not-straight edge person to tell if someone is being "high and mighty" and when they are trying to be caring friends. Quite easy infact.

No, not the only reason. I just plain don't feel the need to try drugs, alcohol, or smoking. I have other ways to spend my time that are more conventional. I know you could obviously make a case that something like watching TV excessively, is just as bad for your eyes as smoking excessively is bad for your lungs. However, I just don't want to try it out period, and lack of control is one of a few factors to note, but definitely not the sole reason.

The case was made earlier that people won't exactly love drinking after just their first drink. They could have hated that one drink, but then were just a bit curious to see why people seem to love drinking, and then they could discover: "oh I don't like the drink, I just like chatting with friends with a drink in hand." Then from that, it obviously changes a person. If that person starts to the love the idea of having a drink in hand, and decides that they need a drink in hand each time they chat with friends, then that person is obviously different from their previous self before trying out drinking.

I'm not saying that will happen, but it's just an elaborate scenario that is one of a possible many. Just to reinforce my point that I'm fine with who I am, and one of the reasons is that I don't want to change as a result of trying something that could be life-altering (even though there is obviously also the possibility that it won't be). After all, drugs, alcohol, and smoking seem to be big topics on their own, and we probably wouldn't include them in our discussion if they weren't such a big deal in some way.

I think that the feeling of being superior that most of the sXe kids nowadays have is pretty silly. I don´t do drugs, don´t smoke and I avoid alcohol if I can - but I never used the term straight edge to describe my lifestyle. I avoid these things because I am aware of the negative effect they have on my health.

It´s understandable if people who do the above are annoyed when someone wants to push their lifestyle on them, I detest behaviour like that as well and would never tell someone to stop drinking (unless a friend of mine drifts off to addiction.. that´s a whole different story of course).
Okay, granted - I´m annoyed if someone smokes beside me but I´ll try to respect that and not breathe the smoke in :D. And I hope most of the smokers respect it if someone doesn´t want to have smoke around him and try to control their urge...

Minor Threat and Fugazi rock though, and I think sXe nowadays is not what Ian MacKaye intended it to be. I heard of hardcore sXe "gangs" that beat up people who do drugs (could very well be bullshit, but everythings possible nowadays, don´t you think?)

If you truly believe that such a situation would arise than you do not have much faith in yourself. Certainly, substances can take control over you, especially if you take too much or abuse them, however you make the conscious decision to take them when you are sober.

If you live life analyzing everyone possible scenerio, no matter how elaborate, then you are restricting your own possibilities. Drugs and alcohol aside, living a life in this matter, you give the impression that you leave your life up to chance and not your own control. Your last paragraph also hardly reinforces your belief that you are content with yourself. If you were truly content with who you are, you wouldnt wonder about these wild predictions and firmly believe that what you are doing is the best choice. Anything COULD happen as you have said, but you contribute to your own future with your decision, not some game of possibility.

Be yourself but have some faith in your choices and decisions.

Not drinking, smoking, or doing drugs is fine. It's your body, do what you want with it. I respect that. I don't do drugs or smoke, but I do drink.

Referring to yourself as straightedge, sXe, or ever having said the phrase "no poison for life" renders you an automatic douchebag.

If you're that afraid that you may get tipsy you have to brand yourself and others with such a ridiculous tag in an effort to keep pure, you're too stupid to be using up my precious air.

Straightedge is pretty much one of the stupidest "cliques" you can associate yourself with. Intentionally categorizing yourself in any sort of group really is kind of ridiculous as it is -- but straightedge rings distrubingly true of judging people that choose to smoke or drink and placing them in a negative light. As long as these things are done responsibly, they're not harming you or anyone else.

I respect people who choose not to drink or smoke, and that's their own choice. But, for example, only hanging out with other straightedge kids and particularly thinking less of people who do partake in these activities is ridiculous.

1. Life is too short; might as well have fun with it.
2. people are prone to evils anyways, welcome to the club...?

I mean it's ok for those who put a goal in not drinking, smokeing and/or having sex; But I just don't like it when they slap on some status to it. I mean... HOW ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE OUR SPECIES SURVIVE O_O!? (ah I over exagerate, there's tube babies, I forget :p)

Um....what the hell?

That is not how alcohol addiction starts, sir.

I have noticed that only children find change a necessarily bad thing. Look at you, you make it sound like learning what beer you like will change your personality, and you back it up with a scenario of your own invention. I don't care if you drink or anything, but do you honestly think you don't change* from day to day?

* however you care to define this. What a strange opinion to have, that there is something about a person that is absolute.

it's what late night calculus sleep depervation syndrome makes you blabbery...

*falls over*

I'm really sorry I used the words "straight edge" in the first place. I simply meant it as an easier way of saying "someone who does not smoke, drink [excessively], or do drugs."

PLEASE get over the label. It was just a descriptor; talking about how stupid the label is won't enhance the thread any further... we're over labels.

ah but there is a herd out in the world that lives for these 'labels'. When someone is aloted to a 'prestige' (i can't think of a better right now) from a label, it offers perhaps a direction in life or even some type of value in the end. However, everyone has a different value system (duh) so weither the importance of a label for one's own security will be determined by the reasons or objectives of the individual's motivation to go through with these ideals. May it be created in the reversed direction but when ideas get out and are backed up with 'reason' then we have people following by labels.

Hmm, I guess I COULD have been Straight Edge at one point, but I don't like the idea of restricting myself based on just because its the cool thing to do.

Essentially, I tried out Weed, Alchohol... and well that's about it, because I looked into what these things did beforehand and used logic to surmise that:
A. Weed is natural, and the most tame of 'drugs'. Plus its only illegal becauses its similar to Cigarettes in the most popular form of intake (Rolling up into a joint, which looks like a cigarette very roughly), and that the Timber Industry, and later the Tobacco industry kept the substance illegal to keep up profits.

An example given earlier is perfect: I sometimes enjoy the loosed up feeling that I get when sufficently buzzed, but I don't need it to have a good time.

As for Straight Edge people: Do what you gotta do. I just dislike the 'high and mighty' attitude that I encounter, and half the time these same people will engange in sex, drugs, & rock&roll ( :p ) and give off some excuse or something, becoming very hypocritical.

From my perspective its a pure lifestyle choice, and to look down on others because they don't choose the same way is both juvinille and says a lot about a person's lack of character & compassion (Meaning to be Tolerant of those who are different from you).

But the same could be said of all Lifestyles :dracula:

I don´t think "restriction" is the fitting word to describe a drug-free lifestlye. The choice to not do some things, I think, has nothing to do with restriction. Personally, I don´t feel the urge to smoke, do drugs or get drunk - so I´m not restricting myself in the way of "I want to, but I try not to". I don´t feel that I´m missing out either.

I agree, a lot of the sXe kids stay edge for a few months because it´s cool and not because of an inner conviction. For them, it´s something to call themselves and a scene thing. That´s why I can´t stand the label (sorry thread opener, I promise I won´t mention the label again :D)

I don’t do drugs, smoke and rarely drink. However, that’s my choice not to do so, and not the choice of my parents, peers or rules forced upon me by religion -needless to say, I never considered it to be a trendy lifestyle choice. So while I guess I have similar ideals, the reasons are different and I’m not part of any straight edge subculture/scene. Every group seems to have superiority complexes, probably due to their self imposed ‘elitist’ status, and I suppose it reminds me a bit of those people who fill in online ‘Who I want to meet’ fields with Lord Jesus, sign their emails with psalms or write hymns in their spare time. You want to think you’re all better than the average joe? Fine with me.

I've had the same problem with these "straight-edge" kids myself, but I wouldn't say that every one of them is like this.

In my few run-ins with a few straight-edge people, it's been my distinct displeasure arguing with them for one reason: They felt the need to castigate me for being a drunk and (at least back then) a habitual pot smoker. It's one thing to not enjoy drinking and recreational drug use but don't expect me to adopt your lifestyle just because YOU enjoy it. A lot of vegans I've met are also the same way but, as I said before and since it's off-topic, it's really unfair to group the extremists with the casual lifestyle followers and I'll lay that to rest.

I will admit though; I joke about this at, say, a party when I offer someone a drink and they decline only to hear me say, "Come ON! It's just a drink! Don't be such a pussy!" or something of the sort; but the truth is if someone doesn't enjoy drinking or decides to abstain from any intoxicants... Good. More power to them. If they decline a drink on the basis that they just don't enjoy alcohol then that's exactly what they do and forcing one upon them is, in my eyes, no different than say forcing yourself on someone sexually, otherwise known as rape.

Wow. I had never even heard of "straight-edge." But from reading different people's posts, I guess I'm more of a "straight-edge"...although I still don't understand this "straight-edge" concept.

When compared to some people I know, especially the ones who are religious, I'm not so good(is that the right word?)
I decided to smoke and drink while in Germany(to see how it was) and I didn't like it. I probably will never do those things again.

Umm..but I don't care if other people do that(unless their family) because I don't want them to get hurt, but I'm only going to try to tell them to stop for so long...

Hope that made sense.

I like alcohol, and I've done it enough to the point where I prefer certain kinds, and thrive on trying new beers/whiskey/liqour that I've not tried before. This is not to say that I drink a lot, (I'm actually trying to go six months with out a sip. So far I'm doing ok for have 5 1/2 months to go.) but I definitely like to drink now and then. I won't smoke anything, however.

I would be striaght-edge if it weren't for liking alcohol and eat meat (if that counts at all to you). I also am completely addicted to coffee/caffeine.

I used to be very straight edge. Actually, I'd still consider myself close to being the same. I don't do drugs, drink alcohol (albeit I'm underage) or any of that jazz, and although I'm not a virgin, I've only given it up to someone I was seriously involved with. I don't think there is a clear definition of the term (to be honest, I think it's a retarded term), but I probably fall under it, nonetheless.

No, there is a world of difference between rape and peer pressure. I'd really only go so far as to say that forcing a drink on someone is the same as forcing a person to not drink.

Maybe so, but to me it's all a matter of degree. I've seen people literally say, "Fuck you. You're drinking this!" and pour a shot down someone's throat when they declined a drink. That's the kind of "forcing" I mean. You wouldn't make a Muslim to eat bacon by force, would you? Sure we can pressure someone all we want but until the pressure is forcibly applied, then yes it's still only peer pressure.

Wow, that is extreme. =o

I would in Guatanamo, they're all terrorists anyway

I don't smoke, do drugs, or drink (well, a bit, if the ocassion calls for it). Nor had sex. Does that make me superior?

Ah, the wonders of living in a poor country.

I hadn't ever heard this term either. It seemed easy enough to grasp at first, but after reading more I'm sufficiently confused. I'll just explain myself instead of mulling over the meaning of straight edge.

I'm a virgin to everything that might make me not straight edge (except eating meat, which I do without thought) and heavily reserved. On the other hand, I have a few friends who are the opposite, so I've been exposed to a lot. Our friendships have stuck all throughout grade-school and now we're almost to our third year of college, still going strong, despite our differences. What's strange is that I don't get along with people similar to me nearly as well. Obviously I don't give a damn what people do (short of acts that have victims); as long they're good company and cool to me, we're good to go.

I won't do anything unless I'm sure I want to do it. Peer-pressure just blows right by me, and I've been pressured to drink on many occasions. I am, however, not exactly proud of my iron will. Yesterday was my 21st birthday and I went to an unrelated party with some friends. I've never had a sip of anything alcoholic. Of course, that information got blurted quick. I was hardly the center of attention or anything, although the host, a girl our age who was a friend of my friends and merely my acquaintance, was really trying to get me to drink something. At one point she was in my face with a spoon of mixed smoothie; had me backing up in circles. I'm ashamed to admit that I enjoyed that moment.

What would have been better--much better--is if I had just let her do it. I've built up this arbitrary barrier for myself. A major difference between me and I'm sure many straight edge folks is that I haven't made any decision at all in regard to drinking. I don't know what to do with it. I think in my mind it's ridiculously close in magnitude to jumping off a bridge, and that's why I leave the whole choice alone. It's "pending." I'm not worried about self-control.

I just decided as I was typing that I'm going to get over this on New Year's Eve. All this is silly and not a big deal at all. I've built it up waaaaaaay too much. This is freaking leftovers from my childhood. I used to get deeply sad about arbitrary changes if they were irreversible, or only happened once in a lifetime.

Maybe my case can help put this in perspective for anyone wondering why some people don't drink. Granted, I don't know anyone like myself (probably more out there like me than I think), but it's nonetheless not all about morals, self-doubt, and smugness.

Oh, I've heard the term plenty. But I tend to stay away from kids who actually use it to describe themselves. I don't really consider myself straight edge simply because if the opportunity comes up, and I feel like drinking, smoking weed, etc. I'll do it. Not out of habit, it's just that I don't restrict myself. However, I don't do it often at all.

And Savage, I sort of know what you mean about drinking being "Pending," up until college I was unsure of whether I'd do it or not. I never considered pot and alcohol [well mostly pot] as these bad, degenerate things. But I was never really tempted to do it either, it was basically "whatever." Then I went to college, where this stuff is easily available, and there's absolutely no peer pressure whatsoever - I've noticed after middle school, peer pressure isn't as much of a big deal as some people may think it is, in fact people went out of their way when I first drank and smoked pot to make sure I really wanted to do it. I was curious so i tried it, nothing serious, and that clinched it for me - that alcohol and drugs [well, atleast pot] are not these big phantom temptations I learned about in middle school.

Yeah, what they told us in school is part of it. I shy away from anything "bad" or "wrong," and back then, it was. It stuck. Now that I'm responsible enough and have seen plenty of it, I see nothing wrong with it. I've just built it up into this huge thing for years.

I usually drink for one reason, to get drunk. Now I know thats not really the right reason and all, but hey, it's what I do. I smoke aswell, probably more than what I should, and probably a stonger strength than what I should too.

Though weed, haha. No way. If hell froze over and it was the end of the world, I'd still despise the shit. I fucking hate it. I've never tried it in my life. Aswell as other drugs, as in pills, gas, etc. Fucking stupid shit. I can't stand it all. As far as drugs go, I'm the cleanest person you'll ever meet. I don't know what it is hey, but I just can't stand it. Weed, I've got more of a hatred of that shit than anything else, though. I've lost so many friends and a few girlfriends over that shit, and even though I get the "I can't control their life and what they do with it" bullshit, it killed me to know they were doing it.

Actually... That's pretty much why a lot of us do it. It's not that you get drunk, it's how good your intoxicants are.

I've never agreed with the framing of alcohol in society. It's almost become some sort of "necessary" social convention which is seen as something you need to grow into liking for "maturity," and where abstaining from it is perceived as something negative. If you don't drink, you're "tight" or "straitlaced" or whatever. Sorry, I don't see alcohol as anything remotely necessary or desirable in my life for any purpose whatsoever, and I don't consider myself of a childish or prudish mindset. I simply don't see any functional or recreational purpose to drinking alcohol. No, I don't see myself as "better" than those who do drink, but I also don't want any stigma from others for choosing not to drink.

I guess what I am trying to say I wish there wasn't meaning applied to whether you do something banal like drink alcohol. You either you do or you don't. You either play baseball or you don't. You either wake up at 5am or you don't. You either do HobbyXYZ or you don't. Do these things have any inherent value either way? No. Why should consuming or not consuming some beverage be any different? It makes no sense to me.

so THAT's the reason you've never had sex.

From an existential point of view, yes your actions do matter - your actions define who you are. In addition, we DO live in a society does puts considerable weight and pressure on drinking. I personally don't think less of someone who doesnt drink but there is a world of peopel who will judge your actions whether or not you like it. While I can see why you are upset at the "labels" set up my others, it is hard to change the way certain actions are framed. Both sides (straight edge and not), face stigma. I don't think it should matter either way but thats just my personal view.

This is so contradictory it's unbelievable. You admit to using alcohol (A drug, by the way) for the sole purpose of getting drunk, but then you completely abhor all manner of other drugs, even though alcohol is a lot worse than the main one you listed. Ha.

Buddy, you can't say alcohol is worse than weed. All drugs have the same purpose, some can cause more harmful effects, but they're all there to do the same thing. If anything, they're the same.

Like I said,
Dunno what it is, but anything other than alcohol or cigarettes, I can't stand. Call me contradictive, I don't really care. Could be the fact that I've seen alot more people fucked up from the wrong drug or an overdose, or just from being a long-term druggo, than what I have from alcohol. Don't know.

Obviously you don't know much about drugs.

And you don't know much about alcoholics either.

I can understand that you've seen peoples lives ruined on drugs, but can you strongly justify your own alcohol consumption under the terms you have laid out? I mean, if you honestly have not seen others who have ruined their lives on alcohol than you are jaded. Certainly one is legal and another is not but your point of view on the matter does not make any sense to the reader. Could you elaborate on your thoughts and choices? I am interested to hear.

Hyde basically said what I wanted to say already, but what I'm trying to get at is you base the safety of a drug on some arbitrary law a country has imposed upon them. That's neither safe, nor intelligent.

It is absolutely worse than weed.

Straight Edge is just a lifestyle based off those Punk rocker ideals. I wouldn't define myself as Straight Edge, but I do have those Straight Edge characteristics. I just call myself "Clean" or "Mister Clean" because I don't smoke, drink and do drugs. I personally find all that useless in my life and only gets in the way of achieving something greater. I'd rather keep myself healthy and focused rather than act on stupidity and get into trouble.

I don't smoke, drink, or do drugs, and I am vegetarian. I made a conscious decision to avoid meat partially because of how disgusting I find factory farming, but mostly because I just don't like meat that much...drugs I avoid mostly because I'm just not that interested in them, though having seen alcohol's effects on a couple of my friends doesn't make me want to start drinking either. I even abstain from sex, mostly I have no sex drive at all, so that probably doesn't count.

I don't really think that any of that makes me straight edge, though. I don't avoid those things because of some sort of higher moral standard, and at the same time, I don't consider people who drink or smoke to be less than I am. The whole movement just seems silly to me, honestly.

I guess by definition I am a straight-edge. No alcohol, no drugs, no tobacco, no caffine, no sex, no swearing, no class-skipping, no fights.

My parents would be fine with drinking and swearing but I chose not to myself. I guess its more of, I've not done it for this long, ill see how long I can last.

Oh yeah, I love meat, so Im not straightedge there. Mmm...meat...

My parents brought me up in a Conservative household, and their rules just stuck I suppose. I haven't really been given the chance to "get out there" and try whatever I'd like, and honestly, I don't plan on doing it even when I do have that chance.

So yes, I guess I am striaght-edge. No caffine, no drugs, no smoking, no swearing, no sex, no alcohol, and I eat meat very rarely.

How lovely. =) :juggler:

I drink and had done drugs a bit in the past. It was OK, but basically wastes money which is why I stopped. That, and the rediculous joke that the government has on the "war on pot drugs". The possibility of getting jail time for consuming something less harmful than alcohol didn't do much for me.

Same thing happened with me though. The large group of High School friends I had have now been divided into two groups over the past 5 years, the group who's OK with drugs and the group who isn't. I float between the two since I have nothing against or for drug use. However, when the one girl in the non-drug group found out I smoked pot she flipped on me. Her reasons against pot were that 1) I was uncool if I smoked (no, seriously), and 2) my future will be ruined. Needless to say I found her reasons pretty funny.

Though at this point I'm drug free and not drinking much. The effects these things give just isn't worth the money and risk to me.