Straight edge or not?

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

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Summonmaster

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.

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."

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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.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by blue

Hyyyyde!

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

No, I dont. You're cool.

Originally Posted by blue

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.

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.

Originally Posted by blue

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by Summonmaster

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.

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.

Originally Posted by summonmaster

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.

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.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by lazuli

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.

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.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by вяоκєи.

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.

Obviously you don't know much about drugs.

Quote:

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.

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.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?