Let me preface the following with this: Straight-Edge in theory and most often in practice, is an awesome and commendable personal choice. With that being said...
There is a problem with Straight-Edge. Militant Straight-Edgers are the worst kind of self-righteous, finger-wagging dictators. Now, for those unaware of the Straight-Edge movement, it posits the abhorrence of alcoholic substances, drugs, cigarettes, and in some cases, casual, unprotected promiscuous sex. In essence, a strict straight-edger abstains from the previous in an effort to live life drug/alcohol free and stay health and aware. Now, if you know anything about the Punk movement of the Minor Threat song from which the movement originated, you may see the two at odds. The Minor Threat song, "Straight Edge" suggested the need for personal freedom, responsibility and a drug-free, clear headed lifestyle, not one in which a band of mislead youth knock drinks out of people's hands and shame those that smoke cigarettes outside clubs, or caution those that choose a lifestyle unlike theirs to "get the fuck away" from them. Straight-Edgers are often times less tolerant than militant vegans...and that's saying something. I promise to address that during another blog.
I've always wondered, though, why more straight-edge people aren't vegans. I mean, the vegan lifestyle also touts a strict adherence to health, and knowledge as well as personal decision. Though, most straight-edge kids aren't...I guess it would be too extreme.
If I can post it I will, but there's this great interview with former guitarist Brian Baker, now guitarist for Bad Religion, in which he talks about why they wrote the song and how not all of them stuck to it, as well as the fact that creating a philosophy for a group of people to stand by was not their intention.
For your viewing pleasure, here are the lyrics to the aforementioned song:
I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and fuck my head
Hang out with the living dead
Snort white shit up my nose
Pass out at the shows
I don't even think about speed
That's just something I don't need
I've got straight edge
I'm a person just like you
But I've got better things to do
Than sit around and smoke dope
'Cause I know I can cope
Laugh at the thought of eating ludes
Laugh at the thought of sniffing glue
Always gonna keep in touch
Never want to use a crutch
Also, they later penned a song titled, "Out of Step" which had a pretty memorable line:
"Don't drink, don't smoke, don't fuck. At least I can fucking think."
Anyway, it's all food for thought.
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This is so true! When I had my own apartment, many years ago . . . One of my roommates friends was straight edge. He would bring his straight edge friends over and they would give us 'poo poo' looks because we smoked and drank. Dude! You're at my house. Don't like it? Get the fuck out.
ReplyDeleteThis happens more often than not. I don't mind their choices at all...in fact, they're admirable and healthy. It just seems that many straight-edgers refuse to see the hypocrisy of their being able to act according to their beliefs and not letting anyone else do the same.
ReplyDeleteEven these people must see their lifestyle as some kind of personal choice, something which obviously goes both ways.
ReplyDeleteThe enemy of your freedom can be anyone, and a overbearing straightedger or vegan is no better than any other dominating social group, wether thats something like the government or individuals like extreme religious types, or in their case people living their own free lives. "Im a person just like you" says the lyrics.
Extremeness is just a way for people to try and express themselves within a subculture, certain people will find a need to aim for some extremity, to be the most "true" in their circle, its part of experimentation and finding your level. Most people who take something like straightedge to an almost militant level are the ones who fall, as its not a trend, its actually a lifechoice.
Preaching to the choir as a lot of these bands do, and in the extreme way they do it, creates a false sense of alienation, and an Us against Them approach to anyone outside of their small circles.
Something like veganism esoecially but also the clean lifestyle of straightedge endears itself to a far less confrontational way of getting their point accross to those outside, but the walls stay up and most times their circle is blind to the outside world.
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