staight edge = the new black?

These kids aren't straight edge. They look at it like every other clique or scene. It's just a fashion trend that will die as easily as it started for each one of them.

I'm 26, and I've never smoked, drank , or done drugs, but I don't label myself as "striaght edge" specifically because I don't like being associated with these people.

I think "straight edge" died in the 90s, and people are just stealing the label.

It's always seemed like that to me. I don't know too much about SXE (is that the correct abbreviation?) but I've just never understood why people need to get all agressive about not drinking.

Agreed, 'straight edge' as any kind of movement is bullshit. If you dont want to drink and smoke and whatever else, dont. Good for you. The people who go out of their way to advertise their straight edgedness are elitist snobs. Don't they have something better to do than gossip about who had a beer and broke their edge(or bent perhaps, I'm not cool enough to know all the lingo)

As a movement...it makes absolutely no sence to me what so ever. Never has, never will. I've known exactly one person like that who I DIDN"T want to make a meat pie out of at the end of a conversation.

-C-

Putting the "gay" back in "gang".

[Edited on Jan 18, 2006 by Jeff_Fries]

my town has been taken over by them, emo, and seen kids, its scarry how many come out on farmers market and there all in high school.

literally everyone i've known over the years that claimed edge at one point no longer does. it's just a way to belong to something for these people. the ones who are the most vocal and militant are ALWAYS the ones who give up on it first.

Tekky... thank you for posting this.

Straight edge has become a joke, simply because it shouldn't be a movement - it should be a personal lifestyle choice, and nothing more. Instead of people choosing this path for themselves and leaving everyone else to their own decision, there's edge crews bashing people they see smoking or drinking at shows. I know someone who was hurt pretty badly because he was smoking while wearing a straight edge band's shirt. And that's when the line is crossed and it isn't a personal choice anymore - it becomes a cult, maybe even a terrorist organisation.

At least in Brisbane, the influx of straight edge people going to shows has meant venues closing because they were putting on hardcore shows and not making any cash at the bar. The promoters would make off with the cash from entry, and the venue would be left with their booking fee and nothing else - and it's pretty hard to survive on that alone.

Funny how even Ian Mackaye says he'll drink a beer every now and then. Wonder if he'd get bashed at at a show...

Haha, touche. Most of them probably have no idea where their movement came from.

they all dress to much a like for me to tell who the emo, Straight edge, Seen kids, and the posers are any more I must be getting old

Can't we all just stroke our kittens, and be happy with one another.

Until I read this thread I didn't know such a thing existed. Rest assured though, they're on my shit list now. The forces of Lush (good) will always prevail over the forces of temperance (Evil).

straight edge is soooo 1995...

I always find it amusing when people feel the need to proclaim their self-believed superiority. I don't drink, but I'm not a better person than someone else because i don't drink. I smoke like a mofo though. It's just about how you act, and if the 'straight-edge' kids are acting like dicks, then they are just displaying and proving their inferiority. Idiots.

I dunno. I'm sorta still kind of ignorant to what "straight edge" is exactly, and if any of you can give me any more information, I'd hug and thank the crap out of you for it. I'd like to be educated here...

But what I do know is that it's a lifestyle of sorts, to live chemical free, right? No booze. No drugs. Right? I could be wrong but...

If these kids are going around, disrespecting (in some apparent cases, hurting (yikes!)) people for smoking and drinking and doing drugs or whatever, wouldn't it be our non-straight-edge duty to do the same to them? But an eye for an eye, and we'd all be blind, I suppose...

But since when did preference become terrorism?! Oh yeah... Since Hitler...

If you're straight edge, that's cool. As long as you're a good person and not a complete dick, I couldn't give less of a shit what your lifestyle preferences are. Myself, I'm a punk. Through and through, born and raised. I expect you to respect my lifestyle as much as I respect yours. That's all. But if I'm enjoying a brew at a show, and you make it a problem, you become an individual problem of mine. Who the fuck are you to single me out because I'm different than you?! I tell you, if shit like this were to happen at a gig I was at, there'd be mohawks-chains-spikes-and-boots covered in prep blood reeeeally quick.

I'm the friendliest motherfucker on this planet, and I get along with everyone. I respect each and every one of you for being as individual or as conforming as you want to be. Do what you want to do. Be happy. As long as you respect me back, take over the world for all I care. But if you become a FASCIST about your lifestyle, then I categorize you with the Neo-Nazi's. And ask them how my boot tastes if you wanna push that button.

If you educate the ignorant, and they still choose fascism, sometimes you just gotta give 'em a taste of their own medicine before they realize how they're making other people feel.

Ya. I'm not fat, and I could never be fat because I'm too critical of myself, but I like fat people just the same. Unless they're sitting next to me in a tiny greyhound bus seat and they don't have pretty boobs.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that this shit happens with us punks too. You get kids out there who listen to Simple Plan and Good Charlotte out there... And as funny as it sounds, (believe it or not) these fucking kids become fascist too. They say that they're "more punk than you". They have balls, believe it or not. Really easily broken ones... but...

Punk. Hip-hop. Metalhead. Hardcore-kid. Skinhead. Teenie-bopper. Straight-edge.

It doesn't matter which... When you get people joining a scene or accepting/taking a lifestyle and proclaiming that they're better than anyone for any reason (i.e. - "more punk than...") or more of it, then you know that person is simple lost.

I know it pisses my whole family of punks off when you get kids joining a scene just for the sake of joining a scene. Sayin' what's punk, what's not.

I guess it's something that you'll only understand how much it'd piss you off only if it ever happens to you. Spend your life living the way you like it, identify with similar individuals, and then some fucking idiots try to wreck it all. I hope it never happens to any of you. In this case, I feel so shitty for the "Straight Edge" lifestyle, because they're suffering a direct, yet indirect attack. I hope they make it through. I know of some good straight edge folk. Not personally, sadly, hence the "ignorance to the lifestyle that is straight edge".

Maybe we should give a name to these fuckers.

I'm also new to the terms "elitist" and "scenesters" and "posers". I have ideas, but those words are thrown around so often they've kinda been hard to discover. And the relevant/similar ones I DO know aren't descriptive enough, or harsh enough. Again, a big hug awaits those who educate me.

straight edge and scene points and your first tattoo being a chest piece, that's all that matters at shows in my town now it fucking makes me not wanna go to shows

Certainly.

Straight edge is a lifestyle/movement which basically upholds the value of not having controlling vices - the most common of these being drugs, alcohol, and promiscuous/out-of-relationsahip sex. Later on, vegetarianism and veganism became a part of it, some straight edgers won't even ingest caffiene, and there have been some documented that have gone so far as to become Hare Krishnas. The 'mark' of a straight edger is the 'X' on a hand, a symbol that's a throwback to the ones that venues would put on an underager's hand to let the bar to not serve them alcohol, but also tattoos of all sorts are popular within the movement. The movement is borne from a forty-five second song from Minor Threat called, fittingly "Straight Edge," which goes as follows...

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 something I just don't need

I've got the 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

I've got the straight edge

Needless to say, the song is pretty vague about the 'rules' of the movement, because it was never intended as a movement in the first place, and Ian Mackaye, who wrote the song, regrets he ever did because of what it's become.

It's the way the world turns. I think Straight Edge or sXe is pretty much synonymous with 'emo.' I'm guessing these are maily kids in their mid high schools years. Haven't ever tried anything "bad" and thus have gone on to make their own butthurt group. I think it has a semi respecful history. Just google history of sxe. It pops up some decent info.

Oh, my friend....you are so...SO correct. This has always been an issue with me. Why do so many people feel they need to belong to a movement?

Who do you (they) feel you have to be "Straight edge"? Why can't you just be Dave who doesn't smoke, drink or take drugs...and happens to like punk music?

I could never fully respect someone who refers to themself as "insert movement here"

Everybody I've ever met, and there has been a wide sampling, who has referred to themselves as straight edge or belonging to the straight edge movement has been a complete asshole.

Thanks for the lesson dude! I appreciate it!

Sounds pretty straightforward and respectable, but sXe seems to be a victim of what Emo has endured. I dunno though, Emo was always laughable I found.

"Life's hard, I wanna die, homework sucks, parents don't understand, my girlfriend dumped me, I cut my wrists just enough to scar, but not deep enough for serious damage."

Unfortunately, I never understoon Emo before it was depressing and pathetic. Or is that the point? Maybe it's another anti-comformism thing kids do, but instead of being goth, they're pathetic goth - Emo.

I dunno. Hence I stick with what I know. I could use a history lesson. But SOME Emo music seems pretty plausable. Not my style at all, but plausable.

It's just sad when there's a rude intrusion on your lifestyle in general. A fad, a movement, a scene, whatever. It's just fucking rude. If you weren't invited, at LEAST know where you're going and go in with a good fucking attitude.

straight edge is internal. you are or you aren't. i consider my lifestyle straight edge, but would never claim it. the "scene" is played out and detroit is infested with courage crew "gangsters." i would never want to associate with that. i live as i see fit and have respect for those who do the same. no t-shirt or crew will ever give me that piece of mind.