Straight-Edge

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Is anyone here straight-edge? How far do you take it (no drugs, no alcohol, no promiscuous sex, no pharmaceuticals)? Do you promote it to other people or participate in the straight-edge community? Represent with tattoos or T-shirts?

I think they are vegetarians, too. I'm not straight edge, but I remember hearing about the lifestyle. It's an interesting and admirable choice, I think.

to each his or her own.

Aren't some of them violent? Like beat up kids who do drugs n stuff?

Sobriety is highly overrated as a form of entertainment if you ask me, and reality is for people who can't handle drugs.

the straight edgers I have meet seemed more than a bit harsh.

I find it weird that they allow tattoos. No chemical ingestion but ink on skin is ok? Maybe they use organic ink? If there were such a thing.

hemp ink?

James Hetfield considers himself a "born-again straight-edge". Considering his past problems with alcoholism, I actually think this is a good move for him. As far as I know, he's a decent guy, and he doesn't take it as far as beating on people who do drugs. Then again, he's in his 50s and he has a wife and kids, so why would he?

Now, could I do the straight-edge thing? Hell no. I don't really do drugs, and I've never gotten laid, but I like the occasional drink, and if I'm ever prescribed any painkillers or any other sort of drugs with an abuse potential, I know damn well I'm going to use them. If they're prescribed to me, then they are meant to be used.

I firmly believe in no drugs. Promiscuous sex must be done carefully, with protection--otherwise, unwanted kids are placed in the world, to be abused by it. Nothing wrong with being a virgin until you meet the Right One. I believe in morality as taught by religion--I'm a skeptic as far faith is concerned (a firm agnostic).

I guess I'm pretty straight-laced, with a 'straight edge" in most things. I'm a liberal socially, somewhat conservative financially. I wish we could go back to the times before "play dates," when kids could just ring the other kid's doorbell to go out to play, stay out all day exploring their environment, then come home for dinner--the Tom Sawyer thing, in quite a few senses.

Whoa! Straight Edge is still a thing? Back in my day (30 years ago) it was the domain of the fairly intimidating super hardcore punk kids. They were fierce, though certainly not high. I liked Minor Threat as much as the next moderate punk but didn't go to their shows because those Straight Edge kids just scared me. It was as though they had replaced chemicals with violence.


Is there still an association with fierceness and Minor Threat as well as sobriety? It doesn't sound like it from your post but I can't tell. Things change in 30 years but since the name is still the same I wonder what else is still the same.

I used to be somewhat straight-edge. The only drugs I ever done at this point in my life so far were medications & at the time I identified with it I was no longer on any prescribed meds. I never been drunk & I was almost never drinking except for having a beer or two at a social situation when it was available. I never been a vegetarian thou. I claimed I was straight-edge on forums but I didn't use any forums specifically for it. I never been into tattoos or making statements with clothing or anything. I'm pretty liberal & I respect people's rite to think & decide for themselves as long as they're adults who respect my rite to think & decide things for myself.
I'm not sure if I'm straight-edge now because I take prescription meds regularly & a couple meds that aren't prescribed. I've been drinking a little more often too thou still very rarely except I bought a 12pack I think 5 days ago because my chinchilla that I had for 9years died & there's been lots of other stuff going wrong lately leading up to it & I knew I was falling into a depression & needed alcohol to help calm me down, take the edge off & maybe sleep a tad better. I have more than half left, thou I may drink one or two tonight. I have an appointment with my GP in a week & I'll hopefully get on medication for depression & I'm not planning to buy anymore alcohol. I just need/needed alittle to help get me through & I'll use up what I have before then sense I know I shouldn't mix it with those meds. I may of betrayed the straight-edge beliefs I had at one point but I'm still very responsible rite now in these extenuating circumstances.

I get the impression straight edgers are seeking moral clarity in a morally unclear world.

I think that's some of why I identified with it. I was also upset over the breakup with my 1st girlfriend who had some problems with drugs & alcohol which caused me to have lots of anxiety that also lead to the breakup. I was very upset & worrying for a long time after & I guess I wanted some things to blame so I wouldn't blame myself as much. I related to the EMO culture then because I was pretty depressed & emotional & straight-edge is popular in the culture but lots aren't.

I guess the thing which keeps me away from straight edge and its ilk is that I am clausterphobic and am afraid of being stuck into any kind of straightjacket, including moral straightjackets.

I'm an Aspie who likes regularity, predictability, routines, & has a hard time noticing or understanding subtle & sometimes even pretty obvious differences between things & situations so having a label makes more sense to me. Nowadays I know that reality tends to not be black & white like it seems to me; there's lots of grey & numerous other variations I have problems with.