I guess it’s true you learn something new every day. I’ve known about the movement known as Straight Edge for a long time, but I never would have guessed there’s a violent side to it. There was a documentary about Straight Edge on the National Geographic channel, so I decided to watch. Almost instantly, I regretted it because of the nonsense spouted off by the narrator about how kids growing up in America have to deal with constant peer pressure to smoke, drink, or do drugs. And then the Straight Edge interviewees went further about how they needed to join some group to resist that peer pressure. I mean, seriously. If you have a hard time saying “no”, you’ve got some serious will power issues.
In all my years of school, I have never been pressured to do anything I didn’t want to do. No one offered me a cigarette. No one pushed a beer into my hands. No one ever gave me a joint. I mean, I knew what my peers did. Heck, some of them were (are) stupid enough to post pictures on MySpace. But no one pressured me to do that stuff. And even had someone done so, it would not have been that hard to say “No thanks”. If I can do it to Mexican dudes hawking hammocks in Juarez, I can do it to a teenager with a cigarette.
Because of that, I find it silly that people need to join a group in order to resist peer pressure. Sure, it may be that bad some times, but I highly doubt that peer pressure is as bad as some people make it out to be. But the worse thing about Straight Edge (in my opinion) is their disapproval of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs. I can understand abstaining. Heck, I don’t smoke, and I probably won’t drink much after I turn 21, but I’m not going to push that on other people. But at least most Straight Edgers don’t that that to the extreme and beat up or even kill people who they disagree with. It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? A gang that doesn’t drink, smoke, or get high. I guess you don’t really need to do that stuff to be violent.
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Many sXe’ers also abstain from caffeine and sex.
Can you imagine?
I didn’t drink much after I turned 21, either. It just wasn’t fun anymore. I still smoke weed, and sometimes have a drink to enhance it, but mostly I’m sober.
My mom is a cokehead. It’s the nature of a teen to rebel, but it’s really, really hard to rebel against a powder-fingered mommy. I think if the straight edge movement had existed at my rural highschool, I’d be typing this with X’s on my hands.
The sex and caffeine bit makes me think about Mormons. That’s kind of ironic, since Straight Edge originated from a Minor Threat song…
its not silly that people “join” straight edge. Its a movement… not necessarily a group you can join. Its a unification of people that believe in one thing. Saying its dumb to form a “group” about it is like saying its dumb to form a religion because in the end thats all it really is… a movement of people that believe in something. Most of us arent trying to shove things down your throat. We’re just trying to spread a message. its your choice to listen. If not its cool.. Dont let anyone tell you how to live. Do what you want.
Indeed, it’s not silly to be a part of a group with shared beliefs. It’s silly to think you have to belong. That’s what a lot of the guys on the documentary appeared to be saying. It sounded as if they couldn’t resist the influence of drugs, alcohol, etc. without being part of a larger group. I can understand wanting to have support, but it’s not impossible to go solo.
It’s the same with religion. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be part of one. But thinking you have to be part of one is the problem. Well, to me at least. Religion’s a slightly different creature, in that Straight Edge doesn’t tell you you’re going to hell if you don’t put a black X on your hand and go to a rave.
I do think that some people become straight edge because its easier to stay away from drugs and alcohol that way. of course you dont need to join straight edge to stay away from drugs and alcohol… but it helps you stay away from that stuff alot more if you do join. When youre apart of something and you commit to it of course its going to be a whole lot easier to keep your word. Although you dont need to join it.. Some people with a weak constitution think they need to to truly stay drug free.
im straight edge and i join that lifestyle by choice
i used to smoke and do all that stuff but i quit there are some people who dont force their beleifs on other people but still clame to be straight edge im in high school and i belong to a very small group of sxe kids and i still hang out with my stoner friends
Well i am 16 and I been straight edge for over fourteen months. Last night, I went downstairs got something to eat and looked for something to drink, and the most appropriate thing at the time was the larger. I mean, I decided I would have one alcoholic drink every two/three years, privately in my bedroom not around others, and only God could see me. However the drink didnt taste good, and there wasn’t any motivation to drink it, so I just poured nearly all of it down the sink.
I agree completely with the OP here. Why are all these kids so damn violent? I’ll give the Straight Edge group the benefit of the doubt, and assume that these kids aren’t “in touch” with the real beliefs of the group. Around where I live, if these kids see a homeless person in the street with a bottle of wine, they practically curb stomp him. There is absolutely no need for this senseless violence. Instead of trying to get away from things that make their lives so horrible, they terrorize others that keep to themselves and hurt no-one. These kids are walking contradictions if you ask me, and the whole group serves no purpose if you ask me. Is it really that hard to say no? I’m sure someone is going to waste their money spent on weed/beer by holding you down and forcing you to smoke/drink it.
The way I see it, just cause ur straight edge doesnt mean u shouldnt hang out with ppl who aren’t. those ppl aren’t really straight edge. they may lead the life style but they don’t understand the concept of “body free of poison” and i dont consider tobbaco a poison. it doesnt alter ur judgement, u dont die in one night frm taking it. maybe thats why straight edge ppl are so anngry; they dnt drink, they dont do drugs to relieve pain, smoke to relieve stress, or get laid. i would be pretty cranky too. and jealous of pl i saw doing stuff like that lol. ^_^