hahahahahaha,

yeah, i had straight edge days, i paint an x in my hand with a marker and i wouldn't do shit until they faded...hahahahaha.

that was in college dood.

I do not and never have considered myself to be 'straight edge'. That said, I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't do drugs. That's just the way I want to live, I guess. I've known a lot of kids who claim to be 'straight edge' and are really nice people. I've also known some 'straight edge' kids who were total assholes. It all comes down to whether or not they have a 'live and let live' attitude, or a 'i'm gonna be a self-righteous prick and tell you what to do attitude'. I myself couldn't really care less if people drink or smoke or whatever. I believe in personal choice, so if you choose to drink, go right ahead! The problem is that some people use straight edge just like some people use their religion and they try to shove it down everybody else's throats... and frankly, that's just bullshit.

I don't understand the reasoning behind labeling yourself "straight-edge." If someone wants to obstain from alchohol, drugs, and sex, that's perfectly acceptable, but why the fuck can't people just leave it at that? I just don't see the need for it.

i started smokin pot and drinkin at 13, with my super addictive personality i from then on made it a point to try every drug possible, by 17 i had a nagging opiate habit. so in short, i kinda wish i lived a more straight lifestyle... but, claiming straight edge and rubbing your beliefs in somones face is bullshit. people need to experience things on their own terms, if u wanna get high, get high, if u wana fuck, fuck. lifes short. the main thing is just doing what you wanna do and knowing there are limits. the limit thing was my main problem. i just drink and smoke cigs now though, kinda lost interest in everything else.

I agree to this, although why label anything, anything? Why call yourself a guitarist when you can just play the stringed wooden instrument. Why mention your hair as a certain colour? Why do anything?

And no, I'm not 'straight edge' nor would I probably label myself that if I did follow them values. I don't mind if other people do though. It doesn;t hurt me at all.

I hate teens who call themselves straight edge. Really, it is just law abiding.

Exactly! I've never had this compulsion to call myself 'straight edge' even though I'm not into drinking and drugs. I think people (younger people in particular) just feel the need to be in a group. It just has a lot to do with the insecurity of being a teenager and needing to belong and all that peer pressure stuff blah blah blah...

I do admire kids who don't smoke, drink, take drugs or have casual sex with just about anything that moves, it's just that I have more than a few qualms with someone who becomes overtly fascistic by doing so. Hence I find the more extreme straight-edgers incomprehensible.

Another thing that I have never understood is why all this striving for purity is mostly soundtracked by harsh music. It's ok, society is a shithole, it shouldn't turn you, though, into a sloganeering barrage of relentless anger. That risks making you miss details about people and places that you might find yourself enjoying.

growing up young and angry, one needs an oulet of some sort man.

I have never said that you shouldn't have one. Turning it into a harsh way of existing isn't necessarily going to help matters, though, is it?

but some people get high on the anger. irate self-righteousness is the drug of choice of straight edgers.

Heaven knows.

humans, from puberty until around age 21-22 (this has been scientifically verified) make almost all of their decisions solely on the emoitonal center of our brains. It is not until age 22 (on average) that the human brain and the human being start to make their decisions based more on logic and reason than on what "feels right". Of course there are always exceptions, kids that are logical and old adults that still function solely on their emotional reactions instead of logic.

There have been some wonderful studies done on this. it is quite eye opening.

it does not make any logical sense to beat up on someone because they are different, but it makes great emotional sense, especially to someone who feels no self worth and the group mentality of being a "goth" or a "punk" or whatever helps affirm their self-worth.


luckily most of us grow out of it.

Ok, I'm not sure what that has to do with what I've posted. This is not to say that you're not making sense, Rob, it's just that I can't tell where that is coming from, that's all.

just referring to yr statement here

I have never said that you shouldn't have one. Turning it into a harsh way of existing isn't necessarily going to help matters, though, is it?

as it regards to "helping matters"

many things teenagers do are sopecifically NOT about helping matters, especially angry, emotionally overwhelmed teens

I read once that there are two kids of teen boys. those who feel everything way too strongly and are very affected by it all, and seek to share this with everyone,
and those that feel everything way too strongly and purposefully create a shell around them so as not to feel anything at all, because th feelings hurt/suck/whatever.

I thought that was funny and true and kind of sad. I remember life 17 years ago.

I love being straightedge. It is a way of life that ive practiced since I was about 11. Sometimes I drink milk from corona bottles to further illustrate just how clean an superior I am. I would never contaminate this lovely temple of mine with booze or stinky cigarettes. And I certainly dont need to use foul language to get even the most simple point across.

Mmmmm.... lovely temple

Yeah, ok, we both know that already. And?

hahahahahahaha, you rule.