It is interesting to note that while the overarching title of this space is "Thoughts from a Straight Edge Mind", I have not yet talked about it in any real detail (long-time readers, if they exist, may recall its brief mention when talking about my tattoos but one suspects that is hardly sufficient). With little to keep me occupied this evening (even in a city the size of Coventry, most activity seems to stop on a Sunday; Britain is the perennial creature of habit) it seems that now, if you will forgive the cliché, is as good a time as any.
For those of you who know anything about the history of Straight Edge this opening will not reveal anything new, however I feel it is important for context. The movement (if it can truly be called a movement, given its lack of eventual aims) started in the United States of America. A lot of punk rock shows were available to all ages, but due to alcohol laws only those over the age of 21 were permitted to drink. In order to differentiate between those who could and those who could not purchase alcoholic beverages an "X" was drawn on the backs of the underage hands (a practice I can tell you from experience still happens in some establishments).
At the same sort of time, a number of punk and hardcore bands were becoming disillusioned with the narcotic lifestyle of their underground music scene. One such band was Minor Threat, who penned a song decrying the use of alcohol, drugs and "fucking". The song was called "Straight Edge", and gave rise to a brand new subculture within the hardcore punk scene.
Ideas of sobriety caught on quickly and soon, those who attended the all age punk shows would mark their hands with an "X" themselves as a symbol of their unwillingness to partake in alcohol or drugs. This even applied to those who were old enough to drink alcohol legally. It became a symbol of the straight edge culture which remains to this day. Straight edge tattoos often feature an "X" (mine is one example) and some abbreviations include "sXe" and "xXx".
In some places within the United States, straight edge has been classified as a gang, due to the actions of narrow-minded morons who have turned it into their own violent crusade against anyone who drinks, smokes or takes drugs. This is a shame, but probably inevitable given that in any group of people there are bound to be idiots.
With all of that in mind, I have to confess that my reasons for choosing to be straight edge have very little to do with its origins.
Until I was 18 I had never heard of straight edge. In fact, up until that point I had been drinking alcohol for some time. I had been brought up in a household where it was not uncommon to be given a glass of wine with dinner, or a glass of champagne on Christmas morning. I had been going to house parties and nightclubs with friends from the age of 15. During this time, however, I did not drink so much that I became drunk. I never did see the appeal. Friends would tell me how much fun it was to be drunk but their lack of recollection the following mornings and their blisteringly painful hangovers led me to conclude that it was not a worthwhile trade off. I did still drink, though.
Other factors put me off the idea of drinking. In addition to my friends being hungover and unable to recall all the 'fun' they had the previous night, there was my experience of the nights themselves. Often I would see people (sometimes friends, sometimes complete strangers) sitting in a corner, leaning against a wall or curled up in the fetal position before the end of the night. They would be vomiting, crying and generally making themselves out to look rather foolish. That was not something I ever saw as being glamorous.
Another factor was a little closer to home. When my mother finally left my father (about fourteen years too late in my opinion but I am very happy with how things are for her now, so I shall not labor this point any further) the old fool was so depressed and self-pitying that he would get through multiple bottles of wine every night (that could be an exaggeration on my part but that is certainly how I remember it) and would more often than not finish it off with several sizable glasses of brandy. On multiple occasions, the smell of the brandy was so strong that it would reach my bedroom upstairs.
Anyone that knows me well will appreciate that I do not intend to become like my father. He was so pathetic during this time; slurring his words, crying to himself alone and making the entire house smell terrible. I promised myself during this time that I would not allow myself to become like that. I was also aware that alcoholism can be hereditary, so although this period only lasted a few months I was, and still am, unwilling to take such a chance.
Going off to university yielded pretty much the same results. People all around me were engaged in copious amounts of drinking, followed by sobbing, memory loss and sometimes regurgitation. Any trace of glamor had completely gone from the mystique of alcohol. It was during my first semester at university that I stumbled, quite by accident, on something called straight edge. Intrigued, I uncovered more information and realized that it boiled down to three simple choices:
For those of you who know anything about the history of Straight Edge this opening will not reveal anything new, however I feel it is important for context. The movement (if it can truly be called a movement, given its lack of eventual aims) started in the United States of America. A lot of punk rock shows were available to all ages, but due to alcohol laws only those over the age of 21 were permitted to drink. In order to differentiate between those who could and those who could not purchase alcoholic beverages an "X" was drawn on the backs of the underage hands (a practice I can tell you from experience still happens in some establishments).
At the same sort of time, a number of punk and hardcore bands were becoming disillusioned with the narcotic lifestyle of their underground music scene. One such band was Minor Threat, who penned a song decrying the use of alcohol, drugs and "fucking". The song was called "Straight Edge", and gave rise to a brand new subculture within the hardcore punk scene.
Ideas of sobriety caught on quickly and soon, those who attended the all age punk shows would mark their hands with an "X" themselves as a symbol of their unwillingness to partake in alcohol or drugs. This even applied to those who were old enough to drink alcohol legally. It became a symbol of the straight edge culture which remains to this day. Straight edge tattoos often feature an "X" (mine is one example) and some abbreviations include "sXe" and "xXx".
In some places within the United States, straight edge has been classified as a gang, due to the actions of narrow-minded morons who have turned it into their own violent crusade against anyone who drinks, smokes or takes drugs. This is a shame, but probably inevitable given that in any group of people there are bound to be idiots.
With all of that in mind, I have to confess that my reasons for choosing to be straight edge have very little to do with its origins.
Until I was 18 I had never heard of straight edge. In fact, up until that point I had been drinking alcohol for some time. I had been brought up in a household where it was not uncommon to be given a glass of wine with dinner, or a glass of champagne on Christmas morning. I had been going to house parties and nightclubs with friends from the age of 15. During this time, however, I did not drink so much that I became drunk. I never did see the appeal. Friends would tell me how much fun it was to be drunk but their lack of recollection the following mornings and their blisteringly painful hangovers led me to conclude that it was not a worthwhile trade off. I did still drink, though.
Other factors put me off the idea of drinking. In addition to my friends being hungover and unable to recall all the 'fun' they had the previous night, there was my experience of the nights themselves. Often I would see people (sometimes friends, sometimes complete strangers) sitting in a corner, leaning against a wall or curled up in the fetal position before the end of the night. They would be vomiting, crying and generally making themselves out to look rather foolish. That was not something I ever saw as being glamorous.
Another factor was a little closer to home. When my mother finally left my father (about fourteen years too late in my opinion but I am very happy with how things are for her now, so I shall not labor this point any further) the old fool was so depressed and self-pitying that he would get through multiple bottles of wine every night (that could be an exaggeration on my part but that is certainly how I remember it) and would more often than not finish it off with several sizable glasses of brandy. On multiple occasions, the smell of the brandy was so strong that it would reach my bedroom upstairs.
Anyone that knows me well will appreciate that I do not intend to become like my father. He was so pathetic during this time; slurring his words, crying to himself alone and making the entire house smell terrible. I promised myself during this time that I would not allow myself to become like that. I was also aware that alcoholism can be hereditary, so although this period only lasted a few months I was, and still am, unwilling to take such a chance.
Going off to university yielded pretty much the same results. People all around me were engaged in copious amounts of drinking, followed by sobbing, memory loss and sometimes regurgitation. Any trace of glamor had completely gone from the mystique of alcohol. It was during my first semester at university that I stumbled, quite by accident, on something called straight edge. Intrigued, I uncovered more information and realized that it boiled down to three simple choices:
- No Alcohol
- No Drugs
- No Promiscuous Sex
Considering that I had no real affection for alcohol, that I had never touched illegal drugs in my life (and had stopped taking pain medication for insignificant things like headaches a long time ago) and that I was not having sex (at all, never mind promiscuously. Ah, the joys of being long-haired and overweight) it seemed like a natural fit for me.
It was over the Christmas vacation of my first year of university that I decided that straight edge was for me. I had my last drink during that period and have never regretted it. A lot of people ask me about it, thinking of it in terms of rules that must be obeyed (like a religion). I often have to explain to them that they are choices, not rules. I am under no compulsion to stick to them at all. If I wanted to have a drink of alcohol I could do so at any time. I just choose not to.
Despite having knowledge of straight edge's origins and awareness of a straight edge subculture, I have never actively sought out such companionship. The vast majority of my friends drink alcohol, a few of them try drugs and some of them have promiscuous sex. Does that mean I cannot be friends with them? Of course not. I respect others' choices in the way I wish them to respect mine. We will often joke about the differences with each other but that is as far as it goes. I do not wish to impose straight edge on anyone, as I get irritated when someone tries to impose upon me the merits of drugs and alcohol.
I was originally planning to talk about the third (and often most debated) choice of straight edge: the one regarding promiscuous sex. This, sadly, will have to wait for another entry as I fear I have gone on too long as it is. If you have made it all the way to the end, then I can only apologize if you feel your time has been wasted.
It was over the Christmas vacation of my first year of university that I decided that straight edge was for me. I had my last drink during that period and have never regretted it. A lot of people ask me about it, thinking of it in terms of rules that must be obeyed (like a religion). I often have to explain to them that they are choices, not rules. I am under no compulsion to stick to them at all. If I wanted to have a drink of alcohol I could do so at any time. I just choose not to.
Despite having knowledge of straight edge's origins and awareness of a straight edge subculture, I have never actively sought out such companionship. The vast majority of my friends drink alcohol, a few of them try drugs and some of them have promiscuous sex. Does that mean I cannot be friends with them? Of course not. I respect others' choices in the way I wish them to respect mine. We will often joke about the differences with each other but that is as far as it goes. I do not wish to impose straight edge on anyone, as I get irritated when someone tries to impose upon me the merits of drugs and alcohol.
I was originally planning to talk about the third (and often most debated) choice of straight edge: the one regarding promiscuous sex. This, sadly, will have to wait for another entry as I fear I have gone on too long as it is. If you have made it all the way to the end, then I can only apologize if you feel your time has been wasted.
