h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"It is likely that straight edgers will 'lose the edge' when they are adult - after all, there is nothing inherently wrong with drinking."

That´s a subjective opinion that I strongly disagree with. I never heard of the term straight-edge, but I am one of these people, I know a lot of these people, I know a lot of these people who are now what you must consider not-so-young-any-longer. Those with a conviction still have it. I don´t know anyone who had a conviction against alcohol at 18 who didn´t still have it at 25.
"There is nothing inherently wrong with drinking". If you believe this, then what the (insert four letter word of your choice here, I can think of many options), why don´t you start young? Why miss out on the "fun"? For anyone with a conviction, this is a moral choice, and you don´t outgrow moral choices.

Let me end with a quote from Dune (very fair use, H2G2 people, it´s not even verbatim) "When a man has changed into one thing, he would rather die than change into the opposite."

PLEASE do something about that comment, I find it a very offensive sideline in an otherwise excellent article.

MnnVint, I'm sorry if I have somehow caused offense to you in my entry. Believe me it was far from intentional.

Please remember that this is an entry on The Straight Edge Movement. It is not an entry on T-Totalism, it is not an entry on personal or religious reasons why not to drink, or do anything else. When I did research for the entry, I found that there are a lot of EX 'Straight Edgers' out there, who were very much into the movement and philosophy when they were younger, and remain vegetarian and don't get drunk - but do have a bit to drink now and then.

I PERSONALLY have a strong conviction against getting intentionally drunk, and I very much believe that it will stick with me for years to come. When I said "after all, there's nothing INHERENTLY wrong with drinking", that's simply what I meant. The act of drinking, say, a beer, if you're thirsty and you like beer. Is there something wrong with that? In fact, saying that anything is right or wrong is going to be subjective, so there'll always be someone that disgrees...

I was simply trying to be as balanced as I could about a topic which I know I have strong opinions about - but as a Researcher, I want to write entries for the Guide which are not simply my opinion pieces (which are available from my personal space and are not Edited Entries).

In my head, straight edge was simply an attitued of strong discipline towards the selfs integrity. As an attitued for life it is one i embrace and look for in others.

Straight edge i was pleasantly suprised to be defined by the album "Repeater" and "13 songs" by (Ian Mckayes)current band, the concept for the album was that if the feeling spread and everyone started buying selectively (ie not shopping at GAP due to whatever political wrong, i am assuming we all know about evil corporations). More recently Naomi Kleins book "No Logo" drove that idea even more home to me.

I myself would like to see the political ideals covered, is i think straight edge leads into a political and global approach to life beyond "Don't drink, don't smoke".

That came out all wrong, apologies.

I would have liked the article to have covered the more mature side of straight edge and talk more about the philosophies it leads to.

I know where you're coming from.

But this article is about straight edge at face value. The facts, as opposed to our own personal philosophies on how to live.

Like you I believe that it is much more to do with an ideology than a set of rules. I think the whole thing got out of hand, and as Ian Mackaye developed a more mature approach and dropped the label, others took it up.

Fugazi (my favourite band by the way) aren't straight edge, although they might lead 'straight edge' lifestyles. Like me. Although I do still call myself straight edge sometimes.

As for what ideals straight edge can lead to, that all depends on who told you about sXe and what it is. For some people it can lead to hatred, violence, veganism, hardline, and more.

Yes, i agree the whole thing got out of hand. I have noticed that straight edge does still get touted. I recently had a disscussion with (i hate to say this) a younger guy in a band. He described them as Straight Edge. I found myself wondering what that must sound like. Of course it was loud guitar music. I gave him a tape of my band end explained we were all hard edge if he wanted to label it. He didn't understand a mellow sounding Hard Edge band. He thought i was taking the mickey when i lit a cigarette.
I took a bit of time to explain to him what i saw Hard esge as being, from what i can gather the reason for hard edge seemed to be a form of snobbery, that kind of made me sad coming from someone that had just been to McDonalds wearing his Gap baggies. My take is on integrity in life, not about following the rules to be in a certain group that frowns at the world. Personaly, i don't buy from major brands etc and try to life my life as independantly and as innofensively to the world as i can, and maintain as much integrity as i can. I know a lot of people that live like that, and have never heard the phrase, including non-drinkers/smokers, that see it as a lyfestyle choice. It would be good to see the term used properly again, i wonder if it is the cycle starting over again, as people mellow out and mature with the ideas of straight edge.

Any way, i have babbled a bit,i'm too tired to write much sense. all i really wanted to say wanted to say top marks for tackling the subject, and it's always a pleasure to find people into Fugazi and the movement they started