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

I recently heard about a thing called the Straight Edge philosphy. Well, I had my own philosphy, so I decided to write it down here. I hadn't given it a name before, but Deviant Edge seems to best describe it, because of it's similarities to Straight Edge. Want to know more? Then read on!

Ok, it's something like this.

We have two 'viewpoints' here. One is Straight Edge, and the other is just the normal state of affairs. Straight Edge means: don't drink, do drugs, or have casual sex, as these things cloud our ability to think properly about the world and what we are doing. Plus, drink and drugs can f*ck your life up, and casual sex can lead to all sorts of problems.
The 'normal state of affairs' depends on the person, but let's say for the sake of argument that it is to, at every reasonable opportunity, get totally bladdered and out of your head. And f*ck lots.

^^^^^^^^^^

Well, my humble philosphy is this.

a)Drinking is often fun. If you're vaguely sensible, and don't do it stupidly often, then it is usually harmless. What's more, it helps you make friends or make friends more close, can give you interesting ideas and viewpoints about things, and is just generally enjoyable - I would even go so far as to say: a Good Thing.

BUT

If you do it too often and take too much (especially if you drink on your own), then it will waste your money, depress you, make you act like a fool or make you do something REALLY stupid and destructive, addict you, and lose you your friends.

b)Drugs...vary. Let's start with cannabis. It has the same benefits as alcohol, but more so. BUT it has the same bad effects, and again more so. It is also typically more expensive, and can get you arrested. With the harder drugs, the ill-effects get exponentially worse, whereas the good effects get only a little better and are usually harder to obtain.

c)Sex: Frankly, you should be able to find yourself an at least fairly suitable partner without TOO much intense difficulty. So you shouldn't NEED to have casual sex. Stoopid.

So basically, Deviant Edge means that you are allowed drink and, if necassary take drugs*. BUT, do so in order to have more fun, and to experience a different frame of mind, rather than to escape reality, to show off how much you can handle, or to psyche yourself up to do something 'rebellious' **. If you are sure (and by sure I mean SURE) of your intentions AND are sure that they are good, AND are sure that the benefits will DEFINITLEY outweigh the possible ill-effects, then go right ahead, but be CONSTANTLY checking that you are still within these bounds.

*[LEGAL NOTE] Not that I condone the taking of drugs, of course. So don't sue me.[LEGAL NOTE]
**To all you people who think you are being rebellious just by wearing stupid-looking clothes and/or pretending not to care about rules: Rebellious my arse! Your just a bunch of frickin' losers who are totally lacking in imagination and any real will to not follow the flow. You all suck! I'd like to see you name ONE thing you've EVER done that sets you apart from all the other losers exactly like you! AARRGGHH!!! *hur-hurm* sorry. It is true, though.

marijuana is actually less dangerous than alcohol, simply because it is less addictive. Plus, it is technically impossible to OD on weed. You'd need to smoke 40,000 the amount it takes to get you high.

And besides, all drugs and alcohol are fine, as long as they're used SOCIALLY.

Yep, your first paragraph is true.

But ALL drugs, and alcohol, are fine?

*Adopts a Sherlocke Holmes accent*

Pish-posh, my dear fellow. Even restricting our view to social use, one can hardly weigh even the best of good effects against the terrible toll of deaths, illnesses developed, pain inflicted and received while under the influence, and money wasted. One could, at most, justify up to "a fairly large amount" of money and "a certain amount" of pain/sickness/damage/unhappiness. But they just don't weigh up evenly - overall, counting the bad examples in with the good ones, drugs and alcohol are a dangerous liabilty in one's life. And that's only looking at social use. THAT is why you have to make SURE you stay in the 'good examples' group of people who do take drugs or alcohol - and that's what deviant edge is.

By drugs I mean Marijuana, Peyote, Cocaine and other such American drugs. As a Native American, I can say:

WE HAD NO TROUBLES WITH ANY OF THESE DRUGS. WE DIDN'T CHEMICALLY ALTER THEM LIKE THEY ARE NOW, WE TOOK THEM AS IS. WE TOOK THEM SOCIALLY, AND DIDN'T ABUSE THEM.

The same actually goes for Europeans and beer. YOU HAD NO TROUBLES WITH BEER AND WINE, YOU TOOK THEM SOCIALLY, AND YOU TOOK THEM IN MODERATION.

That said, when the Europeans came to America, the Native Americans became alcoholics and the Europeans became chain-smokers. Hence our current social problem: The drugs were taken out of their cultural context, multiplied tenfold in their potency, and abused left and right. Elementary, my dear Watson.

[Mr. T] An'? What are you, some kinda crazy fo'? We ain't talkin' about no god-damned 17th century, we talkin 'bout NOW!

Perhaps my philosophy WOULD have been over-cautious a couple of centuries ago, but I'm saying that it's valid NOW.

That having been said, your point isn't actually invalid per se.

you missed my point entirely: SOCIALLY IS THE KEY. DON'T TAKE THE DRUG OUT OF CONTEXT. If people realized the original use of the drugs, they wouldn't abuse it too bad. And that... is my philosophy.

Hmm. I think perhaps we should both define what we mean by 'socially'.

*I* mean taking drugs in a social context. That is to say, with friends, for enjoyment. I'm also saying that even in these circumstances, things can often go wrong.

Only if you're an irresponsible idiot anyway. With friends means that:

1. they won't let you get but so far.
2. you don't want to loose too much face in front of them.

Contextually should account for something as well:

1. the drugs are not chemically altered from their natural state, including cannibus, heroine, crack, etc.
2. the use is not purely for "entertainment" purposes.

I really don't want to be offensive, and neither do I want to seem as if I'm trying to appear streetwiser-than-thou, but frankly your first point is just bloody naive. a) In real life, it's exceedingly rare that people take drugs amongst a group of trust-worthy and capable friends who are genuinely looking out for you. It just never happens - hardly. For a start, they are likely to be taking drugs as well as you. This means they aren't necassarily inclined to be totally responsible and won't have the same concept of 'face' as normal. And b) Even in those safe circumstances, things can STILL go wrong, no matter how responsible you are.

Well, that goes for the harder drugs anyway. For things like cannabis and alcohol, these kind of things are rare and that is why those things are safe. Except for alcohol, if it's taken in excess.

I don't know what part of the world YOUR experience comes from, but I've been in groups where people had drugs (albeit soft ones) and alcohol to a considerable degree, and DIDN'T automatically go overboard with them. If you and your kind can't take that kind of responsibility, then DON'T TAKE THEM. Simple as that.

I just SAID that that was with harder drugs than cannabis. But this is my point: soft drugs are fine. And alcohol is fine, BUT some people ARE stupid with them and go on to do stupid things. That's why you shouldn't take too much. that's what Deviant Edge is. That's what I'm arguing. It's also what you're arguing. Ipso facto, we're agreeing with eachother :] We're just not quite understanding eachother.

i think you're both attempting to rationalize a "good" reason to do drugs.

not that i'm saying you're wrong... i just strongly disagree.

then again, it's different for me. if i get high or drunk, i run a high risk of making poor choices (ie. having a one-night stand) or even getting raped. now, i'm not against sex, but i don't know how i'd look at myself in the mirror the next morning having done that. not that i'd expect you guys to understand that feeling, sex-crazed as you claim to be...

Hmmm...no, I can't say I disagree with you there sea. Although, I wouldn't say that Deviant Edge contradicts or negates Straight Edge, it's just that for some people being Straight Edge is the right balance in the circumstances.
I'm saying that it's not ALWAYS the right balance. But going too far into drugs is NEVER the right balance, and so one has to rationalize and find the right balance, playing it safe if uncertain.

i can understand that. i believe that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, even if i disagree. i'm just saying that your philosophy is kind of universally shared amongst most high school students, anyway... but hey, to each his own.

and you guys are arguing the same point. you just disagree on the amount and the definition of moderation.

This is quite possibly true. Well, ten thousand flies can't be wrong, eh?

lemmings.....

[Cuthbert Calculus] No, it is FLIES. You must be mistaken.

[Miles] What kind of car? I have an extremely battered VW golf waiting for me.

[sea] i MEANT... oh, never mind.

[melissa] a 1991 saturn. SL2 i think. white, four doors... yay!!!!

[Dude] Superfly drive, man!