Lexicon:Straight Edge
Even after 20+ years since the name was coined, Straight Edge continues to be one of the most controversial sub-cultures and ideas that have been derived from Punk Rock.
What Is Straight Edge?
Well.... that's a tough one, son.
What's with all the Xs? Do you all really like Porn?
Uh, no.
Do Straight Edgers beat up non-Straight Edgers?
Just like any sub-culture, there are going to be total fools that miss the entire point of what the sub-culture is about. These people have no heart, conviction, or honor (yet sing along to the atrocious amount of SxE hardcore songs about those subjects), and are only trying to prove how "cool" and "hip" they are. You should discount these people completely (or take the high road and try to educate them, which is VERY preferrable, but harder), whether you are Straight Edge or not. They will not stick with it.
Different Kids of Straight Edge?
This is going to be the most controversial part of this whole section by far...
Most people consider there to be one kind of Straight Edge. This one kind is drasticly different than what the idea was in the beginning (as all ideas are). So I have broken this down into two sections, or the two theories/ideologies behind Straight Edge. The first is the most common, well known type which I will call the "3 Rules". The second, I will just simply not call it by anything but Straight Edge.
The 3 Rules.
Simply put, the 3 rules idea of Straight Edge is focused almost solely and squarely upon 3 things that are mentioned in the song "Out Of Step" by the late, great Washington DC hardcore band Minor Threat. The three rules are as follows:
-
Don't Smoke. This is talking about cigarettes, but logically flows to related things like cigars, chewing tobacco, etc...
Don't drink. Focusing on alcohol (of course, no one is going to swear off water) due to the high focus on alcohol not only as a rite of passage from childhood, but as a social interaction device throughout life and a frequent target of peer pressure.
Don't Fuck. When this is being explained, it frequently comes up to translate as "No promiscuous sex", as opposed to total abstinence.