Straight Edge

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

I never knew about "Straight Edge" Current mood: content Category: Life A young friend recently shared with me his decision to adhere to the "straight edge" lifestyle. Naturally, as an old man in the sunset of his life, I didn't have the foggiest freaking idea what this meant. I've learned there are a great many things about which I am totally clueless, and it is better to ask than pretend I am hip. Nothing about me is hip. The straight edge lifestyle apparently originated in the world of punk – another lifestyle and music I don't know nuthin' about. As I am wont to do, I researched the matter through the ultimate authority on all things: Wikipedia. Under the heading "straight edge," Wikipedia defines the life as follows: "Straight edge refers to a lifestyle and scene that started within the hardcore punk subculture whose adherents abstain from alcohol, smoking, and other recreational drug use. There is considerable debate over what constitutes a straight edge lifestyle, and some adherents may also abstain from caffeine, psychiatric medication and promiscuity, or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. The term was coined by the 1980s hardcore band Minor Threat."...The letter "X" is the most prevalent symbol of straight edge." After perusing the article in Wikipedia, I concluded the young folks who choose this lifestyle generally give up such potentially harmful substances as drugs, alcohol and tobacco. In addition, many also choose to avoid promiscuity. Heaven help those who give up caffeine and meat. We might as well be cattle and eat grass. I don't know why young people choose this lifestyle. Maybe they want to be healthier. Perhaps they are tired of getting into trouble for the dumb stunts that generally follow abuse of some of the above mentioned vices. It is possible it is nothing more than something trippy to do for a change. I write as one who has abused everything from television to slot machines on a cruise ship, as well as every edible and/or drinkable substance known to man. Given the opportunity, I'm going to use and do the crap out of anything. I will abuse, drink or eat up anything that is even remotely fun, exciting, mood or mind altering, will fill me up, give me energy, make me happy, help me sleep, make me nervous, calm me down, make me tall, or change me back to small. If you have any of the items that do this for me, I want all that you have, and I don't want to share it. For me, it is best not to start, because I have no interest in stopping. I'm proud of my new best friend for giving this clean lifestyle a shot. Hope it works well for him. Although I didn't realize it at the time, approximately eight months ago I also decided to be "straight edge." Straight Edge without being hip, that is. I have a hunch that I must be one of the oldest and lamest proponents of the lifestyle. Yet a whole lot of great things have come my way. I'm confident my friend will also experience some of the best days of his life. He will find he has fewer problems, his goals will become clearer, and they will be easier to attain. He won't wake up in the morning with a hangover, perplexed about what happened the night before, or wishing he'd bought more smokes since he is out. Good luck to all of us who decide to give up stimulants, or anything that alters the mind or mood and ultimately make us feel like ass. After all, 12 million Mormons can't be wrong. Also, Happy 34th to my good friend Billy, and Congratulations on making it to 1 to my hero, David. RPH, Esq. N.V.