Straight-Edge is Smug

...or is it?

It is in my area; everyone who says "no" to anything fun walks around with a big old superiority complex. And as far as I've read into the Straight-Edge movement, feeling better than those who indulge is part of the whole.

I believe the party line I heard was "We find that kind of escapism pathetic".

So, I have two questions...

• 1: Is this true? I mean, does being straight-edge mean you have to shun anyone who indulges in chemical stimulation?

• 2: If so...WHY? I get it, you abstain. Likely you're healthier for it, whatever. But must you be so damnably smug about it??

We had this topic about four times in IJBM. I've never even heard of this straight edge stuff offline. Where are they

Apparently they all live in my hometown.

But for serious; they're out there. And apparently they're breeding, because they weren't nearly this big a problem about a decade ago.

Can one be straight-edge without identifying as straight-edge?

That's... weird. But yeah, to be expected from a definition that involves abstinence.

^It's a subset of punk or something, just say you don't do drugs.

edited 19th Jan '11 9:17:45 PM by Tzetze

Yeah I hate that smugness. I mean, honestly abstaining from drinking, drugs, and all that is a perfectly reasonable decision. Harping on those of us who do enjoy getting drunk is just asinine.

@Tzetze Well, that explains everything!

The more the better as far as I know. I think standard aim is something around vegan, no alcohol, no smoking, no drugs? But it varies from person to person.

Are they a subset of hipsters?

What I'm curious about is whether or not the arrogance I've seen in the Straight-Edgers I've met comes standard, or is it just a local flavor?

As I said, I've no beef with people who don't want to do drink, smoke, do drugs or have recreational sex...I just beef rather hard on people who get on my case for doing so.

I didn't know what straight-edge meant at the time when I had that mentality, but I myself was smug at the time. Later, I came to relax a bit. I don't drink or smoke, but now I can understand why people do, and I sympathize with those who have a problem, while not being against responsible drinking.

Nope, punk.

Um, I'm straight edge, and I like to think I'm not smug about it. Like, if a friends texts me or calls me if they're drunk or something, I just ignore them; I don't go off on a rant about how they're pathetic or whatever. I don't have much of a problem with smoking as long as people don't do it around me. As for weed or hard drugs, a lot of the guys I know who do them seem pretty cool when they're sober, but they can be really annoying if it's all they ever talk about.

I think users are a lot more smug than we are. Things like "omg, i got so fuked up last nite lol" constantly show up on my Facebook News Feed, and I'm tempted to say "Hey, nobody cares. Go fuck yourself."

I don't think drinking or smoking is beneath me or anything, I just don't do it because...well, it's bad for you.

Pfft, hipsters are the natural progression from punk.

@Sober Irishman: Hey, I'm a big-time drinker and the people you describe annoy me just as much. If someone starts in with a story about how they were so fucked up this one time, there'd better be a point to it other than "I was so fucked up lol".

So smugness is not a part of your straight-edginess? If so, I wish you were around to educate those who live where I do...

Can one be straight-edge without identifying as straight-edge?

I think I technically am, but I'd rather not be associated with the toolbox I met at UO for it.

I'm fine with people drinking, sexing, etc. as long as they're responsible about it.

Course they very often aren't...

edited 19th Jan '11 9:39:01 PM by Pykrete

Pfft, hipsters are the natural progression from punk.

...hell, that actually makes some sense...

@KCK: There's a vast gulf of difference between sobriety and straight-edge, at least as I see it.

Why do you ask? You like being sober? Or ripping on people for being not sober?

I thought that everybody enjoyed making fun of drunk people.

@Tzetze: there's a difference between making fun of a staggering asshole and lecturing someone for drinking.

I can't tell what's funnier; the fact that I have to explain this shit or the fact that people are asking.

@Drunk Was just curious, that's all. I certainly don't need a label nor do I need to belittle people to validate my choices.

@KCK: Very well then. As I understand it, you ain't straight-edge. You just aren't a substance abuser. Hope that's ok.

@drunkscriblerian: That's good to hear! I've heard some really good "drunk-stories" in my time, but a lot of it is just "I WAS SO DRUNK LOL PAY ATTENTION TO ME".

I try not to be smug, at least! Apparently I've come across that way before. I've had the same on-and-off girlfriend since summer 2009, and she broke up with me again that Christmas because I don't drink or smoke and I was "guilting her" into quitting.

@Tzetze: there's a difference between making fun of a staggering asshole

Yeah, that's what I meant, I guess I'm kind of out of it right now

But I mean, it's kind of hard to make jokes at the expense of someone who drinks without being shitfaced, they're not as funny at all

@Drunk Eh, it's fine.