There's a fair amount of discussion on the issue of selling out, reading it got me thinking about why so many people, people in influential bands who inspired edge kids to keep moving forward end up selling out, sometimes not more than months after the band they were in breaks up. I think one of the reasons for this is that being in a band or being constantly associated with other edge people it becomes a lot easier to be straight edge. Once that safety net is gone, when they're not around edge people all the time or not consumed with music and touring its pretty easy to slip up, to fall back on old habits.
There isn't anything wrong with having a lot of straight edge friends, but i also think its important to separate yourself from the pack so that when push comes to shove you have a backbone that can stand up to temptation. Personally, i hardly ever associate with other straight edgers, not because i don't want to, but because i feel the scene in Toronto is too much like a high school social scene. I go to shows and enjoy the music as much as anyone else, i just have no interest or motivation to really get to know a lot of people, especially because it seems so exclusive. The edge people i do know are in the same boat as me and seem to be pretty sincere about holding onto the ideals they profess to today, tomorrow.
The bottom line to all this is you've gotta do things for yourself, who cares what the world thinks, what your friends think, or what other kids involved with hardcore think. If your doing things for yourself and no one else that's as punk as you can be and its what makes the edge special to those of us who think it can make this world a better place
In light of this i was inspired to dig up the most famous song regarding this topic and one that still says it better than anyone has since.
"Straight Edge" By Minor Threat
I'm a person just like you but i've got better things to do then sit around and fuck my head hang out with the living dead snort white shit up my nose pass out at the shows i don't even think about speed thats something i just don't need i've got the straight edge i'm a person just like you but i've got better things to do then sit around and smoke dope cause i know that i can cope laugh at the thought of eating ludes laugh at the thought of sniffing glue always gonna keep in touch never want to use a crutch i've got the straight edge i've got the straight edge
8 comments:
when did this book come out? i never heard of it. where can i get a copy?
I'm pretty sure it came out last fall. I got mine at B9store.com but they seem to be out of them now, i think amazon might have them or even revhq.com.
Is it a good book as it doesn't emphasise on straight edge gangs and all that crap?
It touches on the clash between masculinity and the progressive values that are prevelant in straight edge. So it talks about "brotherhood" and the "Courage Crew" and some of the more violent outbreaks involving straight edgers. It deosn't emphasise gangs though, he just talks about them where its neccessary.
I've wanted to check out this book for a while, but I keep putting it off...thinking that it will be a dry read...
It's dry at some points, when its focusing on some of the sociological stuff pertaining to subcultures and social movements. Alot of the book is the author giving his personal account as well as others that he interviewed as part of his study. If your interested in looking at what straight edge has become and what it has the potential to be, you'll learn alot.
I guess I just have to pick this one up
I've got my hands on a copy and am going to read it as soon as I've finished up the pile of books that are still on my shelf.
Post a Comment