I have always disagreed with the Straight Edge philosophy. I’ve thought about it, and I can understand why they believe it. It makes sense in a way, be unfettered, don’t have your mind clouded with chemicals. And it is true that drugs can have detrimental effects in people’s lives. However I don’t believe that is a reason to avoid them completely.
Drugs are a part of this reality. They grow upon this earth, and when you ingest them they don’t kill you, they give you ideas. (Here I’m talking about “natural” drugs such as marijuana, shrooms, or DMT). I don’t believe that people should simply ignore something that is naturally a part of life on this planet as if it’s the devil. Why close yourself off to new experiences? Because they are harmful? It seems to me that the harmful use of drugs are the exception and not the rule, and that the harm comes from irresponsible or excessive use. Drugs certainly aren’t intrinsically harmful. And when are SXE people going to realize that everything they put into their bodies contains chemicals that alter their minds? Oh they’ll eat portobello mushrooms but not psilocybin mushrooms. Well what’s the difference between them? Both were created by natural evolution (or intelligent design, or both), both can be found growing in the wild, and animals eat both of them. Well the government designated one of them as an illegal substance, so naturally those SXE counterculture rebels wont touch them. Fight the power noobs!
The worst part about SXE is it seems to go hand in hand with open-minded liberal theory, but they’re so closed-minded. Everyone they disagree with is just wrong, or a fascist. And to them, people who do drugs are idiots with nothing worthwhile to say. I’ll bet SXE people take plenty of prescription drugs though (to me that seems a tad hypocritical). Where does one draw the line between a “good” drug and a “bad” drug?
I don’t want this to sound too much like an angry rant, so let me just say that I have met plenty of good natured intelligent straight edge people. But I’ve also met a lot who are just completely insane assholes. It is the latter type I am deriding, although I do disagree with the philosophy in general. If anyone disagrees with something I’ve said here, I invite you to leave a comment. I always welcome a good discussion.
