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Straight Edge Subculture (sXe) The straight edge subculture is a clean lifestyle movement born in a "just say no" era, which has received little attention since
Submitted by Megan1536 on November 30, 2005
Category: Social Issues
Words: 1995 | Pages: 8
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The straight edge subculture is a clean lifestyle movement born in a "just say no" era, which has received little attention since its origination in the 1980's. Subcultures, like social movements, engage in conflict over cultural reproduction, social integration, and socialization; they are often especially concerned with the quality of life, self-realization, and identity formation (Habermas 1984-87; Buechler 1995). The basic definition was created during this time in a hardcore-punk song of the Washington, DC, band Minor Threat. Ian Mackaye, the lead singer, wrote a song about living a life without drugs - the song "Straight Edge" included the six legendary words "don't drink, don't smoke, don't fuck" and this gave a name to a new movement amongst the youth of that time and preserved its fascination and attitude up to the new millennium (Irwin 1999).
The importance of their song, "Straight Edge" was not only that it was the first time the term was used, but also that it epitomized the movement by encompassing many of its philosophies. The first two lines of the first and second verse, "I'm a person just like you, But I've got better things to do," manifests that unlike previous punk ethics which called from a huge revolution, the straight edger emphasized the individual. Instead of a call for a revelation, they preferred to improve on what they already had. The movement's prominence lied within individual factors and choices. They lyrics of "Straight Edge" enforced the self-critical view of the straight edgers and their longing for purity as a human.
The late 1970's and early 1980's held major frustration in the punk scene worldwide because it was mostly about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, and participants got intoxicated or stoned at every opportunity they had. This began to break down the solid foundation of the strengthening of political power among individuals that created the punk scene. People realized that being "punk" was becoming a...
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