Sraight Edge

One subculture that I've always been interested in, but not a part of, is the straightedge culture. The most basic rules to being straightedge is abstaining from alcohol and drug use, and recreational sex, meaning anything outside of a close relationship. Some go even as far as not ingesting drugs as acceptable as caffeine and over the counter painkillers. The initial reaction to people who live like this is might be to label them as losers, or boring, uninteresting people. Some of them are actually the craziest, most intellectual, hardcore, or otherwise most interesting people you will ever meet. I think that this just goes to show that alcohol should not be held nearly as high as it is in our society.
However, I think a lot of people who call themselves straightedge, instead of looking at is simply a personal choice, do hold themselves higher than others who partake in alcohol/drug use/ recreational sex, or some combination of the three. I don't really have any direct experience in the straightedge culture aside from having a couple of friends who consider themselves straightedge, but it seems that there is a division between these pseudo-elitist straightedge kids and real straight-edge kids who do it out of respect for their bodies instead of trying to be different, unique, hip, or whatever you want to call it.
The most interesting aspect of this culture, I think, is that instead of being based around doing something, it is based around NOT doing something. But that something is such a basic part of out society is so accepted that removing oneself from it becomes a subculture in itself. Also interesting is that there are people that are members of this subculture who I don't even think realize they are members of it or the depth of it, because being straightedge is only one aspect of some subcultures. For example, the track star who doesn't do drugs or drink to advance his performance in his sport - I believe sports, especially track, to be subcultures themselves - is straightedge but might not identify himself as such, but rather as a runner. The devout Buddhist, who believes that alcohol, drugs, and lust only get in the way of developing, nurturing and understanding the human mind, identifies more closely with his devotion to his religion than his abstinence from intoxicants that get in the way. Maybe what I'm trying to say with all of this is that being straightedge shouldn't be the defining characteristic of one's identity, but rather a supplement to it, a means to advance it.
On an ending note, another strange thing I've found with the straightedge culture, and I'm not sure if this is completely uniform amongst them, is the acceptance of tattoos. It seems like tattoos poison your body more than a lot of things that straightedge people oppose, yet many of them have tattoos, some even displaying the sign of straightedge, a big X. To me, this seems ridiculously hypocritical. Tattoos put you at risk for infection, hepatitis, and all sorts of other diseases. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way in disagreeance with tattoos, but it seems awfully ironic to get ink injected underneath your skin as a means of displaying your refusal to partake in alcohol and drug ("poison") use.

By the way, if anyone reads this who is straight-edge, I would really appreciate some feedback. Or even if you're not.