Straight Edge saved my life. My depraved, decrepit, degenerative, dope fiend life…
Waking up, breathing normal, head clear and calm. I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything.
I used to be sub-human. Functioning only on the promise of obtaining, doing and purging drugs and alcohol from my system. The other end of the punk rock/hardcore spectrum.
As most of you who read me know; I maxed that shit out.
Change the record. Overdose, heart attacks, mental institutions, hospitals and jails.
If it weren’t for what Ian MacKaye started in 1981, I’d be dead. I have no doubt about that. It was my decision to take care of myself, perfect myself; that sobered me up. Not a soft cushion in a rehab center on the beach, not Jesus in an NA/AA meeting. But the sole concept of clean living. To max out my existence in a positive way.
For those of you familiar with what Straight Edge is and it’s founder, here is a brief (and mostly accurate), overview:
“The song “Straight Edge” was written by MacKaye for his band, Minor Threat and was released in 1981 on Minor Threat’s self-titled EP. It was a song that described his personal life free of the “drugs” and the self-destructive idea of “sex as a conquest” which served as a part of the “sex, drugs and rock’n roll” banner originating as a rebellion in the 1960s--smoking, drinking, and drug use. The song came about through MacKaye witnessing his friends abusing alcohol/drugs and acting reckless. He decided early on that it was not the lifestyle for him, having never fit in with it. MacKaye’s main goal was to fight against the people around him that abused substances.[21] His decision to abstain from substances began to influence youth culture as Minor Threat gained popularity through numerous live shows and through sales of the song on their EP. Although to MacKaye the song did not represent a philosophy or a movement, over time people adopted the philosophy of the song and many bands began to label themselves straight edge, founding the straight edge movement. Although straight edge is not explicitly supportive of vegetarianism, MacKaye has stated that he is a vegetarian because he regards it as a logical progression of his straight edge views.[22] He follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet.[23][24]
Although “Straight Edge” gets the most attention, MacKaye wrote other songs with Minor Threat describing his clean lifestyle as well, most notably “Out of Step (With the World),” in which he said “I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I don’t fuck. At least I can fucking think.” “In My Eyes” is also at least partially about his philosophies, with lines such as “You tell me it calms your nerves; you just think it looks cool.”
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_MacKaye
It was this way of thinking that allowed me to let myself get clean, and not feel like a “pussy”.
I had used drugs and alcohol to hide myself and project myself as Betty Bad-Ass for forever and felt like if I went sober, what would I stand behind? How would I not look like a wilting daisy?
When in reality, I was the wilting daisy. The pretty flower destroying herself one day at a time… I looked like a weak, sad sack of shit.
Dropping the dope and standing tall, clean and sober made me stronger. Standing with a group of other people with the clean living mindset and punk rock attitude gave me the strength to clean up and feel secure.
I’ll always promote the clean living lifestyle for myself. It’s given me the life I have always wanted and saved me from being six feet under.
I won’t jam it down anyone’s throat, but think it’s the best way to live.
I support anyone’s decision to adapt to the lifestyle. To start really living, thriving and taking care of themselves. We only live once, why waste it, wasting away?
Death Before Dishonor. XXX
Buy Hi, Have You Met Me? on Amazon today! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B009W1M
Check out the blog on it's home site @
www.hihaveyoumetme.com for previous writings and more.
Don’t forget to stalk me further at https://twitter.com/#!/hihaveyoumetme orhttp://www.facebook.com/authorkatemonahan
Waking up, breathing normal, head clear and calm. I wouldn’t trade that feeling for anything.
I used to be sub-human. Functioning only on the promise of obtaining, doing and purging drugs and alcohol from my system. The other end of the punk rock/hardcore spectrum.
As most of you who read me know; I maxed that shit out.
Change the record. Overdose, heart attacks, mental institutions, hospitals and jails.
If it weren’t for what Ian MacKaye started in 1981, I’d be dead. I have no doubt about that. It was my decision to take care of myself, perfect myself; that sobered me up. Not a soft cushion in a rehab center on the beach, not Jesus in an NA/AA meeting. But the sole concept of clean living. To max out my existence in a positive way.
For those of you familiar with what Straight Edge is and it’s founder, here is a brief (and mostly accurate), overview:
“The song “Straight Edge” was written by MacKaye for his band, Minor Threat and was released in 1981 on Minor Threat’s self-titled EP. It was a song that described his personal life free of the “drugs” and the self-destructive idea of “sex as a conquest” which served as a part of the “sex, drugs and rock’n roll” banner originating as a rebellion in the 1960s--smoking, drinking, and drug use. The song came about through MacKaye witnessing his friends abusing alcohol/drugs and acting reckless. He decided early on that it was not the lifestyle for him, having never fit in with it. MacKaye’s main goal was to fight against the people around him that abused substances.[21] His decision to abstain from substances began to influence youth culture as Minor Threat gained popularity through numerous live shows and through sales of the song on their EP. Although to MacKaye the song did not represent a philosophy or a movement, over time people adopted the philosophy of the song and many bands began to label themselves straight edge, founding the straight edge movement. Although straight edge is not explicitly supportive of vegetarianism, MacKaye has stated that he is a vegetarian because he regards it as a logical progression of his straight edge views.[22] He follows a strict vegetarian or vegan diet.[23][24]
Although “Straight Edge” gets the most attention, MacKaye wrote other songs with Minor Threat describing his clean lifestyle as well, most notably “Out of Step (With the World),” in which he said “I don’t smoke. I don’t drink. I don’t fuck. At least I can fucking think.” “In My Eyes” is also at least partially about his philosophies, with lines such as “You tell me it calms your nerves; you just think it looks cool.”
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_MacKaye
It was this way of thinking that allowed me to let myself get clean, and not feel like a “pussy”.
I had used drugs and alcohol to hide myself and project myself as Betty Bad-Ass for forever and felt like if I went sober, what would I stand behind? How would I not look like a wilting daisy?
When in reality, I was the wilting daisy. The pretty flower destroying herself one day at a time… I looked like a weak, sad sack of shit.
Dropping the dope and standing tall, clean and sober made me stronger. Standing with a group of other people with the clean living mindset and punk rock attitude gave me the strength to clean up and feel secure.
I’ll always promote the clean living lifestyle for myself. It’s given me the life I have always wanted and saved me from being six feet under.
I won’t jam it down anyone’s throat, but think it’s the best way to live.
I support anyone’s decision to adapt to the lifestyle. To start really living, thriving and taking care of themselves. We only live once, why waste it, wasting away?
Death Before Dishonor. XXX
Buy Hi, Have You Met Me? on Amazon today! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B009W1M
Check out the blog on it's home site @
www.hihaveyoumetme.com for previous writings and more.
Don’t forget to stalk me further at https://twitter.com/#!/hihaveyoumetme orhttp://www.facebook.com/authorkatemonahan