please answer my questions if time

Im doiing an essay on straight edge on how straight edge has changed from the 80s to now and how the internet plays a big part...
I am really interested in the straight edge culture, do you mind answering a few questions for me?

whats your name/where are you from/how old are you?

so what made you turn straight edge?
was there one moment where you realised you wanted to live your life under those rules?

is there a certain dress code? if so what?

are all your friends straight edge?
if no does that cause problems?

is there anything you dislike about the straight edge lifestyle...anything at all?

Do you also follow the beliefs of hare krishna?

do you listen to other music other than straight edge?

do you go to gigs alot?
if so where?

how do you think straight edge as a movement has changed through the years?

do you speak to people alot about straight edge through the internet?

have you made friends through straight edge websites?

what do you get out of being part of a straight edge community online?

do you know more people online who are straight edge or in person?

as much info as poss would be wicked! thanks so much!

Student from Bournemouth
Erin Welch

X

What made you do an essay on this topic and what is your knowledge/involvement in straight edge? Are you just here to get answers for your paper or are you going to be part of the forum and community?

not at all, im 21, im at bournemouth arts college, im studying Graphic Design in my last year. i read a book by Eleanor Henderson called Ten Thousand Saints which is based upon straight edge and coming of age and finding yoruself, so i decided to look further into your subculture because it intrigues me and have based my dissertation essay on straight edge. all I am asking for is your help to understand more specifically the polotics of straight edge and what it means to certain people. like yourself, I wanted to include more personal extracts in my essay to get to the heart, I mean iv researchched all all about the history but i wanted to speak to someone about it now. well im part of the forum now so yes im part of the community. If you dont want to help then fair enough but I dont really see why you would'nt.

I'll give it a shot for you... my answers below :)

whats your name/where are you from/how old are you?
Matt C, Central NJ (Jersey Shore), USA - 25 years old

so what made you turn straight edge?
I learned about the lifestyle when I was in middle school (12-13 years old) from friends and music, after learning all that I could within the next few years, I was a Freshman in highschool by this time and had started to see the effects of drugs, alcohol and promiscuity. Between friends experimenting, friend's (and my girlfriend at the time) dysfunctional families due to these poisons, as well as a family member of my own who was currently incarcerated due to drug abuse. At this time I had chosen that this is the lifestyle for me.
was there one moment where you realised you wanted to live your life under those rules?
It wasn't a specific moment for me, it was a decisions I made over time while experiencing the effects of not having self-control.

is there a certain dress code? if so what?
No, but don't be surprised to see Straight Edge people sporting sXe gear :)

are all your friends straight edge?
I only have 1 friend who actually was able to stay true over all these years.
if no does that cause problems?
Not at all, I don't do it for other's, I do it for me. Do I worry sometimes about my closer friends who do drink and do drugs? Yes, but it's their life, their choice.

is there anything you dislike about the straight edge lifestyle...anything at all?
Not about the lifestyle itself, but about how others sometime perceive it. (Police thinking it's a gang, non-sXe people giving me sh!t for being sXe, etc.)

Do you also follow the beliefs of hare krishna?
No, I am not a very religious/spiritual kind of person

do you listen to other music other than straight edge?
Of course, some of my favorite bands are DEFINITELY not Straight Edge! (I.E. Leftover Crack, Star Fu*king Hipsters, Reel Big Fish, etc.)

do you go to gigs alot?
Not so much anymore, but I used to when I was younger.
if so where?
The older venue's that were here in New Jersey like Birch Hill, Club Krome, the Fastlanes, a lot of local VFW, American Legion and Knights of Columbus halls. Some of the still running venue's that I go to include Asbury Lanes, The Saint, The Stone Pony, Convention Hall and Starland Ballroom.

how do you think straight edge as a movement has changed through the years?
It definitely has changed with the times, which there is nothing wrong with, but the core values to me are still the same as they always have been. The most obvious changes would be the change within the music scene I would say. I feel that the music scene is not anywhere near as good as it used to be, at least in my area. Another big change is that more things tend to be accepted in today's society than before, like tattoo's, hair styles, piercings and clothing styles.

do you speak to people alot about straight edge through the internet?
Not usually, once in a while it will come up in a conversation, but that's why I come to www.sxe.com, to speak with like minded people who share this lifestyle with me.

have you made friends through straight edge websites?
Not particularly.

what do you get out of being part of a straight edge community online?
The ability to speak with other's who share my belief's, and get their opinions on personal and public matters.

do you know more people online who are straight edge or in person?
If you count the user's of this forum, online.


Hope that helps you out! Good luck with your paper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ERIN777

not at all, im 21, im at bournemouth arts college, im studying Graphic Design in my last year. i read a book by Eleanor Henderson called Ten Thousand Saints which is based upon straight edge and coming of age and finding yoruself, so i decided to look further into your subculture because it intrigues me and have based my dissertation essay on straight edge. all I am asking for is your help to understand more specifically the polotics of straight edge and what it means to certain people. like yourself, I wanted to include more personal extracts in my essay to get to the heart, I mean iv researchched all all about the history but i wanted to speak to someone about it now. well im part of the forum now so yes im part of the community. If you dont want to help then fair enough but I dont really see why you would'nt.

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im gonna say that it's not because he doesnt want to help, but in the years i've been a part of this website, we've had a lot of kids with practically the same questions as you, doing an essay, paper, thesis, presentation or note for newspapers that come, ask for our kind help, we answer and never ever see em again. like, ever!

and, even though, you may be different and may want to stay, our experience shows that most of the people who come here to ask the questions, just leave and never come back. and that's totally not cool, because we're people and it sucks when people only care of what they need, and once that need no longer exists they just move on to something else.

hope that's kind of clear, i made a mess in my mind trying to figure out the wording.

When I get back to my home computer, I'll answer these questions thoroughly.

But -- can we make a thread specifically for people who are doing essays/thesis papers on straightedge/subcultures? I feel like we're answering the same questions over and over every three months or so...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rodrigo

im gonna say that it's not because he doesnt want to help, but in the years i've been a part of this website, we've had a lot of kids with practically the same questions as you, doing an essay, paper, thesis, presentation or note for newspapers that come, ask for our kind help, we answer and never ever see em again. like, ever!

and, even though, you may be different and may want to stay, our experience shows that most of the people who come here to ask the questions, just leave and never come back. and that's totally not cool, because we're people and it sucks when people only care of what they need, and once that need no longer exists they just move on to something else.

hope that's kind of clear, i made a mess in my mind trying to figure out the wording.

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I understand its boring and generic...but surely you would take pride in the fact people are intrigued about your lifestyle. regardless on what lifestyle you lead whether straight edge or not i was just asking for a favour, its just being a good person by helping me out. anyways they were only a few simple questions but luckily theres people like matty c willing to take 5 mins of there day to make me a little bit wiser to what im talking about. and I do get where your coming from and i apparciate your honesty with how you feel about me asking questions. The whole point in a forum is to share information esp as were from two different countries. you are able to talk to people you wouldnt get a chance to in your everyday life. well im part of the sight i mean im not straight edge but im still interested in talk to people who are completely different to me.

happy new year.

Carla! im handing in tomorrow so dont worry but thankyou for your time. sorry for clogging up your thread

and MATTY C. thankyou so much for taking the time to inform about your history of straight edge i can now include this in my essay informing people correctly about what it is like to bo straight edge! your the man. keep smiling
thanks again. Erin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CarlaRant

When I get back to my home computer, I'll answer these questions thoroughly.

But -- can we make a thread specifically for people who are doing essays/thesis papers on straightedge/subcultures? I feel like we're answering the same questions over and over every three months or so...

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there's a search function if people wanted to use it. or even just extend the amount of time, they'll all in the questions sub-forum.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ERIN777

I understand its boring and generic...but surely you would take pride in the fact people are intrigued about your lifestyle. regardless on what lifestyle you lead whether straight edge or not i was just asking for a favour, its just being a good person by helping me out. anyways they were only a few simple questions but luckily theres people like matty c willing to take 5 mins of there day to make me a little bit wiser to what im talking about. and I do get where your coming from and i apparciate your honesty with how you feel about me asking questions. The whole point in a forum is to share information esp as were from two different countries. you are able to talk to people you wouldnt get a chance to in your everyday life. well im part of the sight i mean im not straight edge but im still interested in talk to people who are completely different to me.

happy new year.

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you probably already left to never come back, but i'm going to answer anyway

i dont think you got the point, everything your post talks about is about yourself and what you like and what you need. if the point of a message board is to help communication, for healthy communication both sides have to have an interaction bigger than you just taking the answers you need for a test from me or any kid on the message board. that's using people. and it's totes not cool.

that's the issue here.

oh, and by the by, implying i'm a bad person for not helping you out? that ain't cool either. cause i'm giving you life advice c:

We´d better not write somebody off on assumptions of how that person will or will not contribute to the forum.
Besides, I do think it´s completely alright to ask questions without first offering something, as long as you are honest with what you are doing; writing an essay etc.

A specific thread, or referring to suitable links on the forum, when people ask for info is a good idea though!

Happy new year and success with your essay!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by indestructible

We´d better not write somebody off on assumptions of how that person will or will not contribute to the forum.
Besides, I do think it´s completely alright to ask questions without first offering something, as long as you are honest with what you are doing; writing an essay etc.

A specific thread, or referring to suitable links on the forum, when people ask for info is a good idea though!

Happy new year and success with your essay!

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there isn't any point to the interaction if it's one sided. If someone just wants to come, ask questions that others have already, and not contribute anything afterwards the benefits is only to the person asking the question. Why would/should anyone respond to the questions in that instance?

There's a search function, that works quite well is people wanted to use it.

Is anyone else annoyed that Erin posted these questions only two days before needing to hand in the paper? No? Then it must be the teacher side of me....ha-ha!