Straight Edge?

[Evil Chris]

Today is the first time I ever heard of this particular "lifestyle"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_edge

Are they just another group of freaky weird people?

I don't understand why people feel the need to associate themselves with any kind of "way of life" anyhow. I don't have to dress a certain way, listen to a particular kind of music, or get tats, or have my hair done in any specific type of fashion to be me.

[DonMike]

I think people, in general, like to feel like they belong to something. Especially if you grow up in an area where you are the only person like you. And you do have a point, you don't have to get tatts or piercings to be you, but if you like tatts and piercings then that's what makes you, well, you. It's all the people that really want these things deep down yet think, "I'd love to do that but it just wouldn't be me" that is really sad. If you want to be something but you are holding yourself back because you worry what other people will think of you then you are not living to your full potential.

I mean, I've had a mohawk on and off for years. I just happen to really like them and I like having them. I've had them when they were totally out of style and people thought I was wierd, I had them when they were all in style and people thought I was a poseur and I had them when they had just got out of style and people thought I was just unhip. And the best thing about all that is that I didn't care. I'll be an 80 year old fart talking about how great punk music was when people actually played real instruments instead of computer enhanced holograms or some crap like that and I'll still have a hawk. I'll probably have to hire some hunky young male nurse to spike it up for me, but I'll still have one (providing I still have hair, that is).