The “straight edge” movement of the 1980s seems to be back, at least in some corners of American suburbia. With its origins in punk rock and rebellion, straight edge was a fascinating melange: teens embracing abstinence and traditional morality, often with a bit of sanctimony and copious doses of raucous music. The new version may be a bit more tame, which in my view is welcome:

Much like the straight edge youth of today, the concept grew out of frustration with the drinking, drugs and risky behavior associated with being punk. As time went on, rules of acceptable behavior for the straight edge faithful became more and more strict. By the late ’80s some “straight edgers” would condemn others if they weren’t vegetarian, vegan, took certain medications, or drank caffeine. Militant groups of straight edge followers protested for animal rights. A few violent incidents gave straight edge a bad rap, including the alleged firebombing of a McDonald’s in Salt Lake City by straight edgers in the late 1990s. A 1981 song written by Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat is often credited with coining the phrase straight edge. The song titled “Straight Edge” expresses MacKaye’s feeling that he had an “edge” over those who were drunk, high and under the influence. The most common symbol associated with being straight edge is the X, which came about during the 1980 tour of the Teen Idles. When club management realized the band was underage and shouldn’t be allowed in, they agreed to mark their hands with an X so bartenders would know not to serve them. It caught on as a way of expressing straight edge status, and is still commonly used today. Straight edge is often abbreviated using the X symbol, surrounded by the first letters of the words, straight edge — sXe. There have always been and still are contradictions and disagreements about what straight edge means to individuals. Message boards, forums and chat rooms are evidence of the “kind of internal debate about who we are and what does it mean,” Wood said. “Kids today are a lot less concerned with being a part of a movement,” said Wood. “They’re not doing it to change the world. They are doing it to change their own lives. It’s very introspective now. Even the music is called emo or emo core. It’s very personal, introspective, poetic stuff.”

Hey, you take what you can get.