explanation of why i dont use drugs, taken from my gchat with mira gonzalez. im mostly posting this so i can easily refer people to it later. for an explanation of why i started using the label “straight edge” publicly, see this short essay

ive decided i wil start using the term “straight edge” to describe my position toward drugs/alcohol. i have basicly lived a straight edge lief before this, but i never felt the label was needed. increasingly i feel that using the label will give voice to a part of my beliefs that i think is valuable and overlooked

much of alt lit romanticizes drug use, to the point that i think for many people, getting into alt lit means geting into drugs. while that may be a helpful path for some, i’d like to provide a counter-example as someone who choses a diferent way

my reasons for abstaining of drug/alcohol are prety simple, i perceive them as forms of instant gratfication that, while not always negative, can easily go too far and harm you rather than boost you.. its expensive, its often unhealthy, and it often leads to poor decisions.. two people in the last week have told me they fricked up a close friendship because of their actions while drunk. its nothing dramatic to me, but it feels like a distraction that i dont want. without drugs i feel that i experence my lief directly and clearly and completely, and i put my time/resources into things i care about more

have i truely become the opposite pole to my hero tao lin? seems ok for that to happen.. i want non-drug-useing kids to feel at home in this comunity, and not feel pressured to use drugs to fit in the community

you can live a boosted lief without relying on boosting substances.. if you pay attention to your breathing for a bit—or hug a friend—or write a new poem—those things wil boost you too, and they are free and healthy and sustainable for the rest of your lief

thank you very much

straight edge alt lit rise up