Straight Edge is a more philosophical offshoot of the punk movement, a reaction to the hedonism and self-destruction that characterised punk. The basic tenet of the philosophy centers around the issue of self-control. The goal is to regain as much personal control over your own life as possible. sXe is the only youth counter-culture to actively discourage drug use, alcohol use, and casual sex. [2] [12]

Straight edge is a lifestyle centred around personal development and well being, while encouraging fun and togetherness. sXe is not just about being into contemporary punk music acts and being against drugs. It goes deeper than this. The movement wishes to attract people away from dependency lifestyles centred around drug habits (legal or illegal) and unhealthy and exploitative eating and general living habits common in modern cultures. sXe is not dogmatic, there are no hard rules, these are for you to decide. Nobody should dictate like the police, or preach an ideology like the church or state. [15]
The term itself is believed to have been coined by the band Minor Threat of the punk rock/hardcore scene in the early '80s. Their singer Ian MacKaye eschewed the nihilistic tendencies of punk rock, promoting instead the simple (almost simplistic) philosophy of "don't drink/don't smoke/ don't fuck." [4]

Out of Step (with the world)
by Minor Threat, 1981 [3]

(I) Don't smoke
Don't drink
Don't fuck
At least I can fucking think

I can't keep up
Can't keep up
Can't keep up
Out of step with the world

In the years since the demise of Minor Threat, these simple beliefs have transformed the minds of scores of teens worldwide. Increasingly disenchanted with societal ills, young men and women adopt the straight-edge doctrine as a blueprint to better first themselves, and then the world in which they live. While the original definition of straight-edge only included the rejection of mind altering substances and promiscuous sex, modern interpretations include a vegetarian (or vegan) diet and an increasing involvement and awareness of environmental and political issues. [4]

On 15 Sep 1997 Andy Dempz <adempz@umich!edu> wrote: "Well... [Ian] might be credited with starting it, but he's made it abundantly clear he doesn't care for what's it turned into. Read old Minor Threat interviews, i bet most Earth Crisis fans would be shocked to hear him say 'it doesn't mean never drink a beer...' Besides, after watching every "hero" since then fall, from SSD to Youth of Today to today's flavor of the month, i think worrying about some stranger's lifestyle in regards to your own is a little silly. I do this for me, no one else."

On 17 Sep 1997 Andy Dempz <adempz@umich!edu> wrote:
"I mean gees, just listen to what he mumbles in the middle of Out of Step, 'there's no set of rules, i'm just bringing up three things that are like so important to the whole world... whether they're fuckin, or whether they're playing golf.' So maybe golf isn't sxe!"

From a Minor Threat interview in Touch & Go zine: "Ian: Like Straight Edge, people have taken it to an extreme...as far as i'm concerned all we did was put out an idea... if people wanna hear it as preaching if that's what they want. Straight edge to me is someone who is alert enough to benefit from what he or she is doing...

"Lyle: the drug and alcohol is only one side of it anyway, it's a lot more than that, there are other things that can sidetrack you...

"Ian: That's what "don't Fuck" means... alot of people think that to be straight edge you can't drink, smoke, or have sex and that's silly... what the don't fuck thing is that the whole getting laid and getting head thing

"Lyle: living for sex

"Ian: following your penis around is fucking people up more than anything"