Cultural aspects of abstinence in comparison of two alcohol-free communities
Abstract
Although the culture of recovery can be opposed to the culture of substance use, abstinence is not exclusively linked to the intention to recover. The most widely known example of a recovery culture is Alcoholics Anonymous (or AA community), while within the hardcore music scene known as Straight Edge, abstinence is imbued with meaning as part of a subcultural organisation. Despite their different structures, there are similarities between the two communities: abstinence is a value commitment, based on voluntarism, and has identity-forming power. At the same time, the differences are striking: while Alcoholics Anonymous advocates abstinence as a means of combating active addiction, and the intention to recover is the sole and overriding bond between ‘members’, Straight Edge views abstinence as a criticism of consumer culture, overconsumption and entertainment alternatives, alongside other positions on social issues.
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