WHY KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS AND HARDCORE PUNK?
One reason is that the phenomena arose more specifically from a branch within the hardcore scene known as ‘Straight-edge’. Straight-edge was something that also arose incidentally when Washington D.C. band ‘Minor Threat’ expounded a philosophy and way of life which was free of addiction to alcohol, drugs and promiscuous sex, in order to be able to think freely and live without vices that ultimately destroy us. When the song was penned by Ian MacKaye in the early 80’s it was simply a personal philosophy, which later became a whole genre of music, fashion and lifestyle, sometimes to the detriment of the original meaning of ‘straight-edge’. They wore black painted X’s on the back of their hands to show their allegiance to the cause, and sadly, some people became militant and sometimes violent towards people who didn’t follow their rules. Nevertheless, despite the culture’s shortcomings, many people saw sense in living drug-free, and soon to follow was the logic in being free of other vice
