Subculture of Self-restraint among Russian Youth: Motivation and Lifestyle (Example of Straight Edge)

The difference between generations exists due to differences in the time of socialization, and, on the contrary, itself generates changes in society. It would seem that events that are not too significant from the point of view of the whole history imperceptibly form the values of generations. In all ages, young people want to be different from their parents, and therefore the study of youth subcultures is in some way an "eternal" problem. The generation of Millenials (1985 - 2003) has serious problems with self-identification, but at the same time, this generation is much less likely to consume alcohol or tobacco - the gap is 25% compared to a small percentage for other generations. Probably, there is a social community in society that restricts from alcohol, nicotine and drugs? What are the chances that young people refuse to drink alcohol because of the influence of protest views of their peers, which becomes the basis of their solidarity? This study is devoted to the youth subculture "Straight Edge", or "sXe", originated from the punk culture, which is inextricably linked with the hardcore scene and promotes the rejection of any psychoactive substances - drugs, nicotine, alcohol; promiscuity, junk food, and in some cases, promotes veganism and prolife views. In the course of the study 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted, the analysis of which revealed the presence of a potentially important variable for future research in this field. It determines the orientation of the Straight Edgers for personal development within the framework of certain norms and values, or for the development of the subculture and music scene by complying to norms and personal participation in certain types of activities. This parameter can be key for analysis of various practices of consuming food, goods and services by members of the Straight Edge subculture.