The group acted as a militant organization, denouncing all people who did not live the straight edge lifestyle, even those who also abstain from substance abuse, so new members were required to shave their heads, which signified a "new beginning".

[3] A few weeks later, the two began shaving the heads of (planted) fans in the audience who wished to follow the straight edge lifestyle, demonstrating a "new beginning" for their lives.

[6] Punk would interrupt many events in an attempt to recruit members to The Straight Edge Society, starting from the Royal Rumble, where he would preach while eliminating Dolph Ziggler, Evan Bourne, JTG, Beth Phoenix, and Zack Ryder, even though he was ultimately eliminated from the speaking platform by Triple H, whom he had tried to convert previously and who had espoused that he too avoided drugs, smoke, and alcohol, but he did not think it was right to be preaching like Punk was doing.

[7][8] A few weeks later, Young became fascinated with The Straight Edge Society and decided to join them, only to quickly change his mind after finding out he had to shave his head as initiation.

[18] After an ultimatum was set by Kane to show Punk's innocence concerning a recent attack on The Undertaker, Serena showed security camera footage of herself breaking edge by drinking at a bar with an unknown man on the same night The Undertaker had been attacked, only for the other Straight Edge Society members to arrive on the scene and angrily trash the place.

[19] Despite facing expulsion from The Straight Edge Society, Serena was forgiven by Punk after she told him she showed the video to protect him from Kane, promising to never break the code again.

[24] On the September 3 episode of SmackDown, after losing a handicap match to Big Show, a visibly frustrated Punk executed a Go to Sleep to Gallows and left the ring.