new thread
This morning while I was waiting for my next class at the University, a guy came up to me, shook hands with me as if we knew each other for a long time, and asked me if I would like to go to church with him and his friends. I said, "I'll think about it." Then he asked me how long since I've had a haircut. I just chuckled because I knew what he was getting into. He then asked me if I was a musician. I shook my head. His friend then asked me if I am an artist. I shook my head again while I kept a grin on my face. And then, he finally asked me if I like to hang out at coffee shops. I nodded my head in agreement.
I would like to ask my fellow long haired brothers what were some of the remarks they received from "complete" strangers.
Great topic.
Yep. Get that one a lot. Actually, usually it's phrased, "How long have you been growing your hair?"
Get that one, too. I don't know if living in the "music capital of the world" makes this comment more or less likely.
I don't get this question. However, I do get knowing looks when I volunteer the information.
I've never gotten that one. Do longhairs tend to frequent coffee shops? Does coffee make your hair grow? (just joking of course)
Probably my favorite comment that I get is, "Hey, dude. I love your hair." or similar. This puts a big smile on my face. I also get, "When are you going to cut your hair?" "You need to trim your ends" or "Did you cut your hair?" when I shave (heheh). This one really amazes me but it happens every time. How could they think I just got a haircut when my hair goes down to my butt?
Periodically on 6th Street there are people who sell hair wraps. I think they are always wrapping hair on the drag. A hair wrap, for those of you who don't know, is when a small lock of hair is wrapped with colorful string. They usually charge on the order of $1 per inch. On guy told me that he'd give me one for free just so he could play with long hair.
I have also been asked whether I was wearing hair extentions, as well as specific questions about what shampoo/conditioner I use, and how to do a French braid, etc. Have you ever demonstrated to a girl in a bar how to braid a French braid?
Nonverbal comments include people (usually women) coming up to me and braiding my hair, sometimes after asking first.
I am in the process of growing my hair out and am very interested in comments that people recieve while growing there hair out. I find amusing that the implication of the first comment above is that long haired men need to go to church....i have never seen a picture of The Son with a conservative hair do.
I have been growing my hair out all year and it is getting "long" by conservative standards. I hope to have it at least in a pony tail by christmas. People around me are making comments...most of them positive (still..some people at work think short hair is the only appropriate hair).. My wife told me the other day she was skepticle at first...but now she thinks its "sexy"..anyhow..lifes too short to where your hair the way other people think you should...
lets hear more comments from people about this subject and stories of
people going from conservative hair to Long hair...
I have, but I don't have a reference to the artists. Please check out the link I've included, though, if you're interested in the topic of Jesus and long hair. I haven't read it in its entirety. However I think it probably supports what I remember hearing some time ago, that there was some confusion at some point between the words "nazarite" and "Nazarene". Nazarites (Samson was one) take a vow that includes forbidding them from cutting their hair. I think later readings of scripture caused artists to begin interpreting Jesus' as being a nazarite, thus implying he had long hair.
I also remember watching a television show some time ago which attempted to show that there is no proof that Jesus ever existed. Among other things, they demonstrated that at the time Jesus was supposed to be roaming this earth, there was, in fact, no city or town named Nazareth. There is now, but it is named retroactively, so to speak.
I've now spoken beyond my actual knowledge. Feel free to try to verify or dispute anything I said.
Victor
Not directly relevant to this site, but try reading "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail" by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln. The essence of it is that Jesus did not die on the cross, became a father by Mary Magdalene, and that she went to live in France. Her descendents became the Merovingian kings, who were noted for having long hair. The book also raises the interesting multilingual pun, where the Holy Grail (Saint Greal) might be confused with the Royal Blood Line (Sang Real). Incidentally, I would be interested if anyone has more information on the Merovingians.
Oops! I forgot the link. Here it is.
Biblical scholars and theologians have little to say about Jesus's hair because they do not know anything about it. They also tent to be conservative men working for coservative institutions (universities and churches and synagogues)
There is a tendancy to suppress all kinds of sensuous/erotic emphasis in the Bible. In fact it is there Not just in sampson which is an incredibly rotic tale. but also in Absalom, david son whose hair was so long even though he cut it regularly it got him hung in a tree- and killed while hanging there. Absalom's sexual activities where certainly noted suggesting a connection between his hair and sexual prowess
In the New Testament the references are not to what Jesus looked like. However his hair being anointed by a prostitute with expensive oil and his feet being dried by a woman's hair are certainly powerful indications of sympolism of hair in the story.
While we do not know what he looked like, the fact that he is depicted in countless picture with long hair suggests that there is a cultural expectation that such a person or deity would be extraordinary in appearance including his hair.
I've had very long hair now for 25yrs...I'm now48. I'm a jewelry designer, and my customers like the fact that I have long hair. Ironically, most of my customers are middle aged to older, and are more conservative. They trust me with their valuables such as diamonds, and gold. Two weeks ago, I was given a $40,ooo diamond to design a ring with. Im under the opinion that they want an artist, as myself, to be a bit " ecentric" ya know!??! When I cut my hair, at age 35, most of my customers were disappoited....needless to say, I did grow it back. I love it!! I'ts a statement.
In response to your question: I have been asked countless times if I were a musician. In addition to having long hair, I also wear an earring.. I have found that in general, most people are open about long hair on men.. Although some conservatives still ask me when I'm going to get a haircut..
I absoulutly adore guys with long hair. I would never even think of dating a guy with short hair. I hate that.All guys should grow there hair long it is the most sexy thing in the world on guys.THEY ALL RULE!!!
I use to get all sorts of reactions, ranging from "I envy you for your hair" (mostly from women) to "Go get a haircut"... When I tell people what I do for a living (railroad signalling engineer, working for a major railroad equipment producer) they ar surprised - most think that I am musician or something like that...
Nick
i struggle daily with the same comments to having long hair. you defininteley get stereotyped. you get passed up for job offers becuase
you don't fit the "image" of what is considered the "norm". apparently
there are alot of women out there that do not like guys with long hair or be interested in even talking. alot of people don't realize that there
is a person underneath the hair and that by stereotyping the person
they are probably missing out on making a good friend. i know there are women out there that are attracted to guys with long hair and i just
want to say thanks to the small percentage of those women out there who are. i wish i had a dollar for evrytime someone asked me if i was in a band or when i was going to get a haircut. christ! i'd be a millionare by now. it's to bad people have to judge each other by how they look before getting to know them. if i sound a little bitter...well i guess i might be. i've considered getting it cut short, but who am i doing it for???? any comments.....please let me know.