new thread
Yup,
I remember when I was a rebellious teen I had Long Hair and smoked Pot and hated school.
then I quit school and was always doing drugs and drinking and getting into trouble with the law.
then one day, this lady who became my future wife straightened me out and I got off the booze and drugs.
next came the Hair. It wasn't something that I wanted to part with, but a change was due, so I got myself a short haircut and was clean for the first time in years.
i then got my GD and went to college and me and my love got married.
I've been straight for fifteen going on sixteen years and don't plan on going back.
for me Long Hair is a reminder of those days, but that's not to say that there aren't any long haired men who are clean.
are any of you on this board nondrug, or nonbooze?
how did you feel about school?
Jack
I'm currently a senior in H.S. and I don't drink or do drugs of any kind. I have really long hair, and I resent it when the mean old ladies our school district hires to watch the hallways say things like "I know you - you're just going outside to smoke!" Fact is - its just not true! And by the way, there are some short-haired guys who are real druggies and on one ever suspects them!
Well I am a junior in HS and I occasionaly smoke pot, and occasionaly
drink, I will never smoke ciggarretes. The reason I'm growing my hair is because I want it like that, I try an emmulate people, I am a teen, I want to be like david gilmour of Pink Floyd. Anyways, not all longhairs do that, its not a stereotype that all longhairs do it, an I in no way want to attract negative attention to longhairs, respectively I know quite a bit of people smoke, and evan more drink. I am sorry that it got out of hand and you found yourself where you did, but I try to use it resonsably, if you can say that. Not to turn this into a right or wrong arguement because they'll always be drugs, it doesn't matter whats right or wrong, its all in how the person looks at it. I may piss off alot of people but who cares its how I feel, and also I think alot of the stereotype came from the 60's and how most hippies had longhair, and most did drugs (most)
Dustin
You know what's pathetic is my mom was a hippie and everything and she did a 180 after realizing it took her 7 years to finish after chaning conservatories 3 times. She thinks because all the guys she knew with longhair did drugs she thinks I do. She even says things like "Your eyes are glazed over, why do you think I wont notice...". Its pretty lame...
Taso
great thread,
kudos to getting your sh@t togther.
When I came up the truly rebellious haircut was the Mohawk ('80) so i had one of those. I never did drugs or alcohol in school. Got out in the world and did,what seemed,the typical amout of experimentation.
aside from a few beers every other weekend or so i am clean. never really liked the drugs I tried, except for beer.
The only streotype i fit is that of the loud music guy. I love the young kids loud sleazy punk/blues hybred thats out there these days.
I also love the way most others pigeonhole men with long hair.
Peole talk down to me while my advanced degree hangs on the wall at home.
i just let'em, its keeps me laughin' on the inside.
You are kidding, right?
All of my life, I had shorter hair. I've never even tried smoking (both my parents did and I hated it). I was an honor student.
I have 12 hours past my Master's Degree, and I'm taking 8 hrs. of grad. credit this summer. I run the anti-drug group at the school I teach at.
I am currently growing my hair (a few inches past shoulders currently) just because I've always wanted long hair.
Maybe long hair, drugs & etc. represented rebellion to you and that's why you did it. Maybe you just didn't have the support you needed.
But it is ignorant to link long hair with drugs.
What was the real purpose of your post?
Yes, I take drugs. When I get a headache, I take an Advil. :-p I do drink, but I drink to keep hydrated! :-p Seriously, though. I do not drink booze, I do not smoke, and I do not take narcotics. Only one glass of champaigne on special occasions (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years). I get my high with anything made by Sony, Home Theatre, driving cars, listening to music (mostly Jerry Goldsmith, Enya, Vangelis, Mozart, and Bach), acting, and interactive entertainment (video games). - Reinhart
For many years I had hair down to my waist, did not do drugs at all, and only had booze several times a year. I never smoked cigarettes.
I hated school. Not everyone with long hair did drugs.
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I am 41, a school teacher (Latin and Greek), a licensed massage therapist, and a Masters of Divinity (I was a Methodist clergyman for a while). Never did drugs. Drink wine and beer very moderately. No smoking, of anything. Married 19 years, three children. I was valedictorian in school and went to college and grad school on scholarships. I went to school with some guys who did the drugs and smokes, with short hair. It's not the hair.
Robert
first, congratulations on getting your life in order... you've accomplished what some can never do.
your association of long hair with a destructive lifestyle is unfortunate.
i can't number myself with the teetotalers... i feel that there is a difference between use and abuse of alcohol & an illicit substance or 2. my problems with school had to do with the emphasis, as i saw it, on regurgitating useless lists of mundane facts rather than how the information can be usefully applied to life; for instance in history memorizing event dates rather than chronicling how the events (war battles, inventions, voyages...) had a hand in shaping the world as it is today. there often was little if any effort made to keep me interested which left me expending alot of energy trying not to fall asleep in class.
Well, I'm 40, and only have had long hair since 38, so maybe I'm different. I probably always have been "different". As for shattering stereotypes (keep 'em guessing is my motto!), I never have smoked or done drugs. Never will. What makes me different from most is that I also don't "do" booze of any kind under ANY circumstances. Never have, never will. Politicaly, I'm a moderate Republican (and thus don't like "Dubya").
I also am not a "rocker". I listen to my share of "light" rock, but really prefer classical (sometimes called "longhair music") as well as Greek and other ethnic music.
If there is a stereotype that applies to longhairs, it is that most of us are more laid back and not so uptight. I cannot stand people, regardless of hair length, who are uptight, self-righteous, or take themselves too seriously.
I'm probably one of the few guys on the planet on the wrong side of 30 who has BOTH ears pierced, and loves to wear both stud earrings as well as dangles - some of them rather outrageous. And yes, I'm a happily married (17 years) straight dude.
As for school, it was a combination of enjoyment and boredom. I agree with the people in this thread who suggest in one way or another that our education system has its priorities screwed up. I could allow myself to rant about this for quite a while, but I'll spare everyone (including myself) the agony! I do think education is important, but I also think that education could be accomplished differently (and far cheaper).
-Zorba
Keeping 'em guessing!
How did you come to do the earring thing? I'm tempted, but earrings seem even more 'outside the pale' than long hair.
Did you have a lot of support from you wife and family, or did you just try it on, and forge straight ahead when you found you liked it?
Dick,
Actually I see many more short haired men with earrings, then long haired men. In the Portland area, perhaps a third of men under 25 seem to have earrings (although hardly any above that age do, one reason why at 32 I'm often thought of as looking quite a bit younger when I wear earrings).
In my case I just started wearing 'em. Some people said nice things about 'em, some gave me funny looks but didn't say any thing so maybe they just had indigestion that day, most were too busy worrying about themselves to notice or care what I looked like.
- Chris
I'm 27, M, and I have always wanted to wear earrings. It's still a social problem, so my parents didn't want me to get my ears done. I finally decided to have my ears pierced then I was 21. My parents were furious, my friend called me names, but I just liked the earrings so much. Now they all have acknoledged me wearing my little lovely golden hoops. I'm really very happy and feel incomplete without them. I think that earrings on men have nothing to do with sexual orientation. But they do add a great touch of sensuality, if you know what I mean. My girlfriend loves me wearing them and often buys me new ones as present. I'm now looking forward to get my second set of holes done.
My wife & daughter like the earrings. I told my wife last year that I was thinking about piercing my ears. Much to my suprise, she thought it was a wonderful idea, and helped me shop for earrings all over when we were in Greece. She had a bit of pause when I told her I was going to do *both*, as opposed to the more traditional one ear only, but our daughter pointed out that that was the style now. I did both because I'm a symetrical kind of guy, not for style reasons, but I'll take my help where I find it!
I think everyone, male and female, should have pierced ears!
-Zorba
I never drink alcohol. I have never smoked - passive smoking from my father was enough to turn me off for life, and I never do drugs - not even coffee!!! (I'm also fortunate to enjoy good health - the last time I needed a prescription drug was in 1970!)
As for school. I was an average student. I did well enough, and even enjoyed most of my classes. Politically I'm moderate, but don't align with any particular party at any particular time, however, like most Australians, I'm deeply cynical about politicians.
And unlike one common stereotype associated with longhairs - I hate heavy rock music. Believe it or not, I like disco - especially the "traditional" '70s variety! I might add I don't mind classical and a bit of jazz as well.
If I do have a vice it's......Chocolate!
I grew my beard at 19 and started growing my hair long at 23. It's been growing ever since.
David
Yes, I use cannabis. I do not drink alcohol or smoke tobacco.
I grew my hair long before researching cannabis. I read for weeks before even trying it about the effects and then decided to go for it.
And all the anti-(illegal)drug people out there, have you ever taken a pill? Maybe Advil for a headache? Maybe Tylenol? Just because the government says that something is wrong does not mean that it is wrong. Ever heard of the Vietnam War? Before assuming that programs like D.A.R.E. are telling the truth, you should study up a little bit. Erowid (www.erowid.org) is an excellent place to read about the true effects of legal and illegal drugs.
I believe that everyone has a right to put whatever they want into their own body.
And everyone that said that they do not do drugs, but occasionally drink alcohol, please step back and look at your statement.
But at my age alcohol is legal, drugs are not.
I drink wine in moderation, hate beer, use no illegal drugs, and can't stand smoke (I'm allergic). I graduated high school two years early as valedictorian, am a national merit scholar, got my engineering degree on scholarship, and am soon to be enrolling in a distance program to get my master's while working. Can't say my hair (which is generally mid-back, give or take a little) has significantly helped or harmed me in any way.
Well, I am in high school right now, I'm 17 years old. In my high school you can count the number of long haired guys on your hand. Of course I've only been growing out for about 9 months with a few maintenance cuts, but I'm not *too* far from considering myself a longhair
Anyway, I drink alchohol sometimes, but I've never done any illegal drugs. That's mainly because none of my closer friends do, and two of them, yes TWO, are also growing their hair out :) I do pretty well I school, take a few AP classes (Writing this past year, and Biology and Literature next), and I sing in the chorus (yeah, ha ha, little choirboy. Hey, I've gotten off this continent 3 times for international tours because of it so I dont care what anyone thinks). Musically I enjoy classical music, probably because my parents both like that kind of music (my dad is a high school orchestra direct, my mom a piano teacher), along with a lot of classic rock, my favorite band being The Doors. There are a few more recent bands I like, mainly grunge, but most of the more recent stuff simply isnt appealing.
Ok there you have it, from a current longhair teen
Tao
Oh yeah, politically. Despite my conservative Republican upbringing from my Greek parents (Zorba can relate, oh yeah I LOVE Greek and other Eastern European folk music too! I'm so excited to be going to Eastern Europe for the first time, in just two weeks!) I'm very left wing. Commie Pinko Faget Hippie, whatever that saying was, probably would fit me pretty well . Well, I'm not gay and I dont do drugs, but one of my best friends is gay and drugs are fine in my book as long as they dont control your life.
Taso
the biggest drugsuser in my school was as bald as a biliardball!
Are you saying you're afraid that if you try to redevelop a naturally correct mane you will backslide into your former destructive ways? (Note my emphasis here on growing long hair not for the sake of its being "long" but because it is simply natural for us to have long hair, and for the philosophical and even functional benefits one can derive from doing so.)
I have always been rather angered at the artificial association "civilized" society formed during the past century of naturally correct hair on males with rebellious activities and drug use. This I believe developed mostly because society decided that men who wished to function in the normal world cannot be allowed to have anywhere near naturally correct cranial -- or facial -- hair, and for a time the only men (aside from a few in very special social positions like Albert Einstein) who could safely grow their hair out were outcasts with nothing left to lose in the process. I have never been able to understand why there should be a basic link between having one's hair in a naturally correct condition and antisocial tendencies.
Please note that while I cannot see that there should be any necessary connection between having long hair and being rebellious, only YOU can decide whether trying to grow your hair out may unintentionally reinforce your previous undesirable behavioral tendencies. If you have even the slightest fear that trying to grow your hair again might cause you to backslide, then PLEASE DO NOT TRY IT!
As for me...I have always felt that the reason I have had rather powerful internal drives to have my hair and beard in the most naturally correct condition I can achieve is, in what the powers that be would surely consider a very ironic way, basically the same as the reason I find intoxicative behavior so repulsive. All the way back to my early youth, and for totally internal reasons (my own parents, for example, were rather "looser" in this regard though drinking was only very occasional and I never saw anyone drunk), I have found the idea of introducing anything into my body that might alter my state of consciousness or my perceptive capabilities not only repulsively unnatural but quite frankly frightening. I have never in my life of 40 years touched any kind of alcoholic beverage or drug ("natural" or otherwise -- I fully realize that not all things found in nature are good for me and would no sooner introudce tobacco or cannabis into my body than I would eat an amanita or ergot fungus), and somehow it has never occurred to me that I should want to medicate away something like a headache or other routine ache or pain -- or even something like the symptoms of a cold or flu.
For what I believe is basically the same reason, I have, since my late teen years, in spite of pressure from my parents and especially at that time others, had increasingly strong internal "little voices" telling me that artificially preventing natural and functional development of the beard and mane is wrong. Yes, for about six years I did shave my face, but after leaving home for the last time, in early 1984, I finally let my beard develop; for the first three years I "sculpted" it a bit but by January 1987 decided that that was in fact unnecessary and wrong and decided that I would never again shave any part of my body or possess shaving tools. (Fourteen years later I have never done either and feel no desire ever again to do either.) Unfortunately, the haircuts were harder to break free of; as time went on I increasingly -- and increasingly passionately -- resented getting them but various fears and implied pressures from others kept me getting them anyway -- even if later on increasingly irreguarly and infrequently. Finally, late in May 2000, about two weeks after what I fervently hope will be my final haircut in my lifetime, the issue somehow "came to a head" (pun intended) and I decided that I no longer wished to fight my internal drive to have my hair as close as possible to its best natural potential. Henceforth I would manage my mane for maximum length consistent with its not becoming unduly ragged or grungy (after just over one year of growth it is now approaching true shoulder length perhaps late this year, and obviously any kind of trimming is way off in the future) just as I have managed my beard (which is quite woolly and extends about 3-4" odd my chin relaxed, with maximum stretched strand lengths about 7"; it seems unlikely to get much larger without becoming unduly ragged, "frizzy," or lopsided thereby prompting a very careful trim). Because my philosophical leanings in these areas have been of such great importance to me and an increasingly important part of my sense of identity, all along I have very carefully arranged my life so as to surround myself with people who will support or at least not actively oppose them. That very luckily includes the man with whom I am a co-owner of a small (30 employees) manufacturing business.
I have also sometimes thought that, for me, haircuts and earlier shaving are a somewhat addictive activity. Shaving in particular (had tried both several types of electric shavers and blades) is actually in a way harmful for me as it always led to problems with ingrown hairs particularly in my chin and neck areas.
For those who might be curious about these aspects of my life... true enough I was not bearded or long-haired then (but increasingly desperately wanted to be), but I generally found high school quite easy. I was in fact "straight-A" in my final semester. College was a bit harder but I emerged with a degree (BS, microbiology) whose importance was in fact being undermined while I was studying for it by my involvement with helping to build a business in a completely unrelated area (small precision-machined wooden parts). Those who know me would say I am a very shy, reserved, and private type of person, and I have often been characterized as "mysterious" -- many would say I am somewhat conservative politically but anyone trying to predict my responses based on "typical" conservative vs. liberal precepts is likely to end up rather confused. While all who know me would agree that I am rather unconventional and nonconformist in many ways, no one has ever suggested that I am also "rebellious." Both I and my business partner seem to agree that my innate tendency to "think outside the box" in certain areas is an important component of our collective success and an important reason why he considers it important that I be allowed to maintain a very unconventional appearance. My parents were very devout atheists but, somewhat to their displeasure, I have increasingly come to support and accept many elements of the Christian faith, even as I have personally remained in a carefully practiced religious neutrality.
Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Percieving/INTP ?
Jack,
Congratulations on getting yourself together. I understand that YOU associate long hair with bad times (maybe the worst) in your life. However, even if you would have sported a flat top you probably would have done drugs, boozed, quit school and gotten into trouble. Your long hair did not cause you to quit school any more than cutting your hair made you become a sober man. Throughout your life you've made conscious choices that have affected you in both positive and negative ways. In your case, it's coincidental that your worst choices and worst times were made and happened when you had long hair. For some of us, growing our hair long has coincided with some of the best times in our lives.
Best wishes to you.
Jack,
Great topic!
I didn't let my hair grow out because I was a rebellious, stoned teenager. Instead: I was an A student and still love to learn; have held responsible jobs; been a productive member of society. I sip half a beer or half a glass of wine a few times a year at social events when someone else has brought it. After a few sips, then I can't stand the taste and smell of alcohol any more, and I don't like the feel of my head buzzing as my concentration leaves me.
I enjoy playing and listening to music, and can't imagine why anyone would want to dilute their ability to accurately perceive tones and times by taking mind altering substances. Believe it or not, some rock producers are famous for demanding a drug-free studio while the tape is rolling.
Only trouble with the law was not having put the renewal stickers on my license plates in a timely manner, case dismissed when I showed the court clerk that I had paid up on my vehicle registration.
I let my hair grow because I like the way it looks and feels; as I wrote elsewhere it doesn't have a negative affect in any area of my life, and some people (including the girlfriend I'll probably marry) really like it too.
I've read up on hair styles through history, in most times and places both men and women had a variety of hair lengths. As far as I can tell, the current fad for short hair came from the French Revolution - only the nobility had time to take care of long hair, the average Jacques was too busy eking out survival, so when the Revolution came it was safest to not look like a member of the nobility. The other main source was the military era of the US Civil War and WW I. Long hair interferes with the military's ability to eliminate personality from recruits and indoctrinate them into being a cohesive fighting machine, and it can get lice while bunkered into the trenches.
Since I don't expect to meet either Madame Defarge or the Battle of the Bulge any time soon (except the one around my waist), it seems silly to me to have traditions that they started dictate what I should enjoy doing with my own life today.
It doesn't hurt that some people associate long hair with musicians or other creative and independent types, free spirits etc. after all I am one. Meanwhile a glance at the alertness in my eyes shows that I'm no strung out social misfit!
- Chris
Seems like that is the same reason used in prisons: to eliminate personality! (i.e. "psychological weapon")