new thread
By "binary' I mean toggling between long and short. Me and another guy I know love long hair but we seem to go in cycles with it I/E long for a time then short then grow it back and so on...Guess based on our current mood. In your opinion is there no middle ground per-se, like if you cut your hair period you can't qualify as having the spirit of a long haired man?
It depends on what you mean by "the spirit of a long haired man". If you mean an unwillingness to conform and be a sheep, a man can qualify as having that spirit regardless of whether he has long hair, short hair or no hair at all.
Damon
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Now I started growing my hair long in 1964 and it has stayed
long ever since.
I'm definitely not a sheep, i'm definitely not a conformist.
Even though long hair went out of style years ago I still keep my
hair long. And always will.
In addition to my hair I wear the clothes I want to wear when
i want to.
I refuse to conform. But then at the age of 57 i'm not
about to change, i'm very set in my ways. And if someone doesn't like it they can lump it.
1973 I think, in my case, but I know where you're coming from.
I have never seen that term before used in relation to hair but anyone has complete freedom (in most places) to have their hair as they want.
A few people doubtless do and their are examples here over the years. Most tend to prefer either long or short and long hairs tend to be more committed, possibly as a result of the problems encountered with their choice breeding a more steadfast approach.
Only you know your true self. There isn't a rule book out there to determine what allows people to "qualify" as having various types of spirit. Assigning an arbitrary word to a person based on his or her preference seems unnecessary. There are some very cool, authentic, bald men with a great appreciation for long hair and the spirit it often represents, and there are guys with very long hair who are nothing more than lazy slobs who place no deep, inherent value on the length of their hair. Which of these would you say represents the "spirit of a longhair," and with which type of person would you rather be associated?
Labels are meaningless. Hair does not the man make.
--Val
Of course you can. I do that myself. There times I feel better cutting my hair shorter for some different reasons (chemicals, hot and humid weather, looking for a job, job demand, etc), but I like long hair. It's a fact. For myself and for other guys. Even realizing that sometimes a shorter haircut could be more practical for me and for that reason I cut it, I still prefer having it long. When I cut my hair I like the results, I know I look good, but I just don't feel like that one is me. And sometimes I prefer the visual effect of the shorter hair than the long hair, if I compare I say "with short hair I look better", but inside of me I don't feel it's really who I am. It's kind of crazy...
But it makes so much sense! Reading what you had to say helps me better understand myself, because I think I feel much the same! It is a strange thing though. What is "identity"...?
Perfect examples. Like for me I notice I rarely get past the 12-14mo range with growing because summers here are in the 120 degree range, therefore by june (sometimes but not always) i'll shave it. Same applies for if i ever get engaged i'd prolly cut it for the wedding (unless the wife to be protests) and i agree with the shorter for job interviews until i get a grasp on how my employer feels about long hair.
I used to know a biker called Spike who cut his hair once a year. Every spring he would have it cut into a short spiky style, but that was his annual haircut, and he would just let it grow until the next spring.
I have known other people who can't quite make up their mind, but I never really know what to expect or whether if they cut it they will grow it back again.
I knew Spike would have longish hair at least part of the time each year. It's the same principle as the broken clock that's right twice a day, sort of. Those other guys I don't know about though, maybe they would cut it off and not grow it back, you just can't tell. Spike was more of a longhair. Sort of.
Wow that makes so much sense, I'm probably one of the binary longhairs.
I like a short look and a long look as well, but because it takes so much time regrowing the hair is hard to change your hair often.
I've been growing my hair for more that 4 years but buzzed it all of in november last year and again in january this year because I'm traveling. Right now I'm regrowing it but I liked the short hair as well.