new thread
I was just wondering.
WHO INVENTED AND IMPOSED HAIRCUTS?
Long ago, most people had long hair, it was totally accepted. Just look like a film like Braveheart or even Pirates of the Carribean. People used to go as far as wearing wigs.
Till now, the British Juges, solicitors, barristers wear wigs.
So who invented haircuts?
I say it was bureaucrats.
They are the same guys who imposed wearing a shirt and tie.
Hair has changed back and forth and in a variety of styles in many cultures, different time and geographic locations. No one is really to blame, it just happens. Ancient Egyptians shaved there heads possibly due to the heat and infestations, but at the same time wore wigs... go figure. Long hair was a symbol of power in some cultures siting different ideaologies. Rays of the Sun, mane of a lion, symbol of commitment or vows, the list is quite lengthy.
Now as for cutting it [short], there are other reasonings too. To be masculine, to not look like a barbarian, safety in warfare and even mourning. The women of Carthage cut their long hair to make bow strings for the men when the city was being attacked by the Romans. Paul of later Biblical fame wrote letters in which he felt [and we've all here this one I'm sure] 'long hair on a man is an abomination', to paraphrase. But even still Christian cultures have at one time or another been okay with men having long hair.
It is also important to realize that long hair needs proper upkeep. Early cultures may not always had time energy or even given thought as to how one could have long hair and still be well groomed. On a humorous note, I have a theory on haircuts. When my hair started to touch my shoulder blades I found that when I tried to roll over in bed I would pin my hair down under my should which would pull as I attemped to move. Wanting it to get long, I brush it 'up' and over my pillow and out of harms way. Early man may have been more concerned with a good nights rest for a long hunt in the morning than how much longer he could grow his hair!
If you've ever seen Red Dwarf, Rimmer gives a fairly nive reason by arguing that throughout history in battle, the side with the shortest hair has always won...
My theory originally was though, that it was a means of determining sex, but then facial hair probably did that anyhow. I guess when men started shaving, they lopped off the hair for both practicalities and to look less like females...perhaps.
(sorry if this is off topic)
do you remember which one? was this in an argument with lister?
paddy(red dwarf fan)
Here's a link by Raj Singh, that I found on Bill Choissers site.
As for the scripture in II Corinthions, about men not having long hair, it says "Does not even nature teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" The answer is that the NATURAL world does not, for male lions have long manes, whilst the females are "close cut", and most of the higher order animals (mammals, birds etc) follow suit. So that cannot be the nature Paul is refferring to. Perhaps some built in, innate sense of what is proper. Again, no, because here we have a large collection of moral people with purely healthy conciencesses, who have long hair and feel no guilt. So the only other possible answer is societal nature. In Corinth, the prostitutes would shave their heads, and the gigalos would grow there hair out long, an inverse of the society of that nature. Paul's only saying "Don't look like a ho".
Ok, that's enough, here's the link
I read somewhere (probably Singh) that short hair was a sign of bondage and slavery. We're all slaves to society after all, aren't we? I think that's why men in those warrior films and stuff have long hair...in addition to being part of the period, it symbolizes their strength and freedom. That's what I think anyway, I could be totally wrong (and usually am ^_^)
~Jenn
You are quite right.
Raj Singh:
RULE #1: A man's reasons for refraining from hair-cutting practices all relate to his assertion, intended consciously or subconsciously, that he is not the servant of other men. RULE #2: When people in authority demand that a man cut his hair or shave his face, their purpose in doing so is to require the clipped man to openly demonstrate his obedience and subservience to them through emasculation.
Sounds about right... Every place where haircuts are impossed is a sign of enforced conformity and obedience. It would seem that is origins lie in this area.
However some people cut their hair short out of choice, or for practical reasons too. So I think that in todays society Raj Singh is offering a good reason for growing hair rather than a reason for NOT cutting it. (kinda not the same thing if you see my thinking)
The author also notes that when professional career advancement and being able to provide financially for oneself is based on having short hair, it can hardly be called voluntary.
To which I'd point out that the company I work for imposses no restriction on hair length, but all except me choose to cut their hair short.
A designer I work with recently cut his shoulder length hair because he was "too hot" with the hair, he'd previously had even longer waist length hair.
I seriously down there was any social conformity involved as he has just tried to give himself a buzzcut but shaved the front grade 2 and the crown and back grade 4. So he obviously doesnt give a monkeys what people think... His actions were pure choice.
How right you are. In ancient times when people of one tribe defeated a rival tribe they would usually cut the long hair off of the men prior to enslaving them. Absalom