Want to agitate some people?

[xxlt]

Man, people are odd and easily rattled. Want to agitate some people - I mean really upset them - with minimal effort? Grow a beard.

I grew a beard, expecting little to no reaction from people. Man, was I wrong. Many people have strong reactions and can't wait to share them, even though they were not solicited. It is funny, the people who like it just say, "Oh I see you're growing a beard, it looks nice," or, "I really like your beard." That's it. On the other hand, the ones who don't like it make sure to say it repeatedly, almost as if they expect me to stop what I am doing and shave right then just to appease them if they just protest loud and long enough. WTF?

I have heard women for years talk about how annoying it is to have people comment without having been invited to on their hair style, their jewelry choices, their clothing, etc. I had never really experienced anything like that. Until now. It is eye opening, to say the least.

Anybody else ever grow a beard, get a piercing or a tat, or change their appearance in some other way and get a bunch of unsolicited feedback on it?

[Rotobeast]

I used to change styles dramatically, just to mess with people.

[*Awful Llama*]

Your beard makes you look old and fat.

Did I agitate at least one person?

[Rotobeast]

(12-25-2016, 11:30 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Your beard makes you look old and fat.  

Did I agitate at least one person?  

Nope.

Because..... I am old and fat.

[SunsetBengal]

So, you decided to grow one of those trendy little hipster beards? How 2011 of you!

[*Awful Llama*]

(12-26-2016, 12:04 AM)Rotobeast Wrote: Nope.

Because..... I am old and fat.

So am I, just without a beard. 

[SunsetBengal]

..

[Rotobeast]

(12-26-2016, 12:10 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So, you decided to grow one of those trendy little hipster beards? How 2011 of you!

Ha !

I had a beard and Harley in like 92'.
I'm scooter-trash, from way back.
But....if you want me to put on some red flannel, suspenders, and bring over a case of PBR, all you have to do is ask.



But I'm sure you were talking to xxlt.

[xxlt]

(12-26-2016, 12:10 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: So, you decided to grow one of those trendy little hipster beards?  How 2011 of you!  

Funny.

You may enjoy this article:

http://www.esquire.com/style/grooming/q-and-a/a41359/of-beards-and-men/

It touches on not only your 2011 hipsters and goes all the way back to Alexander the Great to offer some observations about when beards have been "in" and when they have been "out" and why. 

The article also points out that even with the 2011 trend you allude to, as well as the urban lumberjacks that someone else posted a meme of, and the last few seasons' explosion of athletes growing beards, to have a beard in our culture still puts you firmly in the minority. So, the notion that the grower of a beard is a conformist following the latest trend seems misguided. The latest trend is to be clean shaven and it has been for some time, and the vast majority seem to feel a strong compulsion to conform. This seems to explain some of the harsh reactions I have received from men and from women, and in at least one case a heterosexual couple.

[xxlt]

(12-25-2016, 11:30 PM)Awful Llama Wrote: Your beard makes you look old and fat.  

Did I agitate at least one person?  

I have heard old and depressed, but not fat, lol.

I probably will never hear fat, just because I have a long and lean body and face. Maybe I will one day hear it makes me look "not anorexic" or "not anemic" but I doubt I will hear fat. 

[xxlt]

Beards were so unusual during this period that a veteran named Joseph Palmer suffered an attack for wearing a beard. In 1830, Palmer moved from his farm to the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he found himself to be the only bearded man in the entire community. The residents of Fitchburg harassed him for what they deemed “his eccentricity.” Kids threw stones at him and called him “Old Jew Palmer.” Women crossed the street when they saw him approaching, while men “jeered at him openly” and smashed his windows. The local reverend even refused to grant him communion at church. 5 Finally, a group of four men—armed with soap and a razor—seized Palmer in the street. As a journalist later recounted the story, “They told him that the sentiment of the town was that his beard should come off and they were going to the job there and then.” 6

Palmer struggled to defend himself against the attack, but he was arrested and sent to prison for more than a year, where other prisoners also attempted to remove Palmer’s whiskers. When Palmer died in 1875, his tombstone was inscribed with these words: “Persecuted for wearing the beard.” 7 (Maybe Brian Wilson, the former relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, was inspired by Palmer when he told opponents to “Fear the Beard”?)

The above quote comes from here:
http://ushistoryscene.com/article/beards/

So I guess what I am witnessing in my daily life is the vestige of an American "tradition like no other."
Just call me Old Jew xx.

[fredtoast]

Does everyone else have an ad for the Dollar Beard Club at the bottom of this thread?

What the hell is that stuff?

[xxlt]

(12-26-2016, 12:47 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Does everyone else have an ad for the Dollar Beard Club at the bottom of this thread?

What the hell is that stuff?

LOL. I had not noticed it, but that is hilarious. Looks some genius of marketing realized that the same spray paint they sell to balding men to color their noggin can be sold to men with a patchy beard to color their faces. And, since it is specially formulated for beards as opposed to heads it probably only costs 800% more. They also sell beard oil - which is like hair conditioner for your beard because, you know, the stuff you put on your head is for your head, not your face. A few years ago these products were non-existent, but now they are "essentials" for some consumers. Too funny.  

[Bengalzona]

I played the role of Frederick in a professional production of "The Pirates of Penzance". For the role, I grew some lambchop sideburns and got a tight perm. People would ask about the sideburns, but I didn't mind (most thought I was doing an Elvis impersonation somewhere). I used that as a cue to mention the show and get publicity. It worked out pretty well, actually.

After the show, I shaved off the lambchops. But I kept the perm for a few years because I liked it. I had a convertible back then and it kept my hair from looking like Donald Trump's toupee. People really freaked out over that. People would call me "Mike Brady" or "Ronald MacDonald". People spread a rumor that I was playing for the pink team. One of my best friend's from college stopped talking to me altogether (he was a bit of an asshole anyway, no loss). Even people I didn't know would walk up to me and say things like, "Is that your real hair?". It sort of brought out the worst in other people. But I didn't care. Like I said, I liked it so I kept it. When I got rid of the convertible, I got rid of the perm. But it wasn't because of other people.

Wear your hair, facial or otherwise, how you like. If people are too petty to get over it, that really is their problem and not yours.



That's me on the far left.

[Stewy]

wow.......i didn't realize how big of assholes people could be about OTHER people changing their hair. I'm actually kinda shocked. But I've never had to worry about it since I've had the same hair style for 28 years and beard for nearly 20.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-26-2016, 09:48 AM)xxlt Wrote: Funny.

You may enjoy this article:

http://www.esquire.com/style/grooming/q-and-a/a41359/of-beards-and-men/

It touches on not only your 2011 hipsters and goes all the way back to Alexander the Great to offer some observations about when beards have been "in" and when they have been "out" and why. 

The article also points out that even with the 2011 trend you allude to, as well as the urban lumberjacks that someone else posted a meme of, and the last few seasons' explosion of athletes growing beards, to have a beard in our culture still puts you firmly in the minority. So, the notion that the grower of a beard is a conformist following the latest trend seems misguided. The latest trend is to be clean shaven and it has been for some time, and the vast majority seem to feel a strong compulsion to conform. This seems to explain some of the harsh reactions I have received from men and from women, and in at least one case a heterosexual couple.

Oh, I was just having a little fun.  Oddly enough, a pretty high percentage of athletes in my sport (strongman) have beards.  Now, in middle age, I'm losing my hair.  I've never worn facial hair, other than the pencil mustache at age 15.  However, with my hair leaving me, I have considered just shaving the head and growing the goatee.  You know, going with the bar bouncer/ex-convict/rogue biker look.  At 6'2" 260, I think I could pull it off pretty well!

[fredtoast]

Here is an experience I had.

I shaved my head a few years ago. the only people who said it did not look good were my Mom and my 2 daughters. However after a while I got a slight rash on my head and let my hair grow back for a while. As soon as i did EVERYONE started commenting on how I looked good with hair. So a lot of people had obviously been holding their tongues.

Bald Fred:

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-25-2016, 10:25 PM)xxlt Wrote: Man, people are odd and easily rattled. Want to agitate some people - I mean really upset them - with minimal effort? Grow a beard.

I grew a beard, expecting little to no reaction from people. Man, was I wrong. Many people have strong reactions and can't wait to share them, even though they were not solicited. It is funny, the people who like it just say, "Oh I see you're growing a beard, it looks nice," or, "I really like your beard." That's it. On the other hand, the ones who don't like it make sure to say it repeatedly, almost as if they expect me to stop what I am doing and shave right then just to appease them if they just protest loud and long enough. WTF?  

I have heard women for years talk about how annoying it is to have people comment without having been invited to on their hair style, their jewelry choices, their clothing, etc. I had never really experienced anything like that. Until now. It is eye opening, to say the least.

Anybody else ever grow a beard, get a piercing or a tat, or change their appearance in some other way and get a bunch of unsolicited feedback on it?

Yes, I have always had a beard or goatee, or what have you.....since high school.  Now, I have let it grow out quite a bit.  Not Billy Gibbons style, but quite a bit.  Yep, I get the comments too.....I also got them when I had a rather long pony tail when I grew my hair for "Locks of Love".

[Tiger Teeth]

I'm old, pudgy, and have a goatee. And now I'm agitated.

[Beaker]

I picture xxlt's beard like this:



No wonder people are agitated.