Let's take a little diversion from the fallout of primary day, OK? What is the meaning of a beard?
I have had a beard and mustache of some length or other for over 30 years. I have noticed that its presence and condition have a variety of effects on other people's opinion of me. There are obviously social, political, and religious implications of facial hair, which vary by time and culture.
More Below The Fold.
Over time in the United States, the expressive role of a beard has changed. Some of this is merely fashion, some of it carries more cultural or political weight. Consider political and business leaders of the 19th century. The beard of the "mountain man" of that era implied a certain independence combined with practical earthiness. A full robust beard carried implications of power and virility. 27 Presidents have been clean-shaven, and 12 have had some style of facial hair. The first President with facial hair was J.Q. Adams, elected in 1825, who had long sideburns. Lincoln sported the first beard, but with no mustache. Grant began the "full bearded President era" in 1869, which continued through Garfield, who had probably the longest beard of any President, and who held office only in 1881. (Did he go too far and was punished by the gods of propriety?) Arthur reverted to muttonchops, and Cleveland retreated to mustache only. B. Harrison was the last President with a full beard, yielding to T. Roosevelt's mustache in 1901. The last facial hair seen on a President was Taft's mustache in 1913.
It is interesting to note that Al Gore made news after his loss in 2000 by growing a beard. The beard's role in providing solace to a man nursing a wounded ego, perhaps by proving his testosterone levels, was thus demonstrated.
In general Native Americans of "full blood" have no facial hair, or very light growth. It is the rare native American who will allow any growth to persist. I have heard conversations about facial hair being an indicator of how much mixed blood a given man might have. At times I have felt that my beard was one barrier to gaining a full measure of acceptance from tribal members.
It is interesting to speculate that the disappearance of the beard as a public symbol of power appears to coincide with the rise of the corporate economy. A clean-shaven corporate man signals his willingness to subsume his personal power to the interests of the company. Witness this process in action in sports, as well, when players like Giambi and Damon must shave to join the pinstripe Yankees.
As a countercurrent to the conformity of the clean-shaven, by the 50's beatniks made a statement with their mustaches and goatees. Hippies and bikers (perhaps taking clues from the Vikings) took it further in the 60's, and many layers of meaning became associated with facial hair. When meeting a man with a combination of long hair and full beard, the nearly unavoidable conclusion given the cultural context was you were facing at least a free spirit, and perhaps a wild man. Witness also the progression of beards and hair in The Beatles, which roughly corresponded to their roles as social commentators.
Musicians contributed the "soul patch" - a tuft alone by itself under the lower lip. It seems to convey that the wearer is cool, a cat, independent but not completely crazy, and in touch with the muses.
There is the "temporary beard" as well. On vacation, failure to shave is a sign of relaxation. On a hunting trip, failure to shave is almost mandatory. Athletes use failure to shave as an invocation of luck, or prowess on the field, refusing to shave until they lose. Is the beard gray, signaling age, for good or bad?
Sometimes a huge beard indicates a man that is suffering from excess, perhaps drink or drugs, perhaps mental illness or megalomania. Examples include Jim Morrison, Kaczynski the Unabomber, or Saddam Hussein at his capture. Depictions of the loner prospector, who probably talks to himself, require a beard. The beard is a common symbol of evil in movies. You have two royal brothers, and one has a finely trimmed mustache and beard. Which one is the evil brother? It is interesting that depictions of Satan are incomplete without the thin, pointed beard, also carried by Charles Manson. Perhaps the ultimate bearded evil now to westerners is Osama bin Laden. I believe bearded men suffer closer scrutiny in airports and at borders. We'll get to Jesus a bit later.
Clothing in combination with a beard can alter the meaning. The same long mustache and full beard with hair a bit over the ears and collar says one thing when joined with boots, jeans, rodeo shirt and cowboy hat; quite another with sandals, shorts, and tie-dye. Same man inside, or not?
Recently I have allowed my beard to grow as it will. I am curious about how long it will get. As I have grown older, I think my experience has led to some wisdom. I observe and comment quite diplomatically on happenings in my community, through letters to the editor, in gatherings, or in public forums. I am aware that the very same opinions are received differently when strained through my larger beard. Am I becoming Jim Morrison, or Ulysses S. Grant?
There is one bearded elected official locally, who is a conservative. Would progressive positions from an opposing candidate be better received if they issued from a clean shaven face?
Some sects impose requirements on their male members as religious rules or signs of a role as clergy. These requirements can sometimes be more in the form of tradition, as with the Amish. Some Orthodox churches, Hassidic Jews and fundamentalist Muslims are examples of stricter rules. I am no expert in this area. It does seem though that the longer (and grayer) the hair which is not cut for religious reasons, the higher the station of the wearer.
I have observed that most North American Christian or born-again men are today clean-shaven. Perhaps this is a religious corollary to corporate conformity, perhaps not. However, no depiction of Jesus is complete without a trimmed beard and mustache.
Some men use a beard to hide what they perceive as a weak chin, or a double chin. Many of us have been surprised when the full-bearded man we know, and consider to be the sturdy, Dudley Doright sort, shaves and reveals a pendulous neck under a short chin.
Are beards attractive to women, or at least useful in sorting out and qualifying the chances of a positive relationship with a woman? Apparently. Some women rule out any man with any facial hair. (Fine with me, I wouldn't want the narrow minded twit, anyway.) Companies selling shaving gear clearly use the supposed sexiness of the clean face in their advertising. I don't buy it.
Here are some styles of facial hair. If there is some consistent lexicon of meaning to the styles, it is beyond my current level of understanding. I think it is fair to assert, however, that each style carries a slightly different meaning, for the wearer and the beholder. I just wonder, why is that?
Stubble, Close cropped, Goatee, Full but trimmed, Muttonchops, with/without mustache; Beard with no mustache, Full and Long, Long sideburns, Mustaches: "Hitler", Pencil Thin, Handlebar.
Of course the meaning of a beard is nested (Ha!) in the larger message sent by overall grooming. My own beard speaks many tongues - "two days working no shower", "right after a shower and dried but not brushed", or "out to dinner."
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