hiding behind that beard?
Of all the tired arguments hauled out by beard critics, perhaps the most irritating is the assertion that a man with a beard is hiding behind it. Rather than serving as a cover behind which the sheepish may cower, a beard draws attention to its owner, making him stand out from the beardless crowd. For those who are shy and self-conscious, and those who are lacking in self-confidence, growing a beard requires genuine courage and determination. Growing a beard is the opposite of hiding.
February 22nd, 2006 at 8:38 AM
Thought I had an original idea to post beards, until I googled it…. love your site.
You’re right! No one’s hiding…. even up here in Alaska, where long flowing beards are rampant, you gotta stop and appreciate and phat beard.
March 4th, 2006 at 10:39 AM
What better test of a sense of commitment could there be than growing a beard and sticking to the decision? Your curiosity about how it will look when fully realized has to overcome the initial jitters about its uncertain early stages. Your sense of purposiveness in being yourself, and having not the slightest need to conform, to please others, to blend in with the crowd, this has to be a powerful quality of character. And in the end beards ARE all about character. Very few dull men or weak men or average men have beards. Meanwhile, a beard–especially an oversize beard–has its external uses. No one can fail to pick you out in a crowded train station or hotel lobby when you’ve arranged to meet for the first time, and no one forgets what you look like you once they’ve met you.
March 5th, 2006 at 4:47 PM
Wow! Douglas, I couldn’t have said it better myself!
March 7th, 2006 at 5:38 AM
Quote:
“For those who are shy and self-conscious, and those who are lacking in self-confidence, growing a beard requires genuine courage and determination. Growing a beard is the opposite of hiding.”
And for those that lack these qualities, growing a beard will put them in you.
When I started growing my beard out for the first time I felt that everybody was staring at me and that I couldn’t hide or ‘blend in’ any more.
Now I could care less what people thought about me or my beard! Let’em stare.
April 25th, 2006 at 3:59 PM
I completely agree with what Cypher said. Although I’m not to the point where I could care less about what people thought, my confidence has grown exponentialy in relation to the growth of my beard. Growing a beard does take some courage, but man is it worth it!
June 30th, 2006 at 3:21 PM
Your right on. I live in the caribbean and many people ask me, “Why a beard, it is warm here?” Well, “Don’t you have hair on your head?”
I am not hiding anything, but maybe a double chin and I love my beard.
September 17th, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Yeah, I’ve heard the “hiding” line a few times. It’s a common piece of slander by people who want a quick shot of feeling powerful at someone else’s expense. It’s only a temporary feeling of power, especially after I tell them they were out of line!
September 18th, 2007 at 11:26 AM
How can we hide when we stick out in a crowd.
They are camelions … hiding behind conformity.
September 18th, 2007 at 2:56 PM
Steve:
Right. It’s also one of the lamest and most-worn-out jabs at beards that there is.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:46 PM
In order to hide behind something, you have to make something to hide behind. I am not making anything, I am simply letting that which is natural take place. I am putting down the blade, not picking up a mask. Not shaving is perfectly natural. Shaving is perfectly unnatural.