I remember my Dad wryly referring to classical musicians as "longhairs." The term goes back at least to 1920, it turns out.
Long hair in men as well as women can represent a lot of things, among them freedom, vitality and a wild nature. Fashions go back and forth, though, and one person's rebellious freedom of choice is another's take-it-for-granted status quo. There's also culture to consider: The Pittsburgh Steelers' Troy Polamalu (pictured above) hasn't cut his hair in nearly a decade, or so I've read; he is of Samoan background. For the past five or ten years, fierce-looking long hair has become a signature symbol in the NFL, just as it has in the NBA. As has the Bold and Bald look: compare Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups of the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 championship.
On the other hand, Alexander the Great considered excessively long hair and large beards a handicap in close-action battle -- he had his men go clean-shaven so enemies could not grab them by their beards when trying to spear or stab them to death. Nowadays in the NFL, a symbolic descendant of close-order combat, hair-grabbing is considered acceptable, to a point still being worked out. Spearing of the quarterback, however, is harshly penalized.
Long hair in men has been a sports thing, a warrior thing, and rebel thing. In the case of Che Guevara's hair, coupled with the fierce burning in his eyes, long hair seems to have enhanced his worldwide appeal. Who knows why the enduring fascination? Perhaps because he still comes off like a Rebel with a Cause, even if commodified and exploited long after his death.
Let's not forget the enduringly compelling Samson and Delilah tale, how he becomes daft in love and she shears off his long hair, and his power, until he brings down the Temple of Dagon with a little help from above. But on Earth, Cherchez la femme! Hair equals power!
Start anywhere in the history of long and short hair and you'll find something telling about human nature. During the English Civil War in the mid-1600s, the aristocratic Cavaliers sported the long hair, the Puritanical Roundheads the short hair. And so on, through the American Civil War, the 1960s, Punk and all that jazz. And always back to the longhairs, the classical musicians we began with.
Today's Rune: Wholeness.
5 comments:
In my house, classical music was called "good music" and never listened to.
It is so true. The warriors of the past “Cossacks” from my land shaved their heads but leaving long tail on the top of the head. I am thinking of a hundreds of man on the horses rushing into the enemy camp with the long tails blown in every direction like a black cloud. It got to serve as a psychological factor.
Long hair, short hair I just wish I would quit finding my hair all over the house.
I could imagine long-hair would definitely be a disadvantage in battle against a courageous and disciplend foe. But if it scares the foe before the battle takes place it might be worth it.
Erik, I see that Troy P. is pimpin' hair products. Might as well work it, I guess. My dad grumbles his ass off when any guy has long hair! It's the age or generation I guess!
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