Beards. You either love them or hate them. I am for the latter.
I have been clean shaving my face, against the grain since my dad taught me many years ago.
It is a learned behavior that I do two to three times a week. A ritual that consists of a razor, shaving cream and a brush. There is a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction I get after shaving. It feels good to get all that hair off my face, sort of like that feeling after you get haircut.
It seems the times are changing as it’s become the trend to grow out facial hair to emphasize the fact that you can grow a beard, or at least attempt to.
My very own generation, Generation Y or the attention cravers, seems to be embracing beards the most for a couple reasons.
The main reason beards are being grown is because people are utterly lazy. Having a beard justifies the fact that you don’t want to take the time to properly groom yourself. It then becomes a perception that you are unkept and that you think your beard is trendy. Of course it’s easier not to shave than to actually shave.
Another reason beards are grown is to hide or compensate for some other physical trait. They are grown to hide a weak jaw line or take the attention off a thinning head of hair. But you can’t fool me.
We’ve come too far as a society to give up shaving because shaving has become a standard. Shaved faces have become respectable and heroic in this day and age.
Every president for the last 100 years has been clean shaven, and rightfully so, as they’re the leader of the United States of America.
Soldiers returning home from victories in both World Wars were clean shaven, setting the standard for all American men.
Arguably the most famous baseball team in the world, members of the New York Yankees are required to shave to uphold the team’s dynasty.
The reasons can go on and on but don’t shave for me, do it for yourself. Do it for the job you want or the promotion you deserve. Do it for the girl next door or the one that got away. One day you’ll look back and see yourself in pictures and realize how silly you look.