On Having Long Hair
My decision to grow my hair long has been relatively recent, perhaps only three or four years ago (sometime in 2006 or 2007). For most people who have known me for a long time, my decision was surprisingly out of character: I have always been outwardly "good" or "nice", quite conservative in social and political preferences, born and raised in a small, rural western town, and a Christian since 1976. So, why the decision to grow my hair long? And, perhaps more importantly, why write about my decision to grow my hair long? Let me start with my conclusion, just so we can relieve the suspense and get on with the interesting stuff: My hair is long because I like it long and I can grow it long and I'm free to grow it long. I can see at least four major influences, or assumptions, that have shaped my attitude towards long hair: I don't like getting my hair cut. Long hair for men, in my mind, has ALWAYS been associated with a rebellious and reckless lifesty...