Posted by Michael ''Strong Bear'' Taylor (other posts) on February 08, 2014 at 21:22:01 Previous Next
In Reply to: Re: Hair History questions. posted by Long Hair In Albany on February 06, 2014 at 13:04:34:
I would agree on some of your social triggers, but not necessarily on all your reasons. The military did have a large part of the short hair trend, and you are right that they want everyone to be "uniform," but discouraging individuality is only a part of it. Having served in the military myself, I know the importance of having the ability to put a gas mask on in less than 15 seconds. It's nearly impossible to do with long hair, and definitely impossible to do with facial hair (with the exception of a modest mustache). World War I saw the introduction of chemical and biological weapons, which made gas masks necessary. The industrial age also triggered a need for short hair as a matter of safety. As machines began to replace manpower and horses, people began getting their long hair caught in machinery, causing catastrophic injury or death. People began cutting their hair to prevent being scalped. With organizations such as OSHA bringing about changes, machines are now much safer, but the danger is always there. I don't know how much weight necessity has when compared to social pressure, but I think they both play a part.