At what point was a negative stigma attached to baldness

[bluesprings]

I was thinking about this the other day after reading some comments from people saying that society has become more and more superficial. If you think about it, several of the founding fathers were bald. These are considered some of the greatest men to ever live, like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Being bald seemed to have no effect on these mens great lives. Both of them had success politically. Both had wives and Franklin had children not only with his wife but with a mistress(Its thought that George was sterile from smallpox). So why is it today that either of these men would have a difficult time getting elected to office?

When did it become okay for bald men to be mocked, ostracized and ridiculed by other men and snubbed by women? I'm going to take a guess here and say that this kind of behavior started with TV and Commercialism. So when do you think this sort of behavior became acceptable and common place?

 

[Naltima]

I'm sure baldness has been a problem for as long time not just in today's day and age. Ancient cultures were trying to find a cure for baldness including Egyptians, Romans etc.

Here is a good article on that.

http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/History.htm

If you truly do great things like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington did, nobody is going to care about your baldness and it will certainly not be what people remember you for.

It's all about how you carry yourself and what you do. Part of it has to do with feminization and pussyfication of men in today's society. I can guarantee you that if there was internet in the 1700's, Benjamin Franklin or George Washington would not be sitting on an internet forum for balding men.

Do you ever hear anybody say that Winston Churchill or Dwight D. Eisenhower were bad leaders because they were bald? No, because they would get out from beyond the grave and kick that person's ***.

 

[s.a.f]

Well since you mention people who are political leaders in previous generations looking old and knowledgeable/distinguished would have favoured them.

After all if it came to financial/legal advice and you had to choose between a Warren Buffet type or someone with a stupid haircut earrings and fake tan who would you choose.

And back in those days people only ever saw ordinary everyday people who were around them. It was'nt a world where the most beautiful people were beamed into your living room through tv.

And as for the mistress thing as with today political power would gaurantee you were attractive to a certain type of woman no matter what you looked like.

 

[Lloyd Braun]

There is no replacement for Ronald Reagan style hair. Look at him compared to the much younger, but nearly bald, Gorbachev.

 

[bluesprings]

Well since you mention people who are political leaders in previous generations looking old and knowledgeable/distinguished would have favoured them.

After all if it came to financial/legal advice and you had to choose between a Warren Buffet type or someone with a stupid haircut earrings and fake tan who would you choose.

And back in those days people only ever saw ordinary everyday people who were around them. It was'nt a world where the most beautiful people were beamed into your living room through tv.

And as for the mistress thing as with today political power would gaurantee you were attractive to a certain type of woman no matter what you looked like.

Time magazine: The Bald Truth
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 31,00.html

According to the auther of this article in Time magazine it's unlikely a bald man will ever be elected president again. I'm not sure that looking older and more knowledgeable is considered an advantage anymore. This article supports what I stated in my first post that the bias against the bald has grown.

"If the 2008 presidential election comes down to a choice between Hillary Clinton and front runner Rudolph Giuliani, Americans will elect a woman before they will elect a bald man. The U.S. has had more than five bald Presidents, but Americans haven't voted one into office in 51 years, when Dwight Eisenhower won a second term over Adlai Stevenson--the second consecutive election in which two bald men went head to glorious head."

 

[s.a.f]

I can certainly believe that just look at the current UK party leaders all in their early 40's in shape and with hair.
Also just look at most newsreaders these days when I was a kid they were usually fat and bald men in their 50's now guys like that could'nt get on tv. Now you get ken and barbie lookalikes instead.

In the past decade this trend has definatley crept in and infiltrated the minds of the gullible population.

 

[sylent]

I dont think baldness was ever really a great thing, but like you said, the media has made it a horrible thing. Bald people are almost always portrayed in demeaning roles like the 40+ year old lives with his parents type, the rapist, the creepy guy, the loser, etc etc.

 

[virtuality]

I can certainly believe that just look at the current UK party leaders all in their early 40's in shape and with hair.
Also just look at most newsreaders these days when I was a kid they were usually fat and bald men in their 50's now guys like that could'nt get on tv. Now you get ken and barbie lookalikes instead.

In the past decade this trend has definatley crept in and infiltrated the minds of the gullible population.

No offence to the Brits but your current generation of politicians lack personalities.

What has DC ever done to deserve to become a PM? The same goes for the other party leaders.

Look at the French. I hate Sarkozy. He doesn't paint a very good image and he's a dickhead but the guy has balls, which is more than what could be said about the British politicians.

Of all the EU nations, the Brits are more obsessed with the celebrity culture than anyone else, which eventually crept into your political life as well.

 

[s.a.f]

You just answered your own question. All the parties were looking for someone who would offer them a new image, someone young who looked the part. Some one who would look better than the dull old men and might inspire voters. After all thats how Blair was when he first came along.
Its abit like when John McCain picked Sarah Palin before anyone realised that she was was a complete moron.

 

[virtuality]

You just answered your own question. All the parties were looking for someone who would offer them a new image, someone young who looked the part. Some one who would look better than the dull old men and might inspire voters. After all thats how Blair was when he first came along.
Its abit like when John McCain picked Sarah Palin before anyone realised that she was was a complete moron.

Again, with my apologies, I have nothing against the UK.

Blair was different, he brought something new to the table, DC did not. I don't think comparing the two is fair. IMO, Blair was probably more like Clinton, the guy knew how to talk and how to spin. He did occasionally overdo the political spin, eg sexing up war dossiers.

Also, don't forget that it was post-Thatcher era with Major as a PM. Major wasn't very successful neither. It was the right time for a change and Blair seized the opportunity.

For me, DC as a PM is style over substance. Whereas a PM should be a balanced blend of style and substance. I'd say Obama manages the two very well.

Back to the original subject... IMO, for a politician, NW4 is the starting point of negativity. Considering most politicians are in their 40s-60s, NW3-NW4 is almost normal.

PS: Being short is probably as bad as being bald, if not worse.

 

[uncomfortable man]

The stigma for baldness is as old as baldness itself... perhaps except for the monkeys but you never know. Maybe the monkeys that went bald felt ashamed and were mocked. I'm sure the answer lies in some nature documentary that I'm too lazy to look up. However the stigma has worsened with the recent onset of television and mass media closing every ones minds shut.

 

[Captain Obvious]

It must be made absolutely clear that baldness in no way inhibits ones ability to outsmart someone else.

Men like Benjamin Franklin and Winston Churchill were some ruthless cut-throat motherfuckers who would sooner die than be taken advantage of. They may not have liked being bald any more than we do, but did that stop them from discovering electricity or defeating Hitler? Apparently not. And why would it?

And remember, baldness is often equated with intelligence and maturity and I personally feel that is our redeeming social advantage.

There have been numerous occasions when I definitely felt that I was taken more seriously by people because of my big forehead. Little did they know how inept I actually was! Yet, if I looked like a shaggy skater kid or a dumb male model, who knows if I would have held the same power in that situation?

So I honestly feel like people tend to take me more seriously since I've been balding and I think that science has shown that is often the case, historically.

 

[Beingbaldsucks]

As 20+ guys I don't think we should give a f*** about politicians. What's matter is the dating/woman scene and for a bald man it's horrible. You can pretty much succeed in every job when your bald but you still be the bald guy for woman and below a full hair jerk. Even if you have the best personality. Woman judging man by look much more then a man to a woman. Every woman you want other man want her too, and as long as you bald and they not then you have no chance

 

[s.a.f]

As 20+ guys I don't think we should give a f*ck about politicians. What's matter is the dating/woman scene and for a bald man it's horrible. You can pretty much succeed in every job when your bald but you still be the bald guy for woman and below a full hair jerk. Even if you have the best personality. Woman judging man by look much more then a man to a woman. Every woman you want other man want her too, and as long as you bald and they not then you have no chance

Really!!!??? :hmm:
How often do you see a good looking guy with an ugly woman? Whereas ugly/average guys with hot women are everywhere.

How come women spend on average about 30x more on their appearance than men do.

 

[Michael84]

Really!!!??? :hmm:
How often do you see a good looking guy with an ugly woman? Whereas ugly/average guys with hot women are everywhere.

How come women spend on average about 30x more on their appearance than men do.

That's true. Actually appearance is much more important for women. A bald man can pull the look and stay cool, with hot ladies, but a fat woman with ugly face can't, never.

 

[Beingbaldsucks]

Really!!!??? :hmm:
How often do you see a good looking guy with an ugly woman? Whereas ugly/average guys with hot women are everywhere.

How come women spend on average about 30x more on their appearance than men do.

That's true. Actually appearance is much more important for women. A bald man can pull the look and stay cool, with hot ladies, but a fat woman with ugly face can't, never.

I sew many fatties with man but nearly sew fat man with woman that arnt fat. Being fat actually turn them off more them being bald

 

[seb]

Really!!!??? :hmm:
How often do you see a good looking guy with an ugly woman? Whereas ugly/average guys with hot women are everywhere.

How come women spend on average about 30x more on their appearance than men do.

That's true. Actually appearance is much more important for women. A bald man can pull the look and stay cool, with hot ladies, but a fat woman with ugly face can't, never.

I sew many fatties with man but nearly sew fat man with woman that arnt fat. Being fat actually turn them off more them being bald

No.

 

[Beingbaldsucks]

being bald[/quote]

No.[/][/quote][/]
Yes, get out of the dark room you sitting in all day, I get much more attention from woman's then my fat buddy.

 

[seb]

being bald

No.[/][/quote][/]
Yes, get out of the dark room you sitting in all day, I get much more attention from woman's then my fat buddy.[/quote]

If I sit in a dark room ALL day,then during the daylight it won't be dark,will it!

 

[Beingbaldsucks]

being bald

No.[/]

[/]
Yes, get out of the dark room you sitting in all day, I get much more attention from woman's then my fat buddy.[/quote]

If I sit in a dark room ALL day,then during the daylight it won't be dark,will it! [/quote]
It will cuz you close the shades so the light will not go on your screen. Abc of any computer geek