Much ado about hairdo

The moment I got my turn to be perched on the king’s chair, the barber came to me with the typical cover, wrapped me in it and then looked at me expecting me to tell what I wanted. I figured that my already overgrown hair would be a clear signal to the barber about what I needed, but as always, I asked him “haircut – medium”. Enough to send across the message, I wandered in my own ocean of thoughts after that – letting the barber use his ingenuity on my hairstyle.

Apparently, getting a haircut or a shave is one of the simplest things in life. You don’t really need to bother as to which hairstyle or beard style you need next, unless you are so very particular about it. But let’s assume for a moment that it was not the case – that there were a prescribed set of hair styles that were ‘allowed’, and at best, you had the freedom to choose one from them. Unrealistic na? Well, not so everywhere. Few days back I was reading an article where how someone in Iran was dragged to the court because he was sporting a curly-spiky haircut. The prosecution argued that such an act would be a symbol of western influence on their culture. Now this gentleman beautifully pleaded that his hair style was more of an Afro-American style, and given the fact that a number of Black Americans had converted to Islam, he was showing his deference to their act them by adopting their hair style – and bingo, he was released by the court ! Any lawyers reading this, better learn a lesson or two from this guy! The story goes that later authorities released a list of ‘approved’ haircuts.

Sometime back, North Korea released guidelines on what is the kind of haircuts that its citizens were allowed to have – the message went like ‘trim it as per the socialist principles’. I wonder what would happen to the hair styles of the Warren Buffets and Carlos Slims if we start doing so as per the capitalist principles.

Typically, the hair styles have emerged in a way where every new generation has favored those styles which are in defiance to the previous generation. Pretty logical, huh? And when all the turns and twists and shapes were exhausted – some good FMCG marketing chap had the ingenuity to launch the hair colors. These MBAs, I tell you. I wonder what’s next in store.

Nevertheless, as it goes, one can find so many instances across the world where people or regimes have had devoted more attention to haircuts than it actually deserved. Whether it’s a hairstyle sported by some celebrity like Beckham, or the command of some authoritarian dictator – there have been multiple sources to influence ones haircut. Well, I am still waiting for the one to influence mine.