Surrender your man card here

[webny99]

This is an interesting one. I've never understood why any guy, aside from maybe a professional athlete, would shave their legs, or even more so, their arms. It rarely looks any better — often worse IMO — and it will only make the hair grow back faster unless you invest in a long-term solution like waxing.

I actually just shaved my arms last Thursday (and thought of this thread while doing it). Reason being, I work in cannabis, and whenever we get called to do a defoliation job, it involves a lot of reaching in between branches of plants with big flowers covered in sticky resin...

That's perfectly reasonable. I don't have any objection at all if there's an actual reason, rather than you just thinking it looks better.

I personally find amount of body hair on a person to be inversely proportional to attractiveness, but I think that's a matter of personal taste.

Yeah, "it depends" is really the only appropriate response here. Yes, it is a matter of personal taste, but it also depends where on the body you are talking about, whether you manage the hair in some way (managing it is usually a positive), and of course other factors that are sometimes outside one's control, such as complexion and body build.

Personally, for example, I feel much more strongly about being tan than I do about the presence or absence of hair. I think there's plenty of people on both ends of the hair spectrum that look great, while there are not many very pale people that look great. But that also might be somewhat outside one's control, and again, that's just my taste.

[webny99]

it will only make the hair grow back faster

claim not supported by science

It isn't? I guess I'm not sure if my own experience counts as science, but if I call it an "experiment" instead of "experience", then that's pretty scientific, right?

[jakeroot]

it will only make the hair grow back faster

claim not supported by science

It isn't? I guess I'm not sure if my own experience counts as science, but if I call it an "experiment" instead of "experience", then that's pretty scientific, right?

I think you may have been experiencing another phenomenon. Simple put, there is no scientific data anywhere that supports the assertion that shaved hair grows back faster.

This is an interesting one. I've never understood why any guy, aside from maybe a professional athlete, would shave their legs, or even more so, their arms. It rarely looks any better — often worse IMO — and it will only make the hair grow back faster unless you invest in a long-term solution like waxing.

I actually just shaved my arms last Thursday (and thought of this thread while doing it). Reason being, I work in cannabis, and whenever we get called to do a defoliation job, it involves a lot of reaching in between branches of plants with big flowers covered in sticky resin...

That's perfectly reasonable. I don't have any objection at all if there's an actual reason, rather than you just thinking it looks better.

Why would you object to someone claiming that they think it looks better? And I ask that as someone who does claim that about many parts of their own body.

You seem to have a very masculine opinion about body hair. You're more than welcome to that opinion, but there are many of us out there that feel our masculinity is defined by other things. That is the point of this thread, after all.

[webny99]

I actually just shaved my arms last Thursday (and thought of this thread while doing it). Reason being, I work in cannabis, and whenever we get called to do a defoliation job, it involves a lot of reaching in between branches of plants with big flowers covered in sticky resin...

That's perfectly reasonable. I don't have any objection at all if there's an actual reason, rather than you just thinking it looks better.

Why would you object to someone claiming that they think it looks better? And I ask that as someone who does claim that about many parts of their own body.

This is all conjecture, but I would theoretically "object" simply because I disagree - at least with regards to shaving your arms/legs. But that's just my opinion, or personal taste, if you prefer. I said myself that I dislike back and shoulder hair.

You seem to have a very masculine opinion about body hair. You're more than welcome to that opinion, but there are many of us out there that feel our masculinity is defined by other things. That is the point of this thread, after all.

Well, back to my earlier point (in my original post to this thread), what even is a very masculine opinion about body hair, or a very masculine opinion about [insert subject here]? Who decides, and how do they decide? Isn't establishing that and discussing that part of the concept of this thread as well?

Personally, I thought my take was pretty neutral:
"it .. depends where on the body you are talking about, whether you manage the hair in some way (managing it is usually a positive)," and so on.

I certainly wasn't trying to come across as contrary, or somehow be the voice for masculinity in this thread, or anything like that - just sharing my opinion and trying to put everything in perspective here. (It seems that my opinion about body hair would probably not be grounds for man-card revocation, so I'm happy to move on from that subject.)

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm officially a man now

[jakeroot]

Well, back to my earlier point (in my original post to this thread), what even is a very masculine opinion about body hair, or a very masculine opinion about [insert subject here]? Who decides, and how do they decide? Isn't establishing that and discussing that part of the concept of this thread as well?

Most masculine traits are decided by society, but body hair isn't one of those things. Men simply have more body hair. To then remove that hair is very nearly the definition of un-masculine. It's a defining trait of our sex.

[mgk920]

Well, back to my earlier point (in my original post to this thread), what even is a very masculine opinion about body hair, or a very masculine opinion about [insert subject here]? Who decides, and how do they decide? Isn't establishing that and discussing that part of the concept of this thread as well?

Most masculine traits are decided by society, but body hair isn't one of those things. Men simply have more body hair. To then remove that hair is very nearly the definition of un-masculine. It's a defining trait of our sex.

Taste among females in male body hair does vary over time, though.  Throughout much of the 1970s, it was 'the more the better', then it wasn't.

Mike

[Ned Weasel]

I personally find amount of body hair on a person to be inversely proportional to attractiveness, but I think that's a matter of personal taste.

My personal taste is, in fact, the exact opposite.

Other areas, back and shoulders especially, are more understandable.
I am a pretty hairy person, and I don't like having back and shoulder hair, but there's not a ton I can do about it without spending a lot more time, money, and energy than I think it's worth. Recently, I have shaved my shoulders and part of my chest hair (leaving a roughly heart-shaped section). I do find that the remaining back hair is more bearable with a clean-shaven neck and shoulders. But I will keep my chest hair, thanks! 

I'm pretty hairy in front, but I honestly wish I had more hair on my back and shoulders.  I won't be satisfied until I achieve Werewolf or Sasquatch status!

Taste among females in male body hair does vary over time, though.

If you're a straight man, then that's likely to influence your own preference regarding body hair.  For gay men, it's sometimes different--as in, you might be striving for the look that you're most attracted to--but even that varies.

Throughout much of the 1970s, it was 'the more the better', then it wasn't.

This should be put in an official list of things from the 70s that should be brought back.  I'd also like to see avocado-colored appliances and plumbing fixtures again, while I'm at it.

[Rothman]

I'm officially a man now

Mazel tov.

[Max Rockatansky]

Well, back to my earlier point (in my original post to this thread), what even is a very masculine opinion about body hair, or a very masculine opinion about [insert subject here]? Who decides, and how do they decide? Isn't establishing that and discussing that part of the concept of this thread as well?

Most masculine traits are decided by society, but body hair isn't one of those things. Men simply have more body hair. To then remove that hair is very nearly the definition of un-masculine. It's a defining trait of our sex.

Taste among females in male body hair does vary over time, though.  Throughout much of the 1970s, it was 'the more the better', then it wasn't.

Mike

But everyone in the 1970s thought smoking and brown cars were cool also.

[1995hoo]

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

I seem to recall that the gauge Al and Bud Bundy went with for determining manhood in Married With Children.

[jmacswimmer]

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

Hopefully not Mary Hannah.

[1995hoo]

....

Personally, for example, I feel much more strongly about being tan than I do about the presence or absence of hair. I think there's plenty of people on both ends of the hair spectrum that look great, while there are not many very pale people that look great. But that also might be somewhat outside one's control, and again, that's just my taste.

This is one of those things where your age and other considerations start to factor in. When it comes to being tan, I agree it may look better than being relatively pale, but as to my own appearance, I don't especially care anymore because health considerations trump the appearance issue–the dermatologist was very clear about my needing to be cautious about sun exposure due to some spots that were removed from my lower back (the biopsy thankfully came back negative). I spent a lot of time in the sun when I was growing up and the bill for that is probably going to come due at some point. I don't go to our neighborhood pools (if you saw my recent post in the "Minor things that bother you" thread, you'll see one reason why), but if I did, I'd wear a shirt even while in the water.

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

Hopefully not Mary Hannah.

 

[Takumi]

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

Hopefully Mary Hannah.

Tolbs in shambles

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm officially a man now

What's her name?

Hopefully not Mary Hannah.

I don't know, I would probably try to steal my buddy's girl at that age. 

[JoePCool14]

I'm officially a man now

Happy birthday. To celebrate, how will you surrender your man card?

EDIT: Are you going to change your name to Roadgeekman now?

[kphoger]

it will only make the hair grow back faster

claim not supported by science

It isn't? I guess I'm not sure if my own experience counts as science, but if I call it an "experiment" instead of "experience", then that's pretty scientific, right?

What did you do, exactly?  Vary the frequency of your shaves and then note the time it took for stubble to grow?  How long did you do that for?  Your profile says you're only 22 years old.  It's more likely one of two things:

(1)  Your body/facial hair growth rate has simply changed over time, and it had nothing to do with your shaving routine.

(2)  What differences you noticed were all in your head.

[webny99]

it will only make the hair grow back faster

claim not supported by science

It isn't? I guess I'm not sure if my own experience counts as science, but if I call it an "experiment" instead of "experience", then that's pretty scientific, right?

What did you do, exactly?  Vary the frequency of your shaves and then note the time it took for stubble to grow?  How long did you do that for?  Your profile says you're only 22 years old.  It's more likely one of two things:

(1)  Your body/facial hair growth rate has simply changed over time, and it had nothing to do with your shaving routine.

(2)  What differences you noticed were all in your head.

I didn't do much of anything, except simply observe that hair seems to grow back faster after it's shaved, in particular after it's shaved for the first time. In other words, once you shave, you'll have to keep doing it, and perhaps with more frequency than you expected. Going way back to when I first started shaving, as I recall, a whole lifetime of hair growth (up to that point) on my upper lip came back thicker and darker pretty much right away after I shaved. I didn't even have a transition period of shaving every couple weeks, I went straight from not shaving at all to shaving every day.

Both (1) and (2) are possible. But I think it's more likely that a change in the thickness and color of the hair as it grew back caused me to think it was growing faster, when it was instead it was growing at the same rate and was just more noticeable.

[kphoger]

I didn't do much of anything, except simply observe that hair seems to grow back faster after it's shaved, in particular after it's shaved for the first time.

Of course you notice it more after you shave.  As soon as it pokes up above the skin, you can feel it.  Let me put it this way:

The difference in the first 24 hours after shaving is much more noticeable than the difference between, say, day 5 and day 6–even if the growth rate is exactly the same.  That's because you're comparing BBS (that's "baby butt smooth", for those who aren't also on shaving forums) skin to stubble, rather than just comparing light growth to light growth.

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm officially a man now

Happy birthday. To celebrate, how will you surrender your man card?

EDIT: Are you going to change your name to Roadgeekman now?

Not until my 20th birthday.

[Max Rockatansky]

I'm officially a man now

Happy birthday. To celebrate, how will you surrender your man card?

EDIT: Are you going to change your name to Roadgeekman now?

Not until my 20th birthday.

No, no, it needs to be "Alangoatman."

[jmacswimmer]

I'm officially a man now

Happy birthday. To celebrate, how will you surrender your man card?

EDIT: Are you going to change your name to Roadgeekman now?

Not until my 20th birthday.

No, no, it needs to be "Alangoatman."

Yes, but not until Alanland is re-unlocked on some future April Fool's Day mysteriously reenters our realm once more.

[Scott5114]

I'm officially a man now

Happy birthday. To celebrate, how will you surrender your man card?

EDIT: Are you going to change your name to Roadgeekman now?

Not until my 20th birthday.

No, no, it needs to be "Alangoatman."

Yes, but not until Alanland is re-unlocked on some future April Fool's Day mysteriously reenters our realm once more.

Alan Merritt decided it wasn't worth the trouble to be in our reality, what with the coops and having to endure people who don't even own a fish hat trying to depose him for no reason, so he had the pi houses of Parliament enact a Alæxit bill.

[on_wisconsin]

I frequently catch myself watching The View.