In Defense of Beards

It must be stated at the start that I, as a bearded man, am biased. I know many un-bearded men who I respect and admire. Yet, when I imagine those same men with beards, I admire them even more. Today I want to share four brief reasons why, in my opinion, beards are the best.

First, beards take dedication. Notice I say dedication, not laziness. Choosing a beard out of laziness is like drinking pre-ground coffee. Yeah you're still drinking coffee, but you need a shift in priorities. So if you're a man who can grow a beard, commit to the process. Dedicate a time to let it grow without trimming it, even if it gets itchy (it won't if you use beard oil!). Dedicate half an hour to Youtube tutorials on proper trimming habits. Consecrate a rhythm for beard upkeep & experimentation. It's work worth doing.

Second, beards keep you humble. Whether you are a teenager with peach fuzz or a 19th century cavalry commander, there will always be someone whose beard you admire more than your own. And that is ok! The trick is to humbly accept the beard you've been given. Do not covet thy neighbor's beard. Love your peach fuzz, and respectfully submit to the people you trust when it's time to trim. Believe it or not, humility is more masculine than the thickest beard.

Third, beards lead to community. This one might be a stretch. But bearded men dedicated to the craft recognize a good beard when they see it. A good beard requires respect, and if you can respect a man's beard, that respect might lay the foundation for the mutual respect of friendship. Now, it might seem weird to you to discuss beard crafting & oils with your male friends. That seems pretty natural. But I'm telling you, there's a special kind of bond when friends commit to a beard challenge. It might be growing out your mustaches. It might be getting a goatee. It might be star-burns. Men bond over facial hair. Even those who choose the baby-faced life find community through the fine shave.  (But honestly, when is the last time someone complemented a man on his extraordinarily well-shaved face?)

Finally, science. Let me elaborate. A study done in Australia revealed a paradox in male facial hair. For short-term relationships, women preferred men with less facial hair (shaved--->stubble) over men with more facial hair. But when it comes to long-term relationships, the majority of women found men with more facial hair attractive. To be fair, this study was conducted in Australia where I can only assume that men with facial hair wrestle alligators & chase kangaroos for a living (two of the more manly professions). But there is science to prove that women find bearded men more attractive as long-term mates.

In the end, I never want to look down on my baby-faced peers. There is a commitment to shaving every day, especially when one commits to a straight-razor. There is a humility in accepting a less-than-average facial hair situation. There is community between men & women regardless of facial hair. But, the science might be onto something. Don't believe me? Ask my wife.

-HGM