People who tell me to cut my hair
I am a 20-something guy with very long blonde hair - it could quite reasonably be described as a mane. It seems every day someone will make a "joke" about it and finish off by making it clear they think I should cut it. I've come to the conclusion that these people somehow feel threatened by my non-adherence to the status quo of male short-back-and-sides and feel the need to strike out in fear. Just what is the problem exactly? I don't give a flying fuck what your hair looks like (unless it's a £50 Tony and Guy emo number) and I certainly wont attempt to judge you for it so why are you judging mine?

In my experience this applies to any behaviour outside of the norm. For example, I was a vegetarian for 18 months. I would refuse all meat but prided myself on never preaching or looking down on meat-eaters. If a friend wanted to have a friendly discussion about it that was fine, but what pissed me off on a near-daily basis were people I hardly knew who, on finding out I didn't eat meat, would hurl a million aggressive questions as to why in my direction, even try and coerce me into eating their meat, and either act offended or mightily amused at the simple choice I'd made. By the end of 18 months I really came to appreciate the small minority of people who weren't in the slightest bit interested by the fact I was a vegetarian, beyond obvious "what to cook" dilemmas (which were usually solved anyway by my supplying a linda mcCartney pie or suchlike).

What the fuck is the problem? I came to the same conclusion I have come to over the hair issue - these people are offended and made insecure by the difference and feel the need to lash out.

Other points of difference I get regularly and irrationally persecuted for:

- smoking rollups as opposed to "proper fags"
- shopping in charity shops
- listening to vinyl
- not watching TV
- not being interested in football
etc. etc. Grrrr. The world is full of Nazis.
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 12:51, 11 replies)

I'm going to
throw something out there... you dont have a job do you? Or a mortgage. Just guessing! I was like you. Now? Dead on the inside.

(Also, I bet that you have said these words in the last year "yeah I did like them, but they sold out.")

no offense dude, just made me smile.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Fri 2 May 2008, 12:56, closed)

Heh!
"coerce me into eating their meat"

BTW - Thank you for the Randomburn CD! Will listen to it over the weekend...
( Fireflier La la la la, not listening on, Fri 2 May 2008, 12:59, closed)

I don't have a job, no
I'm 29 going on 19, I know.. and I'm sure I'll have to acquiese to some of the norms of the status quo sooner or later. But I'm resisting as hard as I can - I love my individuality even if I'm a loser.

I never accuse bands of selling out btw.. one of my favorite acts are the Dandy Warhols who made their money off the back of an advert.. take the money and run I say! I'm not that much of a hippy..
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 13:00, closed)

@fireflier
No probs - hope you enjoy it!
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 13:01, closed)

jesus christ, are you actually neil the hippy form the young ones?
1. You’re not threatening the status quo you're simply dressing like them
2. Suggesting it is a mane clearly marks you as a cunt
3. Clearly you smell

get it cut and you might get to shag the cheery looking birds you secretly admire but are too awkward smelly and long haired to appeal to as opposed to those miserable emo bints who witter on about self harming and being oppressed by the man

You’re just a re-packaged hippy - wealthy, clever people who work in proper jobs that can afford a decent fucking haircut have handled the re-packaging.
( spimf ™ is whoever you want him to be, Fri 2 May 2008, 13:53, closed)

And who the fuck are you Spimf?
I am not trying to threaten the status quo. I like having long hair. I don't feel comfortable with short hair. Had long hair all my life. As I said, I don't give a flying fuck about anyone else's hair; I just wish people didn't care about mine so much.

Not sure what you are talking about regarding the smells and women thing. You don't know me. I wash twice a day and half my friends are women of various personality types. My ex did self-harm. She was not an emo, but did have severe bipolar disorder and a decade long struggle with cutting herself. She didn't do it because she thought it was cool and not many people knew about it.

I could cite numerous reasons why I don't have a job but I certainly do not shout about it, still less feel any sense of self worth in "dropping out" as I'm guessing your "hippy" barbs are wont to suggest.

You are instantly one of the most dislikeable people I've come accross on the internet.
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 14:27, closed)

And the mane thing
There's a lot of it. It is thick, very blonde and comes down below my shoulders. Therefore it is a mane, for descriptive purposes. I could call it "a cascade of dried piss" but I think I prefer "mane". OK, it has connotations of grandeur, of being linked to "the king of beasts", but I like my hair and am rather proud of it, therefore it is a fucking mane to you, me, the Queen and her fucking poodles. Am I allowed?
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 14:35, closed)

OK enough. I'm a hippy.
I've spent the afternoon so far getting stoned in the sun, quite content to do the minimum. A rather lovely girl just phoned and her and her (female, works in a pharmacy, very useful) friend will come round this evening for wine, smokes and a soundtrack of the hippyest music I have, just for you Spimf. I think I will burn some incense and get the tarot cards out. It will be be fun. Tomorrow a group of us are riding our bikes to an old burial ground where we will get stoned again and have a picnic. This weekend is going to be perfect in it's hippiness. The simple life is good.
(lost, Fri 2 May 2008, 14:46, closed)

I think you bit mate.
Lost it a little back there. One of my pet peeves is people that enjoy winding people up 'just for the fun of it'.

All the best.

Che
(Che Grimsdale Best before:, Fri 2 May 2008, 15:22, closed)

I don't
watch TV either. From the reactions of people at work you'd think I'd grown a new head.
(YayLady is cold, Fri 2 May 2008, 16:25, closed)

vegetarians
I think the main reason vegetarians get aggressively questioned is that bacon tastes goooooooooood.

and pork pies.
and steaks.
and roast chicken.
and so on and so forth.
(Bunbury, Sun 4 May 2008, 21:48, closed)