Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id EAA01720 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 25 May 2000 04:28:30 +0100 Message-ID: <392C5705.F64CD01C@mediaone.net> Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 23:26:13 +0100 From: chuck <cpalson@mediaone.net> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.72 [en] (WinNT; I) X-Accept-Language: en To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Shaving References: <Pine.WNT.4.21.0005241942250.-49314761-100000@Starship051.cbe.wwu.edu> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Beats me. The way to research this is to get a history of beards - which I am
sure is around somewhere. Then you have to look at periods in which they have
been popular, especially when the trend starts and ends, and see what there
is in the history of the time.
From a sociobiological perspective, it is said that the function of a beard
is primarily to make the face look bigger and therefore more powerful. I
would add that it may make it difficult to see certain emotions in the face
if it is a full beard. People in authority do not show emotions.
So - just as an idea, if, as I think, in the late 1800s, men were wearing
beards, it could have been because they wanted to cover up their developing
sense of inferiority - which seems to have been a general problem at the time
for several reasons.
But, like I say, I think the best place to start is **social** history. I'm
pretty sure there is a history of beards - it may be mixed in with clothing.
TJ Olney wrote:
> Does anyone have any references for the history of shaving and/or for any
> sociobiological explanations for how shaving (male and/or female) would
> be or even could be a reproductive advantage?
>
> Put another way, are shaving customs, clearly memetically transmitted
> behaviors, purely memetic?
>
> Are they perhaps an example of a memeplex that confers genetic advantage
> through sexual selection only after the memeplex is widespread?
>
> TJ Olney
>
> ===============================================================
> This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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===============================================================
This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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