Post: #1

If you look at CEOs and any powerful people in the business world, having a beard is a no-no, even if well maintained. I'm not aware of any male heads of state that have beards either except for Castro and some dictators in the middle east. But western presidents with beards? No way. A guy who looked like Lincoln would not be electable today. And of course no facial hair in the military even though generals used to have beards. Facial hair used to be common amongst powerful men, but now there's a stigma attached to it.

Why is this?

Post: #2

It depends on which parts of the world you are in.
In some parts of the world, beards are still a sign of a powerful man.

I wouldn't say we have a particular stigma against having beards in the USA.
Being a CEO doesn't necessarily make you powerful, most CEOs cannot do whatever they want, they are the image of the company and in the USA having a long bearded man as the face of your company would be out of the norm.

In the end it comes down to what society you are in, and the amount of personal freedom you have to express yourself.

Post: #3

Is this guy powerful enough?

Post: #4

Mafia has a ban on facial hair as well.

Post: #5

I see where you're coming from...people in our society "respect and trust" those with smooth baby faces more than ones with scruff or a beard (even if it's groomed and maintained).

One of the dept. heads at work is known to be adamantly against any facial hair. People are afraid to run into him if they've even skipped a day and have a shadow going. He's the corporate beard Nazi...and also a huge douche.

I cannot wait until the day that I'm not forced to shave to collect a paycheck.

Post: #6

Edit: Guess you mentioned dictators in the ME

Post: #7

This theory don't vibe with the whole "Jews rule the world!" thang

Post: #8

Facial hair ages a man and our society values youth/looks above experience/wisdom.

Post: #9

(03-04-2013 03:51 PM)speakeasy Wrote:  If you look at CEOs and any powerful people in the business world, having a beard is a no-no, even if well maintained. I'm not aware of any male heads of state that have beards either except for Castro and some dictators in the middle east. But western presidents with beards? No way. A guy who looked like Lincoln would not be electable today. And of course no facial hair in the military even though generals used to have beards. Facial hair used to be common amongst powerful men, but now there's a stigma attached to it.

Why is this?

...now that you mention it

Post: #10

Larry Ellison? Steve Jobs?

Post: #11

Facial hair hides expressions. I think that in countries where the people are getting elected, politicians are trying to look more trust worthy and open.

Post: #12

Ex Home Secretary of the UK (one of the top ministerial posts) David Blunkett had a beard while in office. Probably an old habit from the 70s.

Post: #13

I don't know the history of it well enough to pay for sure, but a lot of our present-day grooming standards come from consumer goods companies popularizing certain looks.

It could be that companies wanted to sell razors and shaving cream, so they created marketing campaigns around the image of the clean cut executive.

Post: #14

Do you think if the whole WWII Holocaust / Nazi thing never went down dudes would be sporting the "Hitler" mustache? It's kind of like an upper lip "soul patch".

Post: #15

A big study demonstrated that people trust guys without facial hair more. It's pretty much become the uniform of the corporate world since them (also reinforced by conformism). A cuple of PUA caches recomend cleanshaven for wor on weekdays (build the bankroll), then stubble it up Thur - Sunday.

Post: #16

I feel that making a man shave is another way of robbing him of his balls.

But that is just me.

Post: #17

Feminist are the ones now wearing the facial hair. First the pants, then the mustache.

Post: #18

(03-04-2013 05:31 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Feminist are the ones now wearing the facial hair. First the pants, then the mustache.

and armpit hair!

Post: #19

It's about what it takes to get into those top positions. Working your way up the corporate hierarchy selects for extreme conformity. Hence you don't get many Fortune 100 CEOs with long hair.

Then look at the men who came up as entrepreneurs (someone mentioned Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs) and you'll see a completely different look entrepreneurial success selects for people who don't conform.





The second one is Felix Dennis, founder of Dennis Publishing. He used to have a harem of 14 hotties at any one time that supported and flew to wherever he needed them. He apparently still pays some of them pensions. Was this beta?

Interesting guy: http://www.felixdennis.com/about/did-you-know/

John Bolton is pretty powerful too:



I guess it's just not in fashion these days, except among hipsters and older guys who have kept up the habit since the 70s.

Post: #20

(03-04-2013 05:31 PM)Aliblahba Wrote:  Feminist are the ones now wearing the facial hair. First the pants, then the mustache.

You called?

Post: #21

What Caligula said.

One of the 48 Laws of Power is relevant here. It basically says to think however you want but act like everyone else. Facial hair signals that you've decided to stand outside of the group in most political and corporate hierarchies. In academia, facial hair is very common and something many professors use to hide a weak chin e.g. Ben Bernanke retains this look even though he's technically left academia.

Post: #22

I think the OP meant heads of state, except in the Middle East, when he refers to powerful men. Also, the industry a CEO is in also has bearing on appearance. Guys in the arts and tech can pretty much look anyway they want. Other industries that are more uptight and corporate will probably be more clean-cut.

You notice Al Gore, once he stopped running for public offices, grew a beard. It's as if he finally felt free and could relax. For most politicians, shaving is no different than putting on a suit and tie for work.

Post: #23

Fashions change. Russian men always wore beards, but Peter the Great made them cut them for the sake of Westernization. In the 1700s, beards made a bit of a comeback. At the time of the French Revolution they were unfashionable again. In the 1830s they made a big comeback and for the rest of the 19th century were almost de rigeur. In the 20th century the clean shaven look came back, and has more-or-less stayed, since nowadays men's fashions change more slowly than in former centuries, and regional styles of dress have given way to a sort of "international Anglo-inspired business wear." If people associated beards with, for example, their fathers, or venerable public figures instead of stage magicians, foreigners, and men who pride themselves on being out of the mainstream, I daresay the beard would evoke warm feelings instead of "mistrust."

Post: #24

Personally, it's just easier to keep it shaven off than to maintain/trim a beard or goatee. A mustache isn't a big deal, but anything more, if you're going to keep it, has to be kept neat and trimmed. I think practicality also factors in.

Post: #25

(03-04-2013 04:02 PM)Samseau Wrote:  Is this guy powerful enough?

Though, Bernanke used to look like this back in the day.



The current Ben Bernanke look might be catching on in the street.