We're All a Little Mad Here

At 27 years old I finally decided to let facial hair exist on my face for more than a few days. I've always enjoyed a clean shave, so as a grown man it was a bit embarrassing to actually Google "How to grow a beard." The first site that popped up was The Art of Manliness, which gave a decent idea of what I was getting in to and set me on the path to finding a widespread community dedicated to facial hair.

After spending some more time looking at styles, watching YouTube channels dedicated to shaving, and reading a surprising amount of information available on websites dedicated to facial hair aficionados, I realized something... these people are out of their minds.

Admittedly this thought came after watching a 17 minute video of a guy getting a "Royal Shave" at a high end... I don't even know what to call it other than a "beard cuttery." This wasn't just some trim or cleanup around a beard. It was complete stubble removal and face-pampering session - basically what takes us 10-15 minutes to do in the shower. After looking up what exactly what the Royal Shave entailed, I found that it was basically a 45 minute session of shaving and product application for $55.



I'm not knocking someone for spending $55 on a shave. After watching the video I must admit I would love to experience something like that. In fact, I actually started finding comfort in seeing legions of men seeking the "perfect shave." Why? Because it's nice to see that geeks aren't the only ones with an unhealthy obsession with things that don't really matter.

Too often people look at us and laugh at the money we spend on comics and games; the time we spend on websites and visiting conventions; and the comfort and camaraderie we find in people just like us. But it turns out that sporting a well-groomed beard is like wearing a Star Wars shirt at a comic convention - people of like minds will look at you with unwarranted approval and even welcome you in to their circles, knowing little else about you other than your desire to rock some facial hair.

And it's not just a guy thing. TMZ's popularity is based on people loving celebrity gossip. Coach stays in business because women love those purses. Gun shows are filled with all sorts of people - from casual gun enthusiasts to people rejected from Soldier of Fortune for being a bit too hardcore.

When you find people like you, a community is instantly formed. You can spend hours talking to them and know nothing about their political views. You may never have been friends normally, but that shared passion is enough to make you want to spend time with a stranger.

Not to be a social commentator, but our obsessions are sometimes the only way we'll open up to someone else. Today it's easy to be an island and have a bevy of superficial friends. We deal with people all the time, both online and real life, yet it's rare to be genuine with someone because it's just not a part of our mentality. But when you see someone with a Green Lantern screensaver at work, a Magic the Gathering keychain, or even bump in to someone in the Warmachine aisle.... suddenly your shared obsessions can spark hours of excited conversation.

I also find that labeling geeks as "losers" for their obsessions is a bit hilarious in light of all this. Is one person's knowledge of The First Age of Middle Earth make them any more of a loser than someone who calls in to my cousin's company and pays a by-the-minute fee for Fantasy Football tips? How does the record holder for the world's faster completion of Super Mario Bros compare to the world's faster rapper?






The answer, of course, is that one is called superhuman while the other is told to get a life. But when you get down to it, the only thing that got them to this point was passion and dedication.

I guess my point is that geeks are pretty normal overall. Some are a bit insane, but then again football fans will refuse to shave until their team gets to the playoffs lest they upset the delicate balance of magic and voodoo that holds more bearing over a team's success than the skill of its players. A geek may get mocked for buying a $500 gaming system they'll play for years by a woman who just spent $400 on a purse.

Or maybe it's not that we're all normal, but that everyone is just insane in their own unique way. What do you think?


See you tomorrow!

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