Church is canceled. I’m working at home. I’m not supposed to go out in public. And yesterday it occurred to me: the main reason I typically trim my beard is because I have to interact with people a lot of the time, and there are these things called “social norms” I typically try to follow. But I’ve always wondered just how far I could push my beard if I really let it go.
And you know what? I don’t have to worry about those social norms in a society where norms are more and more abnormal.
I last trimmed my beard in December, give or take. Around about the same time the Corona Virus started to spread in China. So I’ve decided to keep this beard going until the quarantine is lifted. I’m still going to take care of it and keep it up: it’s not like my plan is to turn into a walking bird’s nest. If for some reason, it turns out it’s dangerous to my health to have a beard, I suppose I’d have to cut it, but it’s going to have to be a real threat for me to do it. (There was this “cut your beard so you can use a face mask” message going around Facebook a week ago. I don’t need to use a face mask, so I won’t ditch my beard for that.)
We’ll see how long this beard gets. I personally am doubtful it will get to Gandalf levels of facial hair, but I’m not actually sure how long my beard can really get. Anyone have any guesses? Anyone else want to play along at home? Grow your own! Become a hermit! If we don’t come out of this looking like Robin Williams in Jumanji, we’re doing this quarantine all wrong, I say.
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