Moustache is not a sign of manliness

One common thread across all cultures, especially ones that are centuries old, is that the moustache is a sign of manliness. And what is manliness you ask - the textbook definition equates it to being brave and strong. 

In my humble opinion, however, the opposite is true. I think the lack of moustache in a man  actually shows his bravery. Please read further to know why. 

First let us try to understand what bravery is all about. Bravery is having the ability to face challenges that are thrown at you, where the challenges could literally be life threatening. Not just face challenges, but overcome it. There are physical acts of bravery and there are mental acts of bravery. And a truly brave person doesn't face and overcome these challenges just once or twice in his lifetime. These are repeated many times over and quite often at frequent intervals. 

Now let us check the physical bravery aspect. Physical bravery typically comes up when you are challenged to a sword fight or gun fight or a fight of any other kind where there are weapons in use that could potentially harm you. These fights involve two human beings. Then there is the other type where you have to jump into a raging fire to save a child. There your opponent is not a human being, but the flaming inferno which can burn your skin. It also takes bravery to face stray animals on the road or the demands of a wife/girlfriend. Sorry about bringing the wife/girlfriend angle here, because unless a poori kattai is involved, that should fall in the mental bravery segment. 

But lets stick to the weapons related bravery for now. Imagine a sharp metal instrument that is being used on your face and neck. This instrument often called a blade, is used to cut off the facial hair. A slight shiver in your hand or a little bit of bad lighting, can cause you to apply excess force on this blade which would cause it to cut your skin. This invariably results in a metallic taste in your mouth first and you can then see the blood on your skin. Also, remember that this very  instrument is also being used around your JUGULAR. Do I need to explain what happens when the Jugular is cut? 

So doesn't it require a lot of bravery to actually subject yourself to this act of shaving daily or on alternate days or even once a week? Isn't that what people without a moustache have to undergo regularly? Very often, these people also go to a barber to get this work done. Doesn't it require great bravery to actually hand over your life to someone else? So aren't they braver than the guy who grows a moustache and at best, has to use a scissors to trim the hair for aesthetic purposes? 

Now comes the mental aspect of bravery. Whatever said and done, people still associate a moustache to manliness. At least the biological manliness as opposed to the concept of manly qualities. So anyone without a moustache is automatically compared to the other gender or sometimes to the 3rd gender. Quite often this happens directly in the face of those without one - moustache not face. 

Yet all these people do live their daily lives without much ado. And at least from Indian and Chinese context, the biological manliness has been proven in billions! Doesn’t this count for bravery against discrimination? 

And on another completely different plane of argument, the lack of moustache is actually an indication of higher level of evolution. Just compare yourself with the image of a homo sapien and you will clearly see the large scale shedding of facial hair. Evolution does that. Similarly, think of all the alien movies you have watched and you will realise that none of them sport a moustache. 

So, in conclusion, I have to reiterate that it takes a real brave man (and a highly evolved one) to be without a moustache.  

P.S.: I have been thinking about this for the past few weeks after switching to a new brand of shaving blades that have been nicking me badly. Also rusting quickly. 

P.P.S.: I was watching Thillu Mullu this morning and saw it as a sign from the Universe that I must blog it.