Are dredlocks the new mullet?

SomeKid said:
I think dreads are cute. But as far as the spirituality argument goes, I think most of the time it's bunk. If you have one that is legitimate I am more than willing to listen (the general you, not the James you). Enthusiastic, in fact. I love to hear about spiritual beliefs I havan't been exposed to. Most of the time, though, rather than identifying with a particular spirituality, if white people with dreads are trying to identify with anything it's with Bob Marley, smoking pot and Rastafarianism by extension. I do think that's stupid. For a white person to talk about Jah at all strikes me as a base appropriation and a gross misunderstanding of what Rastifarianism stands for. Don't get me wrong, I love Bob Marley. I even read a book of Halle Salasie's speeches once. From what I understand (and my understanding is admittedly limited) Rastafarianism is an inherently African (or black) religion. It's all about Pan-Africanism and black power. If you need an example of this, listen to Bob Marley's song War which just so happens to be taken nearly verbatim for a speech HIM gave. Again, don't get me wrong, I think that's awesome. Ethiopia was, after all, the only country in Africa to avoid European colonization and was an example of strength and independence for the rest of the continent. I just don't know that a white kid from a sub-urb of PDX really has a right to identify. Support, sure. Identify, no.
But yeah, I think dreads are cute and as long as you don't have a half-assed relgious defense I'm all about 'em. And James, don't take this as an attack. I'm fully convinced there might be valid spiritual reasons for a white person to have dread-locks. I just haven't ever had one spelled out for me.

James_ said:
My main beef with the o.p. is that it seems to be saying that the only reason you can wear a haircut is because it looks good, and I think that's bollocks.

StarBelliedBoy said:

I don't understand why someone would have a haircut if they didn't think it looked good.


It boggles the mind.

James_ said:
Buddhist monks shave their heads, and they don't do it because they think it looks cool. Catholic monks shave a tonsure out of the middle of their hair, and again it's not because it's aesthetically pleasing

edith said:
i'm sure lots of guys who look like that hate pot, eat veal, and own handguns.