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The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

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Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#51

Post by amelius »

stefs wrote: post #42
thih9 wrote: post #10

Loosely related video, Star Trek actor talks about being bald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqm_Iq8rFeg . I'm linking it to remind that perceiving baldness as something negative (here: a criterion for removal from a photo) can be a cause of distress and loss of confidence.

in my personal opinion: baldness used to be unsexier, but that changed in the last 1-2 decades. nowadays it's another hairstyle people might adopt even if they're not bald - fashionable, especially combined with a beard. being partially bald (instead of going all in ... or all out?) feels like it's (still?) unstylish, as a tonsure (monk spot?) is not a hairstyle you'd be going for on purpose. though, as i grow older…

One problem with becoming bald is that you now have to worry: what do I do with my sideburns (a sign of masculinity)? Do I trim them at the top and the bottoms?

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#52

Post by thebladerunner »

Technical aspects aside, this post is in a really bad taste.

Next time you're itching to show off your chops, maybe pick a project that does not involve airbrushing people somehow deemed unworthy of being remembered, based on their looks?

During world war II, the Nazis had the laborious task of detecting Jews among the occupied populations, at scale. Is that also a task worthy of being automated and then writing a post about it?

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#53

Post by stronglikedan »

ujhmi6 wrote: post #38
Nannooskeeska wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Baldness is something negative This is 100% subjective.

It's subjective, but given the frantic search of a cure for baldness, and the extents to which some people go to conceal it, I'd say it's pretty much unattractive.

People search to "cure" everything they don't like about themselves. In the case of baldness, it only seems frantic because it's elusive. The ED cure use to be frantic until a little blue pill was developed. A lot of people embrace their baldness, so it cannot be objectively negative or unattractive.

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#55

Post by lainga »

Insanity wrote: post #40
throwaway8879 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Very much agreed. That character is so memorable that it's difficult for me to think of him playing a non-George role. I think the actor had trouble with post-Seinfeld roles too.

For me it's the same with characters from Friends. I can't see them in another role (except Jennifer, it's kind of odd to see her in other things but not as much as the others). That being said, George is an absolutely great character and one of my favourites in sitcoms :) Just reading these comments makes me want to rewatch Seinfeld.

I thought David Schwimmer was pretty perfect as Cpt. Sobel in BoB.

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#56

Post by glassesman »

throwaway8879 wrote: post #14
thih9 wrote: post #10

Loosely related video, Star Trek actor talks about being bald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqm_Iq8rFeg . I'm linking it to remind that perceiving baldness as something negative (here: a criterion for removal from a photo) can be a cause of distress and loss of confidence.

I do understand why people would feel insecure about baldness. Is it changing for the better though? Loads of "cool" bald people, think Vin Diesel etc. I still have a head full of hair and just turned 30. Not sure how I'd feel as I've had long hair all my life. I do feel that the volume isn't as high as it was in my early 20s.. I hope we make some progress in a cure either way.

Thanks for encouraging progress in a cure. Honestly, it all really depends on who you are. Some people don't really mind. Other people, like myself, are drastically affected by it emotionally. I've never really been a masculine guy, and having long, thick hair was part of that. Suddenly having it thin, seemingly overnight, at the age of 18 was a really frustrating thing. It gets frustrating when I want to dress certain ways, but can't pull off various looks because my bald head doesn't fit in with it. I feel like I've been roped into a very specific way of dressing as a result and, once again, the whole thing is really frustrating. I see some of my co-workers come in with fresh and stylish hair cuts and I become jealous I can no longer express myself in the same way.

I don't let it stop me from living my life and doing the things I want, but it's still a garbage thing that I absolutely will not deny has affected me every day.

Insecurities aside, I hate not having natural protection from the sunlight and cold. I miss being able to go to the beach without a hat.

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#58

Post by Bricejm »

max76 wrote: post #31
adrianN wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is medication that can prevent baldness. It has very rare, but very scary side-effects though. Eventually we might have something that fixes the genes responsible for baldness.

I don't feel like baldness is something that needs to be fixed. To me that sounds the same as saying the genes for blonde hair can be "fixed".

It would be helpful. After losing my hair, the sun became the enemy. Easy to forget to bring a hat.

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#59

Post by stallmanite »

moate wrote: post #48
Insanity wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, but if you like Seinfeld in general there's a good chance you'll like 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'. Seinfeld has a higher 'standing' in my personal ranking, next to friends it's my favourite series to date. If you like these shows and your sense of humour is similar to mine, you might also enjoy "Friends" and "How I met your mother". They all have a similar feel to me.

I hear this all the time, and it just doesn't click for me. I liked Seinfeld, but Larry's character on Curb is just too much. I also love It's Always Sunny... but I just cannot enjoy Curb.

To add another anecdote to the pile I love Seinfeld, Curb your Enthusiasm, and Alway Sunny but loathe Friends. I think the correlation is weak.

Re: The Boombox Incident: removing bald people from photos

#60

Post by MRD85 »

djhworld wrote: post #12
thih9 wrote: post #10

Loosely related video, Star Trek actor talks about being bald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqm_Iq8rFeg . I'm linking it to remind that perceiving baldness as something negative (here: a criterion for removal from a photo) can be a cause of distress and loss of confidence.

I know this article is trying to be tongue in cheek but I definitely think it's worth highlighting this issue.

My issue is most people won't find it in bad taste to make this tongue in cheek article. If someone made an article "Remove Mexicans from a photo" most people would realise it's harmful. Baldness is mostly genetic and I think it's horrible to pick on people for it, especially when it can be a huge issue for them.
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