{"id":4270,"date":"2005-12-12T22:29:15","date_gmt":"2005-12-13T02:29:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/12\/12\/hair-brained-priorities\/"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:54:19","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:54:19","slug":"hair-brained-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/12\/12\/hair-brained-priorities\/","title":{"rendered":"hair-brained priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"

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For some unfathomable reason, the Lifestyles editor of the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Schenectady <\/FONT>Sunday Gazette<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A> decided to feature the article <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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“Caution Bad Hair Day<\/EM>” yesterday (by Elysia Nest, H1, Dec. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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11, 2005, $ub$cription only!)  The article rehashes findings <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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from a <\/FONT>2000 study<\/FONT><\/A> by <\/FONT>Marianne LaFrance<\/FONT><\/A> of Yale University’s <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Gender Communications Laboratory and from a March 2003 <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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‘Hair Drama Stress Survey’ <\/FONT><\/A>conducted on behalf of Sunsilk <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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hair care products.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"CautionBadHair\"<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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Since understanding human nature makes us better lawyers,<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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judges, haijin, and persons, I thought I’d salvage the time wasted <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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on <\/FONT>that article by sharing it with you.   Also, if misery loves <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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company, and we all love a little schadenfreude, knowing the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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pain that bad hair causes others might be personally rewarding <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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for all of us.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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A quick look at LaFrance’s Impressions <\/FONT>column<\/FONT><\/A> in the Lamas <\/EM>   \"BadHairDayN\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Beauty Magazine<\/EM>, (Oct. 2003), reveals that “bad hair days “<\/I>affect <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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individuals’ self-esteem increasing self-doubt, intensifying <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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social insecurities, and becoming more self-critical in general:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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\"tiny “Interestingly, both women and men are negatively <\/I><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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affected by the phenomenon of bad hair days,”<\/I> says <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Professor LaFrance. “Even more fascinating is our finding <\/I><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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that individuals perceive their capabilities to be significantly <\/I><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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lower than others when experiencing bad hair.”<\/I> <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV><\/EM><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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\"tiny<\/EM>  “Most notably, just the thought of a bad hair <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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day caused both men and women to feel they are not as <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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smart as others. Surprisingly, the impact on performance <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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self-esteem was more pronounced among men.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"tiny  “Women tend to feel more disgraced, embar-<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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rassed, ashamed or self-conscious when experiencing bad <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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hair. Men on the other hand, feel more nervous, less con-<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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fident and are more inclined to be unsociable.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"BadHairDayG\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"tiny “Evidence shows that bad hair causes one to <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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be more negative about oneself. Specifically, results <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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indicate that a ‘bad hair’<\/I> day leads individuals to find more <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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personal character flaws that go beyond their appearance.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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  <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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The <\/FONT>Sunsilk study<\/FONT><\/A> found that “More than one in five women (22%) will cancel a <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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date or hide to avoid seeing someone they fancy, if they are having a bad hair day. <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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And one in 20 would actually give up sex or their boyfriend in exchange for great <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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looking hair for the rest of their lives.”  Even worse, “nearly all women (97%) believe <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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that having attractive hair is essential to their self-esteem, and it therefore acts as <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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an emotional barometer – a simple means of gauging their well-being.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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According to Dr Aric Sigman, psychologist and body language expert: “Hair is the <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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only fashion accessory that is part of a woman’s body and, as such, she takes it <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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more seriously. . . .  She knows that people will make judgements about her based <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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upon the state of her hair and – more to the point – she makes judgements about <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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herself based upon the state of her hair.”<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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“tinyredcheck” The study also found that “Amazingly, one in ten (11%) <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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women would rather suffer PMT than endure a bad hair day.”  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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[Over at Acronym Finder<\/EM>, your Editor concluded that “<\/FONT>PMT<\/FONT><\/A>” <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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probably means Post-Millennium Tension, Pacemaker-Mediated <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Tachycardia, or<\/EM> Pre-Menstrual Tension (UK Variation of PMS).] <\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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Before you accuse me of misogyny or male chauvinism for stressing these <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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results, please let me repeat the sentence above from the LaFrance Study:<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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“Surprisingly, the impact on performance self-esteem was more <\/FONT>pronounced <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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among men.”  <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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\"boy<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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Although I make light of the Bad Hair Day issue, let me confess that <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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I also empathize.  My<\/A> three-dimensional, curly-brillo Sicilian hair was <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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impossible to tame in my youth and is impossible to tame as it rapidly <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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abandons my pate.  Believe me, I can relate.  I just hope that age has <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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given me enough common sense to laugh rather than cry <\/FONT>on my own <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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bad hair days.<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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again, the bald barber<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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cuts my hair <\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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too short <\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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<\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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<\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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<\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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as the professor speaks<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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only his bald spot<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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is illuminated<\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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George Swede<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A> from <\/FONT><\/FONT><\/SPAN>Almost<\/EM> Unseen: Selected Haiku of George Swede<\/EM><\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT><\/SPAN><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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bad hair update<\/STRONG><\/EM> (Dec. 13, 2005): a pair from ed “the walking saijiki<\/A>” <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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markowski:<\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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           late day showers…<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                   my hair gel<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                      reactivates<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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                       winter pines…<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                             the ski instructor’s<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                                  spiked hair<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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                     holiday rush<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                          the barber speaks wistfully<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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                        of the sixties<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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          ed markowski<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/A> <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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             “holiday rush” – bear creek haiku<\/EM> (Winter 2004)<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/FONT>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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George Swede bonus (forget this hair stuff):<\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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the frozen breaths<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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of the carolers   disappearing<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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among the stars<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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<\/STRONG><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/STRONG><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/STRONG><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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<\/STRONG><\/FONT><\/SPAN> <\/DIV><\/DIV><\/SPAN><\/DIV>
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<\/STRONG><\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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A cloud, a gull, a sail<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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            all
in the last sunbeam<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
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“the frozen breaths” – <\/EM>Almost<\/EM> Unseen<\/EM><\/FONT><\/A><\/SPAN><\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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“a cloud” – Mainichi Daily News<\/EM> <\/FONT><\/FONT>Dec. 5, 2005 (No.678)<\/FONT><\/A> <\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
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potluck<\/STRONG><\/EM><\/FONT><\/DIV>
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\"tiny  I can’t believe I’ve spent all this time fretting over bad hair days,<\/FONT><\/DIV>
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when I could have been clicking through the new links collected by Walter <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Olson, at Point of Law<\/EM>, on Alito and Antitrust<\/A>.  You know, some of my very <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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worse bad hair days happened while I was an antitrust lawyer.  Don’t remind <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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me!  I wonder how many millions of billable hours have been attributable to <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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Hair Dramas over the past half century?  Maybe Walter knows.  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
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 <\/DIV>
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                                                                                                                             \"CautionBadHairN\"<\/FONT><\/EM><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/BLOCKQUOTE><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For some unfathomable reason, the Lifestyles editor of the Schenectady Sunday Gazette decided to feature the article  “Caution Bad Hair Day” yesterday (by Elysia Nest, H1, Dec. 11, 2005, $ub$cription only!)  The article rehashes findings from a 2000 study by Marianne LaFrance of Yale University’s Gender Communications Laboratory and from a March 2003 ‘Hair Drama Stress […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-16S","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4270"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12873,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4270\/revisions\/12873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}