Thoughts on the untimely death and quiet resurgence of manly rituals

Well written. The core of your argument is - what are we making time for, exactly?
When you really dig down, you find it's to make time to be passive. For example, staring at a screen (TV, phone, notepad...). Or "checking" something (email, Facebook update, Text message...). Much of it in the name, generally, of entertainment.
Carrying out simple tasks takes you out of the passive mode into something that we humans have done for as long as we've been on the planet - doing things! And doing things, which many would reject and hire "help" for, can give great pleasure. Applying yourself to doing something - preparation, doing, measuring outcome - is a rare pleasure. Shaving falls perfectly into this, being a task but also a supreme indulgence.
But (slight tangent) there are others. For example insulating leaky parts of your own house YOURSELF. Replacing an InSinkErator disposer YOURSELF. installing replacement windows YOURSELF. Repairing your garage opener YOURSELF.
All of these I've done recently, and I'd never done many of them before. Not tooting my own horn because none of them are difficult - all they take is learning (thank you youtube), some modest skill, and time. Are they boring - ? No. If they were things you did all day every day, they may be. But they connect you with reality. They allow you to stand back and admire your work, even if you've made a mistake here and there, and get repeated satisfaction from that work. And save you a lot of money.
Unlike wet shaving

riooso said:

It is important not to waste time, it is the only thing you can sell, but can never buy. In today's society where everything is blended, squeezed and processed there is a loss of texture in our lives and that makes it a quality of life issue. I wet shave because the shave that I get starts the day with a quality experience that carries on thought the day. Good post.

Take Care,
Richard

Click to expand...

First off, this post is spot on. I fight with my spouse over time to do things more than everything else combined. With young children, time is scarce. If I take 10-15 minutes more in the morning than normal, often it's noticed. That's just the world we live in. The world the electric razor caters to. I have one and use it more often than I'd like to admit. Still, I enjoy forcefully taking 15 minutes of my life back 3-4 times a week to enjoy a good close wet shave.

But to the point of my response. You CAN actually buy your time back. It's one of the main benefits of accumulated wealth that you can hire others to do work that would normally take your personal time. Even middle class people do it. Hiring someone to do your lawn or clean your house is effectively buying yourself more time!

This should be a sticky.

Well said

Gentlemen, my wife works for the Dallas County Sheriff's Department in the jail intake unit. Tuesday though Saturday, she leaves for work at 0515 in the morning. I am fully retired from Federal Civil Service employment. One her work days, I can enjoy my shave without time constraints. And, on the days she is off, I can enjoy my shave--so long as she does not need the master bathroom.

Why do I take about twenty minutes for the full routine? Am I that much in a hurry to get to my cage at work? 'Nuff said.

Yes, this should be a sticky. I am replying, not because I have anything to add to the OP or any of the comments that follow, but because I want to be able to easily find this post forever and re-read it as often as necessary.

Bravo!

Double Bump!!!

Great Post!!

I used to live with my grandfather, one evening he came into my room and said:

"Toma, no soy esclavo del tiempo" (Here, I'm not a slave of time); as he tossed me a wrist watch...

It was a nice watch, furthermore it was given to him by his older sister, so probably that's why he'd rather give it to me than just throw it away. I never knew what had happened that day that made him do it, I was young enough to be more exited about the watch than to understand why it was given to me.

I'm sad to say that he has passed away now (for sometime) and I don't have the watch any more, but at least I remember his words. Funny, he probably wanted me to have those words more than the watch, and they have endure.

This post reminded me of that, thanks for reviving it.

I wholeheartedly agree with the OP. Well stated

Cachorro said:

I used to live with my grandfather, one evening he came into my room and said:

"Toma, no soy esclavo del tiempo" (Here, I'm not a slave of time); as he tossed me a wrist watch...

It was a nice watch, furthermore it was given to him by his older sister, so probably that's why he'd rather give it to me than just throw it away. I never knew what had happened that day that made him do it, I was young enough to be more exited about the watch than to understand why it was given to me.

I'm sad to say that hi has passed away now (for sometime) and I don't have the watch any more, but at least I remember his words. Funny, he probably wanted me to have those words more than the watch, and they have endure.

This post reminded me of that, thanks for reviving it.

Click to expand...

Love this.

Well said sir!

oakeshott said:

Love this.

Click to expand...

Thank you Sir

What an awesome post! I think that is one reason I'm attracted to DE shaving as well as other nostalgic type things. I sometimes feel I was born a couple decades too late. Anyway; this should be a sticky and I'm posting here so I can find this gem again.

+1.
That is so spot on. Couldn't have said any of that better myself.

I think it's not just about the time itself. It's about making a decision to place more value on simpler things. The world is moving to a greater reliance on speed and technology being the master of our lives. Shaving, for me anyway, has been my effort to resist being just like everyone else. In the process I have discovered that I love the ritual.

For many years (20+) I have repaired my own car, done my own renos, etc mostly out of necessity. Once my children were grown and moved off on their own I could have decided to let someone else repair my car or put down my flooring but I persisted in it because it gives me a sense of satisfaction.

Now, two of my sons have started with DE shaving. Both are interested in learning how to do their own car repair and one is trying to learn the art of blacksmithing in his spare time. All of these things make us better rounded individuals in my opinion.

My $.02

I think a bit of the old school is where many of us find the long lost manly feeling of mastering a task and mastering the world around us. Many of the things we do are reduced by automation to something anyone can do. "Quick and Easy" has become the mantra. Dinners are packaged, spices are pre-mixed, and water would be pre-boiled if they could sell it. Men today don't know how to fix things, grow things, build things and butcher things. I'll be the first to say that I am no master of any of those things, but I've had enough to a taste of all of them that I like to do things like that every chance I get. Like shaving, the world slows down in the garden, the wood shop, the garage or at the cutting board. Unfortunately, many don't know the joy of picking one, sitting down and working. One of the worst things about it is the internet, an immense source of how-to and instructions, is being used for online people watching and as a means to read and forget information instead of read and learn. I think that there is a lot of value in mastering a skill (or at least getting damned good at it) and slowing down to work. There will always be time for facebook, forums and the news, but I think every guy (and gal) should have something they can do with their hands and be proud of. Sadly, I think the desire to change the world with one's hands (even in small amounts) has gone from the American realm of interest in the last few decades. I'm 30 and I can tell that the Jacks of all trades form my parents' and greandparents' generations are few in my generation, and very rare in the newer generation. I don't think everyone needs to be a blacksmith, but when I was growing up, all of the great men I knew/know aren't just great people. They also know how to work with their hands to take care of their families' and friends' needs. True manliness is kind of a package deal, IMO. I also believe that wet shaving (because of the required patients and skill) is a part of that same school of thought.

An excellent post, but I must disagree on one minor point:

drandall said:

...the ocean liner gives way to the airplane.

Click to expand...

Having managed a sailboat, and having been pilot-in-command of many airplanes, I have to say that among my greatest regrets in life is giving up flying.

Perhaps someday I'll have a second chance.

Otherwise, spot on.

Outstanding Post Drandall, thank you!

What you are describing is Zen

Well said Drandall. I recently hit my 60th birthday and came to the stark realization that roughly 2/3 of my life is behind me. I rushed through it in pratically everything I did. I'm now enjoying the simpler things (a leisurely wet shave is at the top of my list). I'm at the point where I'm ready to pull the trigger on retirement. I'm preparing for that day by slowing down and enjoying the forgotten morning pleasures ... wet shave, home cooked breakfast (not a McSomething at the drive through), a fresh home brewed cup of coffee (not Starbucks), a morning newspaper (not an on-line news item). Although I will continue to touch base with the B&B folks. Also, I have to confess that I'm writing this on my iPad ... sometimes modern is a good thing too.