Thank you, Grace Robertson, for such a perennial question.
To dye one’s hair is to change one’s appearance. Is it as simple a matter as changing one’s shirt?
When we consider what clothing to wear, we consider practicality and appearance. You wear a coat because it’s cold, and you wear a particular style of coat to look good. Our appearance matters because people judge us on it. We learn that our clothing affects how people react to us. You don’t show up at a job interview in a ratty t-shirt. You present yourself in certain ways to encourage people to think about you in certain ways.
With our hair, just like our clothing, we consider practicality and appearance. We may choose a hair style for practical reasons: to make it easy to take care of it. But hair color has no practical function – it’s about appearance. Someone dyes their hair to get others to think about them a certain way. So, what is someone wanting to get from others by using hair dye?
In philosophy we talk about social recognition. The most common type of recognition is being accepted and included. We learn to be polite in order to benefit from the acceptance and inclusion we receive when we are nice to others. Society has a large set of practices that are considered normal and acceptable. These recognition norms set out what is socially acceptable behavior and how we should think about others. Think about it, one reason we wear clothing is to receive recognition for being civilized enough to wear clothes! Try going out in public naked and you’ll quickly learn how important recognition is.
What do recognition norms have to do with hair color? Recognition norms tell us how we should think about others. The appearance of gray hair triggers people’s preconceptions about old people. Some will dismiss older people as frail and less capable. It’s understandable why someone with gray hair might dye their hair a darker color. They want the positive recognition of being young and capable, not the negative recognition of being old and less capable.
What about women who bleach their hair blonde? They’re seeking recognition related to gender norms of how an attractive woman is supposed to look. Who invented the notion that a bleached blonde is sexy? No one knows, but how many women bleach their hair because of that social norm?
Whether changing from gray or changing to blonde, using hair dye is choosing to conform to recognition norms to receive particular judgments from others. Why do they think their natural hair color isn’t acceptable?
What about someone who dyes their hair neon orange? They aren’t conforming to norms, right? Or are they conforming to the norms of a counterculture? There are some standard ways to “rebel” against “normal.” Maybe that person is seeking recognition through conformity, just from a different group of people.
Thinking philosophically about dying one’s hair shows how people feel a need and desire to conform. Why do people use hair dye? Some just for fun, others to fit into a preconceived idea.
What do you think? Do you use hair dye? If so, why? Let us know in the comments.
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Image: Johnny Rotten from the Sex Pistols (credit)
I’ve taught university philosophy since 1998, including courses in history of philosophy, ethics, government and politics, religion, and multidisciplinary topics. My Ph.D. in philosophy is from the University of Essex. My academic research in social and political philosophy is on applying normative and applied ethical issues to increase understanding of social injustices and the responses to them. I explore how recognition theory and phenomenology can help us understand personhood, identity, injustice, social conflict, and social justice. Today, I teach part-time to devote more time to research and writing.