Dreadknots

As nearly all are aware, I am not one to usually judge another directly, or try not to simply on the way they appear. I have made misjudgements that way in the past and have tried to learn from them. As well, being in the retail game, every customer can be or is possibly unique in what they need and why they need it. That being said, one 'fashion statement' I just can't seem to get by are those who wear dreadlocks.

After thinking about it for some time I decided to research before I posted on this subject. Where did dreads come from and what do they mean? I had some suspicions but I thought I would confirm them. Most of what I thought I knew was true but there were also some deeper meanings to the style. And no, Wikipedia was not my source.

As I thought I had heard before, dreads go back to a spiritual symbolization in the Caribbean and have some Judeo-Christian roots. But to my surprise they can also be traced back further to India and still longer back (according to one source). However, they were made popular by Bob Marley back in the sixties/seventies when rock was king. Since then they have simply emerged as a fashion statement.

I guess my question is, a fashion statement to what? Are you a member of the 'I don't comb my hair' club of the month, or the I refuse to buy shampoo because it is poisoning the world club? Either way, I tend to find those infused with this style lacking in many other personal grooming habits. "Hey lady, I know of a leg-hair braiding salon down the street." Now to be fair, occasionally (VERY occasionally) I do run across someone who presents themselves as a professional person and who takes care of their dreads. Unfortunately they represent a minority of the dreadknot wearers. I would think they would want to attack the offenders with a razor and a hedge clipper for making them look bad, unless they were the token dread in a band.

But in general, I think dread wearers simply want to make a fashion statement by telling the world I am unkept and too lazy to do anything about it.

Next, middle-aged men who wear Croks. Come on guys, show some respect for yourselves.