Originally Posted by
chay2K
I am a soon-to-be barber, and this is actually a bigger issue than it may seem at the outset. The barber pole is the most internationally recognized non-religious symbol, not to mention, the oldest continually used trade symbol in the world. Though the distinction between actual barbers and cosmetologists has been somewhat blurred for the last three or four decades (thanks a lot, Beatles); with the recent resurrgance of classic barbering, I think that the distinction between these two skill sets needs to be fairly represented. I know that on a few occasions I've been drawn to an establishment by the displayed barber pole, only to be turned on my heels by the first ammonia-laden whiff of perm solution upon opening the door. Now, to the majority of the men on this forum, this is no big deal; but, to the unitiated, this is an unfair representation of the barber's craft. There are now generations of men that need to become familiarized with the barbershop and it's services, and oftentimes, the recognition of the barber pole is the first step in that process.
(Calmly sets down clippers, steps off soapbox, and walks off into the sunset)