My father grew a beard to protect himself from bugs while doing graduate field work 30 years ago and has had one ever since. He had to shave it off one time to wear a gas mask and it disturbed my mother so much she couldn't talk to him till it grew back. I had about the same reaction when my pal Nate shaved this past spring. I survived the loss of his eighteen-inch ponytail, but the lack of beard was just weird (he later gave up and grew it back, much to my relief). I don't know . . . I've always preferred fuzzy chins. I don't think it's a "manliness" thing so much as a comfort thing, since I grew up around so many bearded men.