Iirc, it started as a comment about class and societal standing in Europe.
Many European lineages has blond hair as children that darkens with the sun exposure as they age. Peasants and laborers generally covered their hair so were less likely to experience darkening leaving a disproportionate amount of them blond even in adulthood as compared to the mostly dark haired aristocracy. Being blond became negatively associated with being a dumb peasant.
The sun doesn't darken blonde hair. It lightens it. My hair is sandy most of the year and turns yellow every summer when I go to the beach.
Maybe it was the other way around? Elites making fun of the ignorant peasants, much like making fun of rednecks, whose necks are red from working in the sun all day
Apparently both can happen depending on your genetics.
Super interesting. Assuming this is true, thanks for the real answer.
However I feel like I know a few blondes who really are dumb on account of getting a free pass on everything in life.
It ain't. The prevalence of blonde hair follows a gradient in Europe ranging from as little as 10% in southern Europe to as high as 90% or so in Scandinavia. It was never correlated with class.
Well this is backwards. The sun would lighten your hair. Most likely the peasants were making fun of the dumb ass inbred aristocracy. Whether because of actual low IQs or just having zero street smarts or common sense and not being able to survive a day without their butlers and maids.
Sun lightens your hair not fundamentally change the color.
A subset of the European population has a genetic peculiarity where the body says "hey, lets be brunnet cuz things are sunnier than expected."
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