Yesterday University ballroom dance club was throwing a Masquerade party. Although not many were wearing a mask (it is April and we are far from Halloween after all), the setting was adding some flavor to the party.
I did not have a mask, so I bought one from Etsy. A shop in Florida was selling a nice looking Venetian style mask at a reasonable cost, and their service was great. I'd buy from them again.
There are many vendors in Amazon, too. The masks they sell may not be as unique or well made as in Etsy, but are generally cheaper and equally fun.
Wearing a mask has something fascinating. A mask itself has an artistic appeal, too. Beginning from kid's mask at a festival, I came across many different masks at some time in my life. Terrifying African tribal mask, weird and colorful Mardi Gras mask, very artistic Venetian mask, Halloween monster mask, theater mask with well defined character role, the "Phantom" mask, the Marvel mask (many famous Heroes have an alter ego and a mask)... in movies (those Hero movies aside), "Amadeus" and "Eyes wide shut" come to mind.
Why is it so much fun to wear a mask? Because,...hmm, I am tired of myself? Because I feel like I am a kid? Because I am "cooler", "more beautiful", "scary" or "mysterious" now? Because now I am a character the mask represents? Because I am not me who stands alone but am someone entirely different, or am an anonymous part of bigger something? Or because I can hide behind the mask?
I don't think some of the reasons I just came up apply to me last night. But one thing is certain; a mask can instantly change the way you are perceived by others, and it can be empowering, instilling the sense of power to you. And for most people, having power is fun and uplifting. In the sense, a mask can change your perception of you as well.
On the other hand, masks may be appealing to you when your self esteem is weak, or you feel scarred and has psychological need to hide it.
So, I guess, a mask is an adoptive tool to change perception, both of others and of you. You can use the handy tool in many ways.
A mask grants you anonymity. And we all know people tend to act differently with anonymity, differently for the worse mostly. Criminals use it. Some gangs use it. In the internet we can be anybody without needing a mask, and see what is happening.
Since you are eventually acting as yourself with or without a mask, the "fix", or any effect provided by a mask is only a temporary thing? It might be. Still.
Anyway, I tend to collect small things that interest me. They don't have to be expensive or valuable. Examples are wristwatches, cufflinks, ties, shoes and sneakers, and the like. I even use five different kinds of toothpaste. Just a little act of comparison can be fun and small luxury, and as a result they just accumulate. I might add masks to the collection (accumulation) list for coming days.
And, people, wear a mask at a Masquerade. A drawback is that I need to lose eyeglasses. But wearing a mask in a party is more fun. I promise.
