Everyone
hides behind a mask. Consciously or not, everyone does. The gangster
hides behind a pair of silver tinted aviator sunglasses and a ton of
bling as his favorite rap artist does. The cheerleader hides under
shiny lip gloss, a layer of makeup, fake laughter and contempt for
everyone else. Why do they do it? Don't they realize that all they
highlight is their lack of self confidence, that they have the need to
be perceived as "cool"?
Gone
are the days when a mask used to lend an air of mystery, for today's
masks deliver conformity to social norms. Gone are the days when masks
used to cover the face, for today's masks conceal nothing yet hide
everything.
We
all desire to find the perfect companion, someone with whom we can
share all our thoughts, ideas, and most importantly someone to take
away this inherent feeling of loneliness which is ever present in our
minds. But how can we find that companion when all we do is hide our
true selves from each other. While we hide beneath these masks of our
choosing, others perceive our false selves and any relationships thus
formed would not long lived as it is based on a lie. The most important
question in this context would be "Are these masks in place to deceive
others, to hide our scars from others or to hide from a cruel world?"
While
viewing the various masked strangers around me going on with their
lives, I feel this strong sense of loneliness descend upon me. While
putting on my own mask to join the throng, I shiver inside as I ask
myself
"what lies beneath this thin veneer of civility?"