This piece of prose was written back in 2016 when I was perhaps surrounded by a lot of people who were taking advantage of my kindness and willingness to help them, teach them. Back then I was an angsty student in junior college, still wading through what it’s like being such a supposedly high stress environment, trying to fit in. Please enjoy this Bal Masqué prepared for you :
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The world we live in is likened to a Masquerade Ball, or I would say Bal Masqué.
We all wear masks from time to time, sometimes all the time, just to fit the demands of the world. Some people wear masks so much they become a totally different person, some forgetting who they were at the start, some leaving the mask on permanently.
Why do we even wear masks?
We conceal the bad, the sad, the mad. We show the good, the magnificent, the greatness.
This is done to the extent it all seems too flawless.
Bal Masqué uses the concept of concealing one’s identity, allowing free mingling around the crowd, without fear or revealing one’s true self. In this Bal Masqué, people usually try to guess who is the one behind the mask. A Bal Masqué is normally for those of the upper class, bringing in a sense of mystique, yet freedom to do what you want, since no one would know it was you.
But then as this pushed itself into the modern era, actual masquerades are no longer worn. Instead, people put on mental and emotional masks, concealing their true self. Instead of the original aim of giving freedom of action and expression behind the mask, people have restricted themselves to doing only things that please others, instead of what they actually want to do.
Most of the time, this is thought to be beneficial to everyone. The logic: you please the right people, you don’t any trouble and you might even get some reward. People restrain themselves, put on a brave front, when deep down inside, they are afraid, afraid of being triggered, being attacked and sent back to the person that you are.
Sometimes people go to such extents just to let other people know how good they are, sometimes even giving other people such a beautiful image of yourself, only to have that image destroyed when you unfortunately show that you aren’t actually that great.
Sometimes, the picture you paint for others to see is so magnificent, but that’s just a picture. The actual you isn’t that great. Many people know that, just that they don’t actively say it, so other people who just happen to like see you for the first time already has this WOW image of you in their head. Confirmation bias — whatever anyone says that isn’t in that picture is therefore not true, and you are just being salty. But it’s true, try surviving being the classmate / cca mate as such a person, and you realise that some people just can’t be trusted, but there they are getting everyone’s praise.
Then there are those pictures that some people paint. Few know of the amount of hard work that they have actually put in to make this picture. The outcome may not be as well as the ‘fake image’ but to those few, it’s a work of art, a piece that really shows yourself. But to others who don’t know, they just put you down. You’re just that one try-hard idiot who wants to show off, you’re just that one retard who wants to get all the attention, you’re really just nothing but you just do this ‘cos you want people to praise you — all these are actual phrases that people comment.
The irony.
These people are actually just going about their daily lives, being who they are, trying to help those who really need help, doing what they like to do, trying their best in everything. But they get all these hard statements pouring down on them. Just because they don’t publicise their acts of kindness, they don’t get the attention of people, they are being put down. Whereas those people who actually just do such things ‘cos they are obliged / forced to just need to post such a thing on their social media and maybe do a hashtag, and get thousands of likes, and they are therefore deemed as that ‘The Good Samaritan’. It was just that ONE event.
The irony.
Those who volunteer don’t actively make themselves known, they feel it is the right thing to do, not because it is a societal norm, not because they can get the attention of the media, not because they want their friends to know that they did something good. They do it because they feel that they want to help others. Then again, they are condemned by those cold-hard realists, ‘why bother doing such acts when you don’t even get money?’.
The irony.
People put on a smile, hoping to help those around them who are sad to become happy. Some people understand how it feels like to be sad and depressed, and don’t want other people to feel that pain, encouraging positivity and optimism in others, inspiring others to smile, and be happy, looking at the bright side. In the end, the one smiling starts becoming happy. This is the positive effect of the mask. Really guys, it’s really great to smile. Personally, smiling is wonderful, you should try it sometimes.
There are too many things to read off the faces of people. I find it difficult to read who someone really is. Furthermore facing the stereotypes of people. Being labelled isn’t a nice thing. And really, when you look at someone who doesn’t help out, don’t be too quick to judge. Sometimes, these people are really kind, but they have lost all hope in humanity, the last time they tried to help, too many people have condemned, insulted, destroyed the poor sad person’s kindness, even worse if it was the person he tried to help.
Everyone, do you know which mask you put on today?
Wait, no, do you still remember who you really are?
Or have you and your mask merged into one
That you can’t tell the difference from your true self
We spend our lives in search of who we really are
Trying so hard to get in touch with ourselves
But we fail to realise we are trapped in this game
That we all like to play: Hide and Seek!
Is this mask who you are?
Or is it the one behind the mask?
The truth is refracted in our lies
These masks revealing what we hide
We are what we pretend to be
The one who flaunts all the complexities
Is it just that difficult to be who we are
Even if it means showing our awful scars?
Don’t be too quick to judge.
In this Masquerade Ball, is there even any more truth to being human?
KALIMOTS 