Masks

[Lambi]

We all wear masks every day. We put one on when we step out of the door. We put one on when we arrive at work/school. We put one on when we meet our friends.

We sometimes don't want people to see the real us. Sure, we may have allowed a select few people we truly trust to see the real us. But most of the time, it's easier to just hide behind a mask.

What I ask you is:
Do you believe that you wear a mask at a specific point?
Do you think you need a mask?
What kind of face is hidden behind your mask?

I myself believe I wear a mask at most points. I even seem to wear one when I'm by myself.
Do I need one? Not sure. Probably not. Perhaps the real me is what I think is my mask.
The face I hide is one of sadness, loneliness and emptiness. I often think, when I'm by myself, that I'm not important, that I don't belong in this world. I know it's nonsense, but that may be yet another mask I hide behind.

 

[swolf]

I don't think I wear a mask really...ocassionally, have to get away from people because my mind chemicals will go all weird and I'll get depressed or angry or something (I was actually diagnosed as depressed/manic depressed...depends on which doc you talk to. I used to be on meds for it but have since balanced out enough that the docs don't feel that I need them anymore...and I don't have $$$ for them anyways...cigarettes normally do the trick. Giving me a time to relax while releasing seratonin which relaxes my mind). Normally, that happens when someone does something that I find insulting, haven't eaten in a while, quite a few really major things go REALLY bad, things like that. So, to answer your questions.

1.) Only when I "don't feel like myself"
2.) See 1.
3.) My mask is sometimes humor, sometimes silence, sometimes I just walk away from the situation and relax for a few minutes. My real thoughts are explained above.

FYI: there are people that I am 100% honest like my wife. I love her, she is such a great person.

 

[Betancore]

I have a different face for different people. I assume that my real self is unlikeable, so I don't show it often, not even to people I trust. I have issues with trusting people; I'm convinced that everyone will let me down. I don't like myself very much and I don't want to show people all the ugly things inside of me, so I wear a mask. Sometimes it's just useful to hide your feelings and your reactions from others. On a side note, I often wear a mask to anti-Scientology raids to avoid being Fair Gamed, but that's more of a...literal mask.

 

[delet]

I'm permanently wearing a mask. I've worn it so long that I've molded around it and made it part of me. I am the mask. The only times when it comes off are those random times deep into the night when I get a chance to show one of my pure personalities, but other than that I'm always wearing a mask, even when no one else is around.

 

[Forgetitnow344]

As soon as I graduated high school, masks became pointless. Who am I impressing? I speak my mind and that way people either love me or hate me for who I am instead of who I'm trying to be. I hate that peoples' personalities are so prescribed sometimes. I read all of my "friends'"Facebook status updates and they all have the same sentence structure, the same subject matter, the same colloquialisms... Only my few closest friends seem to have any original thoughts or feelings. I dunno, maybe I'm just going through a cynical phase or something, but I feel like most people are wearing masks and because of that I can't see any of them clearly.

 

[Logic 0]

I wear my mask whenever I'm around other people even online.

not sure if I need it or not oh well guess I'll never know.

The face I hide behind my mask is a secret and only two people in my life have ever seen it.

 

[ultrachicken]

I used to all the time, but I found a circle of friends where I can be my nerdy, wimpy self around. So the mask is off normally. It's really liberating.

 

[dududf]

I where my ask all the time. One day I'll trick myself into thinking that the mask is actually me.


I happily await the day.

 

[child of lileth]

I really like the concept of this thread. I'll answer the bold parts in order.

1) I believe I wear one pretty often. If I had to be completely honest, it feels like the only times I don't are when I'm comfortable with a person. Otherwise, I won't stop until they know for sure what is waiting behind it. The main thing is, my friends know for sure what I'm like without it.

2) I don't need it, but I'm not comfortable without it in alot of cases. It's a big issue with myself I still need to work on.

3) I'm not really sure how to explain it. Someone who just isn't ready to show them-self freely to people. Someone who needs time to work on some things.

 

[Lambi]

I really like the concept of this thread.

Thank you.

This reminds me of the psychologist from The Mask (the one with Jim Carry).

I'm fully aware of that. I was waiting for someone to say it. Along with real answers to my questions, of course.

 

[Jark212]

Do you believe that you wear a mask at a specific point?
24/7, I give everyone the impression that I'm happy and content with life. If asked "Wat's up?" I'll always reply: "Nothing much", I'll still give that reply even if I just saved the world or my parents just died. Exact same "I'm F.I.N.E." (Fucked-up, Insecure, Necrotic, Emotional)

Do you think you need a mask?
Yes, I like staying in the background, invisible...

What kind of face is hidden behind your mask?
Someone who is intelligent, caring, and fiercely loyal to his true friends...

 

[TheGreatCoolEnergy]

I always have a mask on. From the moment I wake up till the moment I lie back into bed.

Behind that mask? A scared little idealist in a brutally realist world.

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

Spoiler: whiny emo type crap inside, but hey we all need to vent sometimes

I feel like i've been wearing a mask for years. Even with my current friends, the best friends i've ever had, i'm afraid to take it off completely.
I think i'm scared that if i showed my true face, they wouldn't find much to like about me, i even use it on myself. If i took it off, i think i'd end up alone, and as someone who spent almost a year of my life without any real friends, i don't want to be alone again.
In response to one, i feel like i'm almost always wearing it, even when i'm alone. Its only when i'm lying in bed awake at night, thinking about who i really am that it comes off. I don't think i've shown my true face to anyone. I don't think i've ever really found someone i can show it to, and if i have and not realised it, it feels like its too late now, they became friends with the mask, not the real me.
2. Yes, i do think i need it. I don't think i could really cope with people without it, i don't even like taking it off when i'm alone.
3. Honestly, i don't know. Sometimes i feel like i don't even know who i am anymore, and everything about me is borrowed from other places, like here. I think though, its one of sadness, loneliness, despair, fear and anger. Sadness, loneliness, because no-one knows the "real" me, just the facade i put up, despair and fear because i don't know how to get out from behind the mask. and anger, because i'm not string enough to break it.

Also, thanks Lambi for giving me a chance to vent. I think i've been keeping some things bottled up for too long and it helped just to get them out there.

 

[Hollock]

I don't wear a mask, I'm an open book, it sucks I can't lie.

 

[Uncreative]

Do you believe that you wear a mask at a specific point?
Most of the time, really.

Do you think you need a mask?
Heh, yeah. I'm not exactly emotionally trusting. Sharing! It buuurns!

What kind of face is hidden behind your mask?
Wow, I have more problems than I thought. Nearly closed the page when I started trying to answer this one.

Um. Someone who is really freaked out by the idea of talking about feelings?

 

[Riccan]

1. All the time if only to keep people guessing.

2. I do not believe I need it, but I don't like it when people can predict my reactions or understand my way of thinking.

3. A chaotic, swirling mass of irrational ideas, rational thoughts, and unanswerable questions.

 

[Dorian]

Spoiler: Lambi, this is a very nice thread. Makes one think about something they don't very much, if at all. This gets my seal of approval.

Do you believe that you wear a mask at a specific point?

If I said no, I would by lying so hard I'd make STALIN look like Pinocchio with barely any nose. Unless I'm going to see a friend, I put on my mask as soon as I open the door. No emotion. No speech. No people.

Do you think you need a mask?

Does anyone truly need anything[footnote]That isn't essential, like food, water, etc.[/footnote]? No, I suppose not. But life is so much easier with it. If I didn't put my mask on during school, I guarantee you I'd be in detention every session there was and be getting in fights consistently. I do NOT enjoy people, and the people in my school piss me off so fucking much.

What kind of face is hidden behind your mask?

It is a soft face. One that deep down, truly does crave attention. It wants it, but it is oh so afraid of it at the same time. I suppose its fear of the light has driven it back so far it refuses to come out unless someone familiar coaxes it out. But it also has much affection and joy to give to those that do bring it out. Very much like a rabbit that only comes out when someone it has befriended is there. But at the same time, there is a deep rage brewing in its very core, a rage that has been there for countless years and has had increasingly few chances to escape. Eventually, it will either supernova or burn itself out. Only time will tell.

..... I went a bit overboard on the last part, didn't I? Oh well.

 

[arsenicCatnip]

Do you believe that you wear a mask at a specific point?
I believe that I do, and that everyone does. I keep my mask up when I'm working, and when I'm with anyone who isn't my roommate or my boyfriend.

Do you think you need a mask?
Yes. I do. I don't want people to see what hides behind my smile.

What kind of face is hidden behind your mask?
A face of anxiety, fear, and a little bit of stubbornness. I live with the constant churning of anxiety in my mind, and I can't get rid of it.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I'm constantly wearing a mask. Deep down I'm often depressed and I can't show that to my friends out in the open.

 

[Souplex]

I actually am fairly certain that the way I act is the way I generally want to act.