"Give a man a mask and he will tell the truth." Oscar Wilde.

[Cateran]

Well, lung buddies, what are we hiding from? When we are masking are we hiding ourselves from the truth, or deflecting the unpleasant reality of Covid 19? There is in this pandemic an imperative for us all, which is to safeguard each other when we mask up. But is there another truth out there: perhaps in the glaring light of the retrospectoscope we might find that we are in reality looking after ourselves and to gain an advantage over those who do not mask. maybe we want to say "I told you so" and feel better for it. We justify our indignation at the selfish and reckless among us in shops and transport and the high street. A kind of nemesis for the unwitting. A mask after all is a means to disguise ourselves, or was Wilde wrong?

[sassy59]

I wear a mask to keep myself safe as I’m Pete’s carer. I also wear one to protect others from me. I must say that some can be seen as a disguise Cateran and brilliant they are too. I think Oscar Wilde maybe had a different kind of mask in mind.

Hope you’re well. Xxxx🦸‍♂️🦹🏻‍♀️🦹🤷‍♀️

[Cateran in reply to sassy59]

Thank you sassy59. I am well and agree with you that masks are utilitarian devices. You are correct about Wilde because his particular "masking" was more about the role he needed to disguise.

[2greys]

I told you so

media4.giphy.com/media/7tY9...

[Cateran in reply to 2greys]

Thank you for the redirect 2greys. Yes, has a sinister connotation, that kind of leer and menacing with it.

[Badbessie]

Personally I wear my mask as a duty towards others rather than any untoward statement of intentions in my thoughts to those that do not. Those not wearing masks may do so for good reason. It made me smile at my local coop when I was asked why I was wearing a mask as the shop keeper knew I have lung problems. I said it does not effect me . "But Bob does not wear one and he as the same as you"! Then you need to explain about different conditions and differing levels of those conditions because knowing the shop keeper he would then say to Bob well Alan wears one!My attitude is I look after my bubble and concentrate on them.

[Kristicats]

We wear masks to stop the spread of covid . Simples.....

[Angelagone]

Dont you think we all wear masks to some degree ? Have you had that experience where someone drops their mask and it can be surprising and not a little disturbing ?

[teenieleek]

Interesting, we all have a selection of masks for different occasions and different folk. Should I need to complain the telephone is a “mask” which makes me more assertive and determined than I could ever be face to face. A friend told me once that I’m a different person when my mother is there. I can be posh or not depending on the situation. Yikes! I’m beginning to wonder if there’s a real me at all.

[Cateran in reply to teenieleek]

Thank you for this response teenieleek. Certainly the pandemic has raised the existential dilemma to a fine art. Covid has cast us all adrift and we wonder about our "true" identity when masking is practically compulsory. Like you I wonder who I really am in it all.

[Catnip in reply to teenieleek]

If you need a challenge, just count up the different faces you wear each day.

Marjie x