Monday, February 9, 2009

Masks

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;" (As You Like It Act II: Scene VII, Lines 139-140)


Why is this the case? Are we (collectively) so afraid of ruffling feathers that we stick to social mores? I wonder what the world would be like if we simply exposed ourselves. I wonder if we even know how.

The masks we all wear must serve some sort of purpose. I mean, it would be ridiculous to run around and say exactly what we thought, and did exactly what we wanted all the time. I know I would be arrested if I acted on every impulse I had. I do wish I was brave enough to say some things though.

Yesterday, when I was struck by this idea, I was concerned that we were all ticking time bombs, waiting to explode while living under these social constraints. I know that I am in some ways. I hold on to so much stuff that it bubbles out of me in ways I can't control. It's not typically an explosion though. It's more of a leak (completely unrelated to my last blog entry ;)).

I start off by saying one thing, that I instantly regret; but have said too much to not keep going. Like last week when I was speaking with the Director of Administration, the Principal and two department heads at a meeting and I said, "Nobody parties harder than I do..." I could have just left it at that and been embarrassed later, but no...I turn red, look around and day, "I can't believe I just said that...I feel really stupid now!"

That's a fairly minor case of my verbal diarrhea. There have been much worse.....

But alas, those are stories for other days!

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