We all wear masks. We put on different personas for different occasions. They are not phony, just somewhat different versions of ourselves depending on what the situation calls for.
Some masks we put on willingly and purposefully. Some we wear without even knowing it. And some are forced upon us by oppressive outside forces.
I have worn all three types of masks in my life, and I’m sure you have too. That’s why I am writing the Masks book series: to express this universal truth and to encourage the idea that we can increase our awareness and choose the masks we wear.
True, these books are full of dark poetry and lyrical lunacy painted with surreal horror and apocalyptic visions of a dystopian future. They are written through the voices of fictional characters that are part of my greater mythos.
Mask: Shadow is written through the voice of Dostah Shilailee, a misunderstood drifter who becomes the guinea pig for secret government experiments. Mask: Persona is a slice of history from the character Joe Doe, an escaped mental patient who speaks out for the unheard.
But these characters also reflect some of the masks we wear when we feel vulnerable or angry or just plain confused. By becoming aware of what influences us to feel these complex emotions, perhaps we can decide for ourselves which mask would be best for each situation.
May you choose your own mask today.
Joseph VanBuren 