The Dance of Self and Mask
There are a few things worth understanding about who we really are. At the core, we're shaped by our social environment—from childhood all the way to today. It starts with our families, then expands to school, friends, and society at large. These people set expectations, and we adjust ourselves accordingly: if they say “you’re good,” we repeat that behavior; if they say “that’s bad,” we avoid it. In many ways, we’re like clay—molded by those around us.
From a young age, each of us latches onto one part of ourselves—an aspect we've chosen, been praised for, or found comfort in. We build it up, polish it, and treat it as if it’s the whole of who we are. In truth, though, it's just a fragment, a chip. The rest of us remain hidden behind masks.
We wear masks to fit into our surroundings: different ones at work, with family, with friends. We adapt constantly. And this brings a challenge—over time, we can lose sight of who we actually are. Worse, we might even start to believe that the mask is our true self. That’s when a conflict arises: between who the mask expects us to be and what we’re really capable of.
Maybe wearing masks isn't the real danger. The real danger is forgetting we can take them off—or switch them—when needed.
And here comes a good question:
Is the mask always a lie, or can it sometimes reveal something true?
The answer might be: masks are, in a way, deceiving. But they don't always hide everything. Sometimes, a piece of our real self slips through—especially in how we move, how we look at someone, how we carry ourselves. Our body language often tells the truth even when our mask doesn’t.
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