The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - The masks of inscrutability, or are you really you?

Child of the 7th Age · 06-01-2004, 08:19 AM

Heren,

An interesting idea for a thread. I will reply later, but wanted to share one small thought with you concerning masks.

It seems to me that this isn't the only place in life where we wear masks. There are masks I wear on this site that may shield or modify certain aspects of my "real" personality, generally by choice. Yet out there in the "real" world, there are other masks I wear, which can be equally concealing. The latter can be by choice, by necessity, or sometimes merely by default, dictated by the particular situation I am in. So, in a strange way, there are pieces of "me" on this site involving writing and imagination that sometimes get hidden in real life except with family or very close friends. (And of course the opposite is also true.)

So where does the 'real' me lie? Perhaps in some combination that I have yet to achieve?

I sometimes wonder which Tolkien was more 'real' -- the dedicated scholar and family man of Carpenter's biography, whose life was 'hemmed in' by practical cares and necessities, or the Elf-friend who wandered freely in the land of Faerie?

A strange thought, but something to consider in responding to this thread. (And now Heren runs off to place a call to those doctors!

)

06-01-2004, 08:19 AM	#9
Child of the 7th Age Spirit of the Lonely Star Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 5,133	Heren, An interesting idea for a thread. I will reply later, but wanted to share one small thought with you concerning masks. It seems to me that this isn't the only place in life where we wear masks. There are masks I wear on this site that may shield or modify certain aspects of my "real" personality, generally by choice. Yet out there in the "real" world, there are other masks I wear, which can be equally concealing. The latter can be by choice, by necessity, or sometimes merely by default, dictated by the particular situation I am in. So, in a strange way, there are pieces of "me" on this site involving writing and imagination that sometimes get hidden in real life except with family or very close friends. (And of course the opposite is also true.) So where does the 'real' me lie? Perhaps in some combination that I have yet to achieve? I sometimes wonder which Tolkien was more 'real' -- the dedicated scholar and family man of Carpenter's biography, whose life was 'hemmed in' by practical cares and necessities, or the Elf-friend who wandered freely in the land of Faerie? A strange thought, but something to consider in responding to this thread. (And now Heren runs off to place a call to those doctors! ) __________________ Multitasking women are never too busy to vote.