These Days

I walk in the grocery store and 99.9% of everyone has something over their face, be it a papery mask, a cloth bandanna or even at times a clear visor attached to a helmet. Since most people now have no facial expressions except for their eyes, their eyebrows and maybe the movement of some facial muscles which affect the forehead, one cannot really discern the general mood, vibe or state of a person anymore. As a matter of fact, the masking of facial expressions on the general population seems to dehumanize people. Quite frankly everyone looks a bit freaked out and there's palpable fear in the air. We as humans have for thousands of years relied on visual cues from faces, even if they are inaccurately interpreted- these cues seem to help of read our environment for signs of safety, danger, anger, happiness, contentedness, impatience and so forth. On top of blocking the ability to see one another's overall facial and mouth expression, one has really no idea how to assess a situation. This for me has been somewhat nerve wracking. Eyes convey expression but really they work along with other parts of ones face to express emotion. With the mouth and nose covering, you really cannot just look at two bulgy eyes and know if someone is hostile, neutral or friendly

This is where voice or vocal sounds or bodily movements have to now compensate for the lack of communication.  Maybe it's just me, but I notice an overall decrease in talking in stores. If anything, the masks have muzzled people to an extent. Clearly if they do talk it has been siphoned into mumbling, garbled speech and chances are one will have to ask these masked crusaders to repeat themselves.  As for bodily movements, people are in avoidance mode with their social distancing or sometimes seem to actually get closer than normal as if the mask is a magical forcefield against germs and viruses. I'll admit I have gotten startled easily around these quieter, more suspicious fellow shoppers, if an employee in the store is unloading something or stacking something on the shelves. One cannot help but sense anger or frustration in their situation of being an "essential worker".

There are places I shop where I can get away with not wearing the mask. Of course to not wear one in these times you could be thrown out of a store, not allowed to purchase items, be ridiculed by other shoppers, employees, citizens or security. As a matter of fact it's not uncommon to hear someone has verbally called another person a murderer for not wearing a mask. I know of one such incident through hearsay. It happened to two people hiking according to my sister. So far I have not experienced such a thing and hope I do not. But I know the chances are high for such an incident given my open defiance and I have made a mental note of how I may respond. Mostly I have gotten hard stares from people if I walk in the grocery store or Big Box retailer, maskless. I am purposely rebelling against these new social "norms" and mandates by governors drunk on their newfound power. However it should not be considered rebellion to have the natural state of one's human face shown in public.

I want the world to return to normal, but I have little control over current events. The only things I can control are my actions to the situation around me. It feels disheartening to see people throw reason and even sanity out the window for a culture now based on fear, panic, alarm and now the witch hunt mentality of snap moral judgement based on what medical device you choose to wear or not wear on your face.