Ramadan Fasting thoughts.
Jul. 12th, 2013 03:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mari4212One of my favorite authors, Terry Pratchett, has a book called Maskerade. Like most of his Discworld novels, it's a parody, in this case of The Phantom of the Opera. Also like most of his books, when he isn't making you keel over laughing in the middle of the library, he throws in deep statements and concepts about life and people and how the world functions.
In Maskerade, one of the concepts he explores is how a mask can both hide and reveal people. Masks hide our faces, but when we think our identity is concealed, it is easier to express our otherwise hidden thoughts and feelings. Masks give us boldness, because if anyone judges us, we can say that they're judging the mask we wear, and it's easy enough to shed that mask and take up a new one.
The internet is where we can wear a mask, and let our other masks fall off. Because there are so many places where one can be somewhat anonymous online, it is easier to express thoughts and feelings that don't always fit your physical life's surroundings. That can lead some people to be incredibly cruel, and others to show kindness without reward.
I was thinking about this after I signed up to fast today forirony_rocks's sake. I didn't actually know her when I offered, I just knew that she was a friend of grav_ity, and I do consider grav_ity a friend. I'm not the only one who doesn't know irony_rocks, and by the end of it, there were people signing up who didn't know grav_ity either. People were signing up for many reasons, but all of us felt the desire to be kind to someone most of us will never met in person. Because the fact is, she exists, and as such, deserves kindness and respect.
People on the internet can do horrible things. But sometimes they can also be wonderful beyond belief.
That being said, I now have a lot more respect for Muslims around the world. The hunger has been easy enough to manage, but I have been craving a glass of water since about ten thirty this morning, and I have about five hours to go to reach official sunset in my time zone.
In Maskerade, one of the concepts he explores is how a mask can both hide and reveal people. Masks hide our faces, but when we think our identity is concealed, it is easier to express our otherwise hidden thoughts and feelings. Masks give us boldness, because if anyone judges us, we can say that they're judging the mask we wear, and it's easy enough to shed that mask and take up a new one.
The internet is where we can wear a mask, and let our other masks fall off. Because there are so many places where one can be somewhat anonymous online, it is easier to express thoughts and feelings that don't always fit your physical life's surroundings. That can lead some people to be incredibly cruel, and others to show kindness without reward.
I was thinking about this after I signed up to fast today for
irony_rocks's sake. I didn't actually know her when I offered, I just knew that she was a friend of grav_ity, and I do consider grav_ity a friend. I'm not the only one who doesn't know irony_rocks, and by the end of it, there were people signing up who didn't know grav_ity either. People were signing up for many reasons, but all of us felt the desire to be kind to someone most of us will never met in person. Because the fact is, she exists, and as such, deserves kindness and respect.People on the internet can do horrible things. But sometimes they can also be wonderful beyond belief.
That being said, I now have a lot more respect for Muslims around the world. The hunger has been easy enough to manage, but I have been craving a glass of water since about ten thirty this morning, and I have about five hours to go to reach official sunset in my time zone.