The Misguided Masked Legions of Japan

I was determined when I woke up this morning that I would not resort to wearing a mask.

And yet here I am glasses off, eyes straining, mask over my dripping nose completely succumbing  to the intense eye glares from my various co-workers as I tried to deal with my sinuses in the western way of blowing. 

The thing is, masks do nothing in the containment of contagious illnesses such as colds and flus. A quick google search will tell you that: 

Since influenza is an airborne disease, filtering the air one breathes would naturally lessen the chance of infection. Unfortunately, simple surgical masks provide little protection to the wearer for two reasons: viruses are small enough to travel through them and they only loosely fit over the mouth, allowing unfiltered air to enter through the gaps. Moreover, few people wear or use them properly.

But, it has come to my attention that masks are not entirely related to health concerns anymore. A lot of it has to do with cosmetic concerns.

As I put on my mask this morning my neighbour co-worker turned to me and asked if I was okay, as is the custom, I explained that I had a cold but was made ignorant in the following minutes as he explained that his mask was covering the fact that he had had a root canal a few days before. Suddenly complaining about phlegm seemed insignificant in comparison but then I realised he was only wearing the mask because the side of his mouth was inflamed and the corner of his mouth was red. 

Apparently this is common. I remember another co-worker had cosmetic surgery on her mouth and kept a mask on for several weeks afterwards to cover the steristrips. Then another coworker wore one because she got a cut under her nose.

I saw a story online that a girl in someone's office wore a mask everyday of her year working there and they never saw her whole face. She had trouble meeting people's eyes and functioning in conversations but was praised for being cute rather than being offered help for nervousness. So it seems that shyness is also a reason to hide behind a mask.

I was walking to work this morning and thought I had deja vu because I walked past the same man twice. Turned out it was two different men but with matching haircuts, beige trenchcoats (of the flashing kind) and masks. Everyone here is pretty uniform anyway when they are wearing their suits and holding their umbrellas but I think it leads to something bigger.

I find this a bit frustrating because as long as Japan is all about uniformity and fitting in there will always be trouble for people, say big white females with blue eyes and light coloured hair, trying to immerse themselves in the culture. 

A mask can only cover a number of sins but not my ethnic identity. 

Until it becomes the trend to wear full hazmat suits. Which I will no doubt be pressured into conforming to.

I really hate masks.