My family is like this. I think I know part of why it's happening The mask thing is an outlet for a profound emotional need: the need to call people out for hurting others. Most people also judge other cultures. Our upper class prides itself on not judging other cultures, which has some weird results. If you know what you are doing, you can get members of this class to defend all kinds of atrocities, because they cannot allow themselves to judge another culture for anything.
They are surrounded by a host of barbaric practices (and many which most people shrug about, but the upper classes get weird about, such as eating dairy products), especially once you rise high enough to see the outer circles of real power, and are regularly defending the most atrocious actions other human beings can do as "cultural differences", or necessary evils to fight Russia or the like. Getting caught judging any other culture, or the actions of the powerful, will cost them their perks and privileges, and they know it.
The mask thing gives them an excuse to attack another human being for "bad behavior", and they need it. They know lots of people regularly do things that put others at risk, or outright causes severe harm to another human being, but they are forced to pretend this kind of behavior is fine, even laudable, when it really is not, and they know it is not. Give any excuse to call someone out for putting others at risk and selfish actions, and they will take it.
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branchandroot
Re: Mask Mandates Have Returned
Date: 2024-10-16 06:52 pm (UTC)They are surrounded by a host of barbaric practices (and many which most people shrug about, but the upper classes get weird about, such as eating dairy products), especially once you rise high enough to see the outer circles of real power, and are regularly defending the most atrocious actions other human beings can do as "cultural differences", or necessary evils to fight Russia or the like. Getting caught judging any other culture, or the actions of the powerful, will cost them their perks and privileges, and they know it.
The mask thing gives them an excuse to attack another human being for "bad behavior", and they need it. They know lots of people regularly do things that put others at risk, or outright causes severe harm to another human being, but they are forced to pretend this kind of behavior is fine, even laudable, when it really is not, and they know it is not. Give any excuse to call someone out for putting others at risk and selfish actions, and they will take it.