Masks can hide our identity, but expose all that’s dark within us

Justin Thomas explains why we must be afraid of those donning masks.

The donning of a mask – any mask – affords a degree of anonymity, and anonymity can often bring out the worst in us. Manan Vatsayana / AFP

‘Creepy clown scares strangers in Portsmouth.” “Armed clowns stalk California towns”. “Evil clowns stalk France”.

These are just three of the recent headlines from different countries alerting us to an alarming craze that involves donning clown masks and misbehaving.

This is not just a Halloween thing either, because most of these incidents were reported weeks ago. In France – the nation suffering most from masked marauders – Halloween isn't even popular.

The current spate of clown mask hysteria has given rise to much head scratching and navel gazing. Why clowns? Why now? As usual many have pointed a lazy finger at the media, indicting, for example, Twisty the killer clown from the TV series American Horror, or any one of the dozens of YouTube clowns given to malevolent pranking. But isn’t this just art mimicking reality? The clown, after all, has been around for centuries.

The perennially smiling, red cheeked, white-faced clown that we have come to love, loathe and fear can be traced to the early 1800s. The iconic clown make-up still popular with clowns the world over (Ronald McDonald included) was devised by an English entertainer called Joseph Grimaldi. In spite of the broad smile however, many of us find the clown-look disturbing, perhaps because it anonymises the wearer, and masks their true emotions.

For the renowned Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung, the clown was a modern manifestation of the ancient trickster archetype. The trickster in his (most examples are male) positive aspect is wise, funny and intelligent. However, in his more negative aspect he is a malicious rule breaker, a cunning thief and a cruel prankster.

Mythology and folklore are full of examples of the trickster archetype. Consider for example the Norse troublemaker, Loki, who cuts off Siff’s beautiful hair while she sleeps; or the trickster figures of regional folklore, such as Juha, Hoja and Nassrudin, who regularly outsmart/ educate adversaries by playing the fool.

Within Jung's school – analytical psychology – the trickster is often associated with an infantile mentality and a lack of any purpose beyond self-gratification. Some Jungians suggest that the rites of passage observed in pre-industrial societies are symbolic of a young man's progression from "trickster" to "hero". Perhaps in our modern societies with their less obvious or less meaningful rites of passage, the cruel, cynical and unfeeling aspect of the trickster – the evil clown – will make an increasingly regular appearance.

Psychoanalytic interpretations aside, the donning of a mask – any mask – affords a degree of anonymity, and anonymity can often bring out the worst in us; or if oft-quoted Oscar Wilde is to be heeded, the mask brings out the truth in us.

“Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth,” Wilde said.

Recent psychological research by a team at the University of Toronto supports the idea that anonymity, even illusory anonymity, can bring out the worst in us. This study published in the journal, Psychological Science, found that those things which increased a participant’s sense of anonymity brought about a decrease in pro-social behaviours (charity) and an increase in antisocial behaviours (cheating).

In one of the study’s experiments, participants were assigned to wear either dark sunglasses or clear glass spectacles. Wearing dark sunglasses was associated with a greater sense of anonymity and also with decreased charitable giving. In another experiment, within the same study, participants were assigned to a room with bright light or dim light, and then given the opportunity to cheat on a task. Those in the darkened room felt more anonymous and were also more likely to cheat.

It seems then that the conscience – and morality – numbing effects of illusory anonymity can bring out the worst in many of us. If sunglasses and dim lights can do that, then how much more so the full face mask?

Maybe it is wise to fear the dark, and that creepy guy who wears shades 24/7. And what about the heavily made up lady whose make-up is more mask than mascara? Not to forget the internet troll, who hides behind the digital mask of cyber anonymity. For sure, at least for the next few weeks, steer well clear of anyone resembling Ronald McDonald.

Justin Thomas is an associate professor of psychology at Zayed University and author of Psychological Well-Being in the Gulf States

On Twitter: @DrJustinThomas