Masquerade

Figure 1

My local cell phone provides identifies itself as Tsel-PakaiMasker. The Tsel is short for the company, Telkomsel, and PakaiMasker translates to Use Mask. B.C. (Before Covid), the identifier was probably Tsel LTE. See Figure 1. Additionally, I receive a daily barrage of unsolicited messages exhorting me to do the right thing. Below is just one example:

COVID19 is spread by droplets that come out when you cough, sneeze or TALK.  Therefore, always keep your distance, wear a mask and wash your hands with soap.  Covid19.go.id

The propaganda is relentless and there are signs everywhere as you walk about reinforcing the same message. By and large, everybody is complying. The promotion of mask wearing is an important part of this psyop. It's a visible symbol that people are fighting an allegedly dangerous pathogen that is spread by other people. Despite evidence that mask wearing is useless at stopping airborne virus infection and is a health hazard, the "masquerade" continues. One definition of masquerade is a false show or pretense, which is quite appropriate. If mask wearing had not been encouraged or, as in some countries, mandated, it would of course seem as if nothing had changed.

The mask has become very much a symbol of conformity, differentiating between those who accept the propaganda and those who don't. Of course, the muzzled masses will always be an overwhelming majority and so anti-maskers are easily parodied or even demonised.

Of course, this is part of the psyop. Many potential anti-maskers will wear masks to avoid the inconvenience of being barred from entering stores or to avoid the risk of fines and imprisonment in countries where mask-wearing is mandated. 

Another definition of masquerade is an attempt to deceive people about the true nature or identity of something. In this sense, it has to be conceded that the COVID-1984 scamdemic is certainly a very successful masquerade and the mask, an essential component of any literal masquerade, is a brilliant accessory.