The Symbolism of the Mask
The hygiene mask has become a symbol of hope during these trying times, and the sentiment seems to be spreading from mostly Asian countries to around the world. But is the mask’s sole purpose still purely rooted in hygiene or has it become symbolic of something more?
In many countries in Asia, wearing a mask is equated with putting the needs of society before your own, and is therefore seen as morally irresponsible for someone to leave their home without one on. In these the mask is not necessarily purely about hygiene and preventing contraction of the virus, but symbolic for respecting other people’s boundaries and the culture. For example in Hong Kong, it is mainly immigrants and people who aren’t familiar with the local culture who forgo wearing a mask in public due to not knowing the cultural doxa. Wearing a mask has become a way of showing that one identifies as a Hong Kong citizen, as the mask is symbolic of prioritising the needs of the community over the individual. By wearing something that may not be particularly comfortable or convenient, one is accepting and adhering to communal responsibility. Asian culture implicitly puts a lot of emphasis on taking care of those around you, which is now shown through how it has become part of the culture to wear a mask, and thus sacrificing a bit of personal comfort, to prevent contagion and therefore benefit the community as a whole. The cultural significance of wearing a mask has surpassed the coronavirus, and is a way of identifying who is willing to go out of one’s way to maintain herd immunity.
A potential reason for the immediate action and religious levels of compliance of Hong Kong specifically, is due to the lasting effect of the 2002 SARs epidemic. From 2002 to 2004, an outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) brought life in many countries across south east Asia to a stand-still. While not having the global impact that the COVID-19 is currently having, SARS quickly altered the culture of the countries it reached, challenging what were considered standard and sufficient hygiene practices. A notable example is the implementation of 共筷 (public chopsticks) in most restaurants in Hong Kong. Everyone would receive two pair of chopsticks of different colours, the pair closer to you being used for eating and the pair further from you (known as the 共筷) being used solely for taking food from the dining table. This is done to prevent potential contamination or contagion through passing germs from one person to the communal dishes. Many survivors of SARS describe it to have been quite a traumatic experience that put their priorities in perspective. Similarly today, the action of wearing a hygiene mask is to some degree a gesture that shows respect towards the experiences of those who went through the SARS epidemic. It is symbolic of remembering the trauma of that time and immediately doing all that is necessary to prevent the spread of today’s parallel.
Similar sentiment can be seen in the concept of Tikkun Olam in Judaism, meaning “repairing the world”. In this context, it might be best translated to “in the interest of public policy”. Wearing a mask can be seen as adhering to this commandment as it actively helps those who are less fortunate than ourselves. There are many people who may not have a fully functional immune system, either due to age or an autoimmune disease, that rely on the courtesy of others to remain healthy. By following the idea of Tikkun Olam and doing what is best for the community, it’s the collective responsibility of everyone to put their comfort aside temporarily to protect everyone, immunocompromised or not. Endangering those already at risk by hoarding resources or nor doing the bare minimum regarding hygiene is selfish and insulting the efforts of anyone making an effort, contributing to a healthy community.