This mask can lead to increased rigidity of interpersonal behavior. We are trapped in a role –as I noted earlier in recounting George Orwell’s On Shooting an Elephant. The deeply embedded second quad of those people over whom we have “power” is not easily changed and our highly restricted behavior is set to confirm whatever assumptions other people are making about who we are and what we truly care about. Our mask is permanently placed over our face—and we play out a major role in a highly scripted leadership play.
We know that the Mask can eventually become a permanent fixture. The play might no longer be the same but the character being played by our masked leader never changes. Furthermore, as Wilhelm Reich notes in describing “character armor”, the mask can expand into full body armament. Substantial energy must be devoted to the preservation of this armament. This is usually energy that is pulled away for relationships with other people. The first quad remains small. The well-armored holder of this quad is rarely motivated to do anything about this quad or this armor. Nor are other people likely to encourage any change, given their deeply entrenched image of this armored leader.
Case Example: Derek is certainly aware of the restrictions that come with power. He is a supreme court justice in a New England state. While he had always dreamed of being a judge and is truly honored to have been appointed to the supreme court of his state by the previous governor, there are many times when he feels suffocated. He is trapped in his judicial robes and becomes fully armored when presiding over his court. Quad One is small and of little use to either Derek or the people with whom he affiliates.
Much has been sacrificed in Derek’s professional life. When he was appointed to his first position as a judge twelve years ago, Derek had to give up his close friendships with many colleagues who served as lawyers alongside him. Then, six years ago he was appointed to his current position and now had to give up his friendship with other judges in the judicial system of this state. No more mid-morning coffee breaks with other members of the legal profession. Even frequent informal contact with other members of the supreme court was discouraged—particularly given the now polarized positions of these justices.
His personal life away from the court is even more restrictive. Imagine Derek and his wife, Gwen, having a beer at a local bar (one of their former pastimes). Furthermore, his wife and three children must be cautious about their own behavior. It is as if they come from a “church family” where everyone must behave themselves given that the old man is a pastor. Derek and Gwen finally came up with a solution (though an expensive one). They bought a condominium in a city far away from their New England home. They travel to this “sanctuary” about five times a year and freely go out to bars. Derek and Gwen attend concerts, eat at a highly rated restaurants, and spend time reading and wandering down to the river that runs through their “sanctuary” city.
