For nearly three decades,
ever-increasingly glocalized social theatre goes through a host of social
struggles all of which well outbraved corpo-dividualization (partly inspired by
Deleuzian term “dividiual” as fragmented or divided subjectivity). They
perseveringly refuse and/or illegitimize the old taxonomy of political identity
only being represented in within the scope of conventional politics. However,
those subalterns opposing the very enclosure and subjugation of the “self”,
unwaveringly take to the streets to reclaim their integrity hardly won during
the era of social welfare states; namely the rights and freedoms long-slashed
by power elites diagnosed with surplus-mania. Multitude of politically driven
collectivities mobilize and pour into streets in dribs and drabs to create a “shock
effect” on the nevre endings of this so called “late capitalism”. They often
seem to enjoy “use of political masks”
of any kind; be it simple snow masks of 90s EZLN to sopisticated Guy Fawkes of
late Occupy movements. Really, what is that mask thing? What use were these
masks? Are these just to “blur” the real essence of subjectivity?
Well, the reasons are in
deed “there and then”. Political use of masks has initially to do with illegitimation
and disregard of taxonomy of political identities “claimed” (solely confines to
act of claim) to be represented by Left, Right and catch-all parties alike. In
doing so, social agents pronounce the political continuum illegitimate along
with the underlying rationale embodying it. Looking through the lens of social
movements paradigm, referring to Nail, the use of masks as a disidentifier allows
social agents to speak and interact for themselves, in their own name. Instead
of embracing the first singular “I” (the self-identical subject), masks provide
for these agents to create a new form of third person subjectivity: “we” (Nail,
2013, p.34). Use of identical masks amongst protesters would allow these
political subjectivities into a cohered group belonging by bringing them into
alignment. Such belonging surely forms strong ties and solidarity amongst each
and every single agent too. This would then create a sense of “anonymity”
disallowing top-down asymmetries and those forerunners itching for a
vanguardism. I suppose Subcommandante Marcos may perfectly conclude the point
at hand articulating, “. . . if you want to see who Marcos is, see who’s hidden
behind the mask, then take a mirror and look at yourself. The face you see there
will be the face of Marcos, because we are all Marcos” (Gulewitsch, 2011, p.
87-88).
Political masks signify a
“cartography of non-representation” as these agents cover up their face turning
into fraternal twins. By way of concealing their faces, no glimpse of
physiognomy can be traced by the “last mohicans” (by this I imply police
forces) This makes things more and more difficult for the police to distinguish
identity of these agents. This would also makes arrests a long shot. Morover it
wouldn’t come easy to single out and terrorize individual agents or groups
amongst a multitude. Addingly, concealed faces undermine being seen by the “Big
Brother” and disrupting intra-group “hierarchies so police can not identify “a
leader” (because there is not one) (Nail, 2013, s.36).
As a concluding remark
“to be continued”, “all political power emanates from the people and its
purpose is to help the people. The people have, at all times, the inalienable
right to alter or modify their form of government" says General Command of
the EZLN (1993). So, what use were these masks!
Erhan Özcan
Erhan Özcan
Works cited
EZLN (1993).
“EZLN's Declaration of War”, accessed on http://flag.blackened.net/revolt/mexico/ezln/ezlnwa.html,
16.01.2015
Gulewitsch, N.
(2011). “Ya Basta! A Cry that Echoes Beyond Borders: Zapatismo and
International Solidarity Networks in the Zapatista Uprising”, McGill
Sociological Review, Vol.2, p.77-91
Nail, T.
(2013). “Zapatismo and Global Origins of Occupy”, Journal for Cultural and
Religious Theory, Vol.12, No.3, p.20-35
