Metafiction

 I am wearing a mask. A mask of a face that isn’t mine. It is a face of a beautiful woman. I have worn this mask for thirteen years.

 In the status quo, people complain about lookism that is so common in our society. People tend to judge each other with their appearance, and good-looking people are more likely to get employed. We are caught in lookism.

 This is part of a column that I read thirteen years ago.

 To solve the “lookism phenomena”, blind auditions, blind interviews, and many employment processes are made. As a result, more people with high ability and intelligence are now working in many jobs.

 At first, I did have some hope. People told me I was a good singer, so I tried a blind audition. The judges couldn’t see my face, because they were facing the other side with their chairs turned to the other side. I sang a song, and judges were surprised by my vocals. Before seeing my face, they all wanted to take and train me. But when they later saw my face, they hesitated. I didn’t hear what they were saying to each other, but I saw them mouth ‘ugly’.

 Anyway, the judge selected me, so I could participate in the next round. With another participant, I once again proved my powerful vocals on the stage. Many people were interested in me, writing comments on the video of me singing.  Reporters uploaded articles mentioning me about my vocals. It was an unfamiliar, good feeling seeing my name and my image shown up. I was proud of myself. I felt as if I were a celebrity. I thought my life would face a golden age, a new start. Good bye, my past. Hello, my glory present and future.

 I, however, think that the person’s appearance should still be the most important factor to judge a person in employment.

But my future turned out to be depressing, gloomy, and muddy. After the music program ended, people completely forgot my existence. No one was interested in me anymore. No more articles about me were written, and no more comments were left below my videos. They completely forgot me. I might have a faint impression to them, as a singer who sings well but ‘isn’t that good-looking or attractive’.

 Feel offended? Look at yourself standing in front of a mirror choosing which perfume to use and which clothes to wear. See, you are already focusing on your appearance. Let’s take it more seriously. In this industrialized society, tertiary sector outnumbers other jobs. TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL on communicating with one’s clients, good impression contributes a lot.

 I did try to retrieve my falling dignity and popularity. I sang songs in cafes, department stores, or in any event that needed a performance to brighten up the mood. I tried to make myself well-known and famous, but people were no longer interested in me. Some left comments, praising my vocals. But that, sadly, was all.

 That is when I decided to wear the mask. A pretty face guarantees success. Beauty is a basic necessity for anything. People will love you if you’re pretty. That is the uncomfortable truth behind our society.

Let’s trace back to past years. The standard of beauty has been altered all the time, but it had been existed. Men competed each other for beauty, of beauties got to choose their spouse and spend rest of their life happily.

 Beauty was emphasized in the past too. Beauty was a privilege; it meant better spouses and better recognition from others. People were interested in adorning themselves and showing off in front of others.

And the mask that I wear, in the present, is called, ‘plastic surgery’.