HISTORIES OF THINGS TO COME: The Irony of Anonymity

Image Source: Alamy.

Today is the 5th of November, and so the blog is devoted to the Million Mask March and snapshots of the Guy Fawkes mask from Alan Moore's V for Vendetta, which has become a worldwide symbol of hacktivism.

Last year, a variation of the mask was sold by Venetian maskmakers, joining the medieval with the Millennial. The Mascherade confirms that, in Venice, the mask freed people from the strictures on social identity:

"Venetian masks are a centuries-old tradition of Venice, Italy. The masks are typically worn during the ... Carnival of Venice ... but have been used on many other occasions in the past, usually as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. The mask would permit the wearer to act more freely in cases where he or she wanted to interact with other members of the society outside the bounds of identity and everyday convention. It was useful for a variety of purposes, some of them illicit or criminal, others just personal, such as romantic encounters."

One blog, Licence to Mask, examines this old Venetian idea, proving that anonymity is not new; that blog also connects the Bauta mask to today's anonymity on the Internet:

"The mask was standardized and its use was regulated by government to give Venetian citizens the freedom to do business, to pursue interests on their own and to take part in political activities without being identified while still being recognized and respected as legitimate and honorable members of the Venetian society.

I would like to find out if this concept could be a paradigm for internet identity management and anonymity concepts."

Of course, Bauta masks figured prominently in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, which is based on Arthur Schnitzler's Traumroman (Dream Story). Kubrick's film fueled conspiracists' speculations about the Illuminati. It is supremely ironic that the anti-establishment online movement is masked as well, and using the same principle of anonymity that the current western establishment employed when it was in its youth, at the onset of the modern era.

Image Source: Licence to Mask.

"Protesters of Cologne's 'Anonymous' group wear Guy Fawkes masks made popular by the graphic novel V for Vendetta as they demonstrate against banking and finance in front of a branch of Germany's largest bank 'Deutsche Bank' in Cologne October 15, 2011. Protesters worldwide geared up for a cry of rage on Saturday against bankers, financiers and politicians they accuse of ruining global economies and condemning millions to poverty and hardship through greed." Image Source: Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay via Public Intelligence.

"A protester of the 'Occupy Sydney' movement wears a Guy Fawkes mask made popular by the graphic novel V for Vendetta in front of the Reserve Bank of Australia in central Sydney October 15, 2011." Image Source: Reuters/Lukas Coch via Public Intelligence.

"Demonstrators from the 'Indignant' group, with two wearing Guy Fawkes masks, protest against banking and finance in front of the Paris town hall October 15, 2011. Sign at right reads 'Sharing will save the World'". Image Source: Reuters/Mal Langsdon via Public Intelligence.

"'Occupy Toronto' movement in Toronto, October 17, 2011. Image Source: Reuters/Mark Blinch via Public Intelligence.

Image Source: Fast Company.

Million Mask March, 5 November 2013, Washington, DC. Image Source: CBS.

5 November 2016 protests in London. Image Source: Sun.

2015 Million Mask March. Image Source: RT.

Image Source: Alamy.

Scientology protest. Image Source: Alamy.

San Francisco Gay Pride, 2008. Image Source: Wiki.

Million Mask March, London, 2013. Image Source: The Register.

Million Mask March, London, 2013. Image Source: Metro.

Mask wearer appropriates the Hermetic hand sign of silence, rumoured to be used by the so-called Illuminati's initiated. He does this either to show that he is, or Anonymous are part of, the initiated - or he is being ironic. Image Source.