Have you ever been to any masquerade balls? What is a masquerade ball? According to a source, the masquerade ball was dating back to 14th and 15th centuries as part of Europe's carnival season. However, another source cited that it went back to medieval court life, originally to celebrate a marriage or mark a point in a royal dynasty.
Masquerade ball was made popular at the height of Renaissance time in 15th century by the Venice upper classes. In England, it was made popular in the 18th century when a Swiss Count, John Heidegger brought it to the Haymarket Opera House. Photo was taken from www.abovetopsecret.com.
Though masquerade ball always being associated with glamour and opulent live styles, it also evoked mystery, intrigue and ultimate night of risk. In 1771, Gustav III, Sweden’s King was assassinated by a disgruntled masked nobleman during a masquerade ball.
You are maybe wondering why on earth I am writing about some obscure and past albeit popular event in here. Well, main chatting room in EC reminds me of this masquerade ball. What interesting is the similarity of the masquerade ball and EC chat room. We come here from all walks of life, from all over the world, with various objectives and masks.
Some adorned mask of celebrities, animals, cartoon characters, flowers, and other characters. Whereas some are brave enough to come in with their own photos. While adorning different masks, some people seems to adopt different characters too. It's like some have different and split personalities, some becomes braver and less timid, and some become more vocal and intimidating. However, some remain tentative and prefer to be at the background.
It's fascinating to observe and learn the daily interactions of EC members. Friendship developed, and sometimes broken up because some misunderstanding. Though so far I don't observe any 'love story' developing in front of my own eyes, but I've heard that some members of EC had found love through this site. Though I don't think there would be the extreme risk such of King Gustav III, but daily squabbles and fighting are norm.
What's more fascinating is that even though sometimes some members keep on changing their nicks, but somehow or rather, their way of chatting would reveal their previous nick. Some members would still come back even though they had been suspended or even banned. I guess it's an absolute truth that EC is really a fascinating and wonderful masquerade ball.
I am sure if there is a study about human behaviour by a group of psychologists or psychiatrists , EC main room would make a very interesting subject.
This blog is dedicated to all my EC friends who are part of this wonderful masquerade ball especially WMW, Sima, Luci, Rysperski, Tony Hawk, Fizzy, Afro, Barbare, Allen and others. You know who you are. And also to my teachers, Tara and Expector Smith.
Comments
ouch!! need to check my keyboard. It made a couple of mistakes. jejejeje...
Glad to see you too, noas...
paraphrasing Mr. Spock... "I have been, and always shall be Shrek. "
Yeah Lord Maurice, I am still not used to call you with this nick. As far as I know you will be forever Shrek to me. For me Shrek is really fun and playful, whereas a 'Lord' is always serious and strict. LOL. Glad to see you back, Maurice. Thanks for reading.
Yes, I was a caertoon character, with whon I have a lot in common.
Mr. Bob, yes, it's a masquerade ball and people sometimes taking advantage of that to be obnoxious, and perverse.
A masquerade is a good description of the chat room.
OMG! OMG! I love the titles of these two research Vieetttttt. Do you think you can come up with the strategy very very very very very very whizzing soon? I think if I can export enough durian to the USA, you will get your fund for the research soon. LOL. :-P :-P
Noassss, It should be the research of "Psychology of the midnight ironing lady" or "The magic of the neurology of the sleepless dancing Pole". LOL . Oh! I have to build a strategy to raise funds for two research right now. Whizzing Whizzing LOL
WMR, it's really sad when some members had been persistently harassed some members until some members had no other choice and hide their nationality and belief. You're right that sometimes EC Masquerade Ball was really a mess, one big sloppy mess. LOL.
'A short enough' blog? What are you trying to imply in here? :-P :-P \(O_o)?
Vieetttt... yes .... and what kind of category the Ig Nobel Prize should be? Research on co-relation between Whizzing Yeti and a Mountainous Yeti? Oh! Oh! How about research on how to be a fleeting Pole while at the same time doing a Pole Dance? LOL
Wearing a mask when joining this EC masquerade ball is necessary, but at the same time it doesn't meant that we have the licence to be rude, obnoxious, and downright perverse.
You remind me of a story that I read from a friend's note.
In Halloween, a boss held a party and invited all staff in the company. He required that all have to wear a mask when joining the party. Everyone effervescently discussed which mask they should choose and whether it suits their dress... When the party started, the attendees wore their own masks except a person. They concentrated around her and asked " Where is your mask? why don't you wear it?". She pointed the finger in her face and relied softly "It's my mask".
Well, I think members of EC or anyone else in fact have a mask somewhere somehow sometime. If they don't, they also should wear one when joining the masquerade ball. If EC has psychologists or psychiatrists and do a series of research, they must get an award of Ig Nobel Prize one day LOL.
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