The Gas Mask Ego

Metaphorical Narrative

A lone figure walks into a sunlit field. The air is pure, warm, alive with birdsong. Yet their breath comes shallow, harsh. A heavy gas mask clings to their face, straps digging deep, every inhale fogging the glass.

The mask whispers, “Trust me. The world is poison. Without me you will not survive.”
But look closer: no smoke, no gas, no chemical clouds. Just a field of open air.

The weight is unbearable. The figure finally claws at the straps, ripping the mask away. The sudden rush of clean oxygen hits like a wave. Gasping, they realize: the mask itself was the poison.

Core Insight

Ego often disguises itself as a protector. It convinces you danger is everywhere so it can justify its grip. But when you look around, there is no gas — only the mask making breathing hard.

Saturday Experiment

1. Notice when you hide your real choice, edit your truth, or assume danger.
2. Ask: Is there real gas here, or is this fear theatre?
3. If clear, drop the mask. Act unfiltered.

Sunday Reflection

Write in third person:
How does it look when someone suffocates in safety?
How does it shift when they rip off the mask and breathe free air?