I figured it out! I think I have finally put my finger on why the clothing, hairstyles, plain expressionless faces give me the willies. You won't think I'm shallow, afterall <VBG>.
I'm going to take you on a journey, so pretend you are this person so you can get inside my mind for a glimpse of how I think (and view things). Don't worry, it will be interesting!
You are five or six years old. Go back to your world at that time, remeber what it was like? What was important to you? What toys did you like, Barbies? Maybe you got your first wristwatch for your birthday, or a new coat. Perhaps you have just started kindergarten. Put yourself in that frame of mind.
You are six. You are in a parking lot of a place called Bellevue. It is a brick building at the end of a tree lined, winding road. It may be several buildings, but the one you are looking at is a huge, brick building with ivy growing up it. You like the way it looks, the contrast between the hard, red brick and the soft, flowing green ivy. Almost makes it look like an old castle. You'd rather stay here and take in more of the scene, but that is not what you are here for. Your Daddy takes your hand and tells you to stop dawdling, we need to get going. We are going inside the building to visit Mumma, who is very sick. Bellevue is the mental institution, and your mother has schizophrenia. You really do not want to go visit her, you'd rather stay outside, but you go in with your dad.
Inside, you are struck by the severity of the place. It is not beautiful and mysterious like the outside, instead the lights are bright and very harsh, everything is painted white, which reflects the harshness of the lights. People are moaning, screaming, and making strange noises. A lot of people are moving around, lots of activity, lots of yelling. But the one thing which sticks in your mind more than all those other qualities is the smell. The strong, acrid smell has more impact and leaves more impression than the sights and sounds.
It is the smell of antiseptic.
Now to most who would walk into this place, the smell would tell them, "This place is clean, it has been sterilized with antiseptic because I can smell it." To my mind, however, the presence of such a strong odor would make me think, "They must have used this strong anitseptic to get rid of (or cover up) something septic." Mask the smell of urine or feces, which could still slightly be smelled under the horrid smell of the cleaner.
Those women in their clothes? They are the antiseptic. The attire is, I mean. It is the blatent outward appearance which states, "We are clean. You can see how clean (pure) we are." The antiseptic-ness of the outward appearances was there to cover up something septic, something nasty, toxic. That's why it bothers me. Burquas do not bother me, the Amish and the Mennonites' attire does not bother me, most other clothing does not bother me. So I think their clothing, hairstyles, severe faces, etc. remind me of something meant to lead others into thinking something is "clean", when it is simply used to mask something else.
Gee, I hope this makes sense. What do the men wear, by the way? Are they dressed in knickers or do they wear modern suits and clothing?
ina n HB (Sigh..HB..ya-want I duct tape that tri-metal bangle on fer ya?? )
