They've got a useful social custom in the Goddess-worshiping New Cretan civilization of the future.
Public Disappearance.
If for some reason you need to be in public, but are not available for social interaction—say you're deep in thought or in a big hurry—you put the “Look Away” symbol on your forehead and promptly Disappear. No one sees you.
“Excellent,” says Edward Venn-Thomas, the 20th-century protagonist of Robert Graves' 1949 novel Watch the North Wind Rise, who (for reasons I won't go into here) has been magically transported into the utopian Goddess future. “I must try to introduce that custom into my own age when I get back” (119).
In New Crete the Look Away symbol is a mouth with out-thrust tongue. There this is considered a symbol of the Hag (think Kali or Medusa). Those who wear Her sign are under Her protection. Non-being, after all, is Her purview.
Unfortunately, in our era, that symbol is already spoken for.
Not to mention that it's difficult to draw.
So back when our coven lived together, we used to use the Null sign instead.
Null. I'm not here. I don't exist. I'm null.
I agree with Venn-Thomas. Sometimes it's useful to be able to Disappear.
Well, the summer festival season is coming up.
Maybe we should consider taking a leaf from the New Cretan playbook.
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