The clown mask was made to represent the abject terror many people put into things that weren't created with any sort of malice, ie. Clowns. Many people have come to view clowns as a creature of horror rather than a silly creation to bring mirth, and we do it to many other things too. Look around yourselves and think about things that society (or even just yourself) has given a strong taboo of malice too, and maybe start letting those taboos lay to rest.