We are born into a world. The great movie announcer of the 1990s
   used to say "in a world "* and that is quite relatable to us
   all, because at this moment * we are all on this planet. Our
   minds may seem elsewhere * but no, they're actually here. I
   don't believe any of us specifically asked to be born. This is
   the complaint of many children and teenagers when arguing with
   their parents * and they are correct. They didn't ask to be
   here. I didn't ask to be here. And yet, here I am * talking into
   my iPhone. Nobody else is doing it. It's me. I'm really here.
   You're reading this * and you are really there. These are some
   of the things that I know to be true. In the course of this
   book, I will go back-and-forth between things that I know,
   things that I believe, and things that I suspect may be. I hope
   to distinguish clearly between them all, but I expect that I
   will probably fail more often than I will succeed. But I try to
   keep these things in mind that there's a difference. So: here we
   are. I am sitting here on September 3, 2015 at 3 PM according to
   the clock and calendar of my era. You are there. Where are you?
   I have no idea. When are you? I have no idea. I suspect you are
   somewhere in the future from this point, and I suspect you're
   not sitting in the exact same chair that I am sitting in right
   now. These things I can be rather certain of. There's a phone in
   my left hand * it is cradled by my pinky. This phone is attached
   to my computer, as it has little power in its battery and it is
   currently being charged by my computer which is also sitting in
   front of me. These amazing facts are in front of me every day. I
   am here! How can that be? It doesn't make any sense. Yet, here I
   am. I'm grateful for that as often as possible because I didn't
   put myself here. Yet, did I put myself in this chair? Did I put
   the phone in my hand? Did I connect the charger to the computer
   because the little indicator on the phone said it needed to do
   that for it? Yes. I chose to do those things. I put myself in
   the situation that I'm in, based upon the constraint that I had
   little choice over * which is being born. A strong part of me
   wants to write about how I feel * how I believe * that other
   people "should "feel", or believe, or think. It is quite likely
   that I will do so at many times during this book. But please
   understand * it is me talking * not as an authority figure over
   you, but merely as a witness to my own existence and that which
   is produced by that existence * nothing more need be implied.
   Yes of course, you may. I can't choose for you what you should
   think * even if you believe I can. Even if you were under the
   influence of drugs, alcohol, influenced of your group or
   subculture * ultimately, within all of those constraints * there
   is still you. I believe that, because I am sitting here in this
   chair, talking. I believe you are right you are, in the era that
   you're in * reading. Even these can be uncertainties * but I
   have to place my footing somewhere * even if it can be taken
   away in an instant. What else can I do?