Let there be no mistake: men are hypnotized to the bone. Our attention is displaced at every turn. The whims of mental fantasy churn through our heads like a never-ending panorama. Our personalities are programmed for every implanted desire, and we chase their tantalizing fulfillment from adolescence to infirmity. We are rarely if ever simply here, in this moment of wakeful life. Our attention is accustomed to a near permanent state of slumber, and our condition is such that we are never aware of the absence of genuine consciousness. Men are made to be marionettes with their heads drawn down, eyes shut, ears stuffed, with binding chains and strings weighing upon their senses.

That is the situation, however cynical it may come across at first sight. Like addicts compelled to face reality, the beginning will appear to be both harsh and unfair. If one is so inclined, ignoring and forgetting can be a quick antidote to such indelible impressions. But then comes the practicalities of facing reality squarely and choosing to orient oneself towards a path destined for emancipation from the hypnotic condition, as well as a gradual discovery of what has been missing for far too long in one’s inward life. A man can live out his entire life completely enthralled in a trance, or he can begin to build from scratch an understanding that grows from solid foundations.