What?

 It occurs to me that there are people out there whom shall be very curious indeed as to the things I will share.

That's what I mean about living history. How will it be known as to the nuance lost, were it not uttered? And then we define our reality based on a chosen historical perception, while we catalog facts. The facts themselves are horrible; but, we as a species want to feel like we're moving forward no matter the cost. The cost is only calculated later. This is how it is and has been for all of humanity - always.

Individually, do we live any differently? Collective delusions inform us individually, but only as related to the social whole.

What do I mean by that? Am I saying everyone is deluded? Yes. How could I say that? Let me just give the most overt example. Let's imagine I have $10 in my pocket. What does that mean? This is a small piece of fancy paper that someone printed the number "10" upon. It has value in trade because we believe it does.

Irrespective, because of this belief, were one not to have that special numerical paper, one wouldn't be able to buy commodities that number is believed to be valid for in trade. On this simple basis, people live and die every day.

In the era of developing industry and beforehand, there was a different economic construct that made such a system more believable and therefore more sustainable. The value of gold and silver used to determine our economic realities - for thousands and thousands of years. The United States stopped making coins out of precious metal in 1964. If you find a dime, quarter, fifty-cent piece, or silver dollar minted before 1964, hold on to it! It's numerical attribution is much higher than its face-value.

Shit. Now I can't get my coffee because I misplaced my fancy green piece of paper. Whew! I found it. Now I'm worth something.