So it’s like this: I’m in New York City at night. The sky is overcast; there are no stars or moonlight tonight. There aren’t even any streetlights on this block of East Twenty-second Street where my ABnB is - it looks like an old movie set from back when movies were shot without soundtracks. Everything here seems quiet enough that you could almost forget how dangerous this city really is, if only for one moment… but then something comes out of nowhere and attacks me! My heart leaps into my throat as I look around frantically for someone who can help me. But everyone else just watches silently as the monster chases after its prey—and they all know exactly what kind of creature it must be. It’s like they’re used to seeing these things every day. I mean, I get it’s New York, but what the fuck, man?
“It’s not real,” says the man walking by me on his way home from work, looking down at the ground as he passes. He doesn’t see anything except his own shoes, which are made of plastic now instead of leather because synthetic materials last longer than natural ones these days. That means he won’t have to buy new pairs so often anymore, and maybe save some money along the way. Perhaps his wife has been complaining lately that she never gets time alone with him, since he spends most nights working late hours at the office. She’ll probably appreciate those savings more than ever before. And besides, her feet will thank him too, once she tries them on. See, I like to think about people; empathize a litte, you know? And if somebody got attacked by some monster, I’d like to think I’d say something.
I turn around expecting to see the thing again, but it’s just another pedestrian. He walks past me, also focused solely on his surroundings rather than paying attention to anyone else nearby. His eyes seem unfocused, and he keeps glancing up at the sky. Is he waiting for the weather report? Or does he want to make sure no weird creature is going to attack him while he’s trying to get through this crowded area?
If they aren’t real, how come these jabronis see them too? How long ago did their existence become common knowledge among people everywhere? If it was recent, wouldn’t I hear about it somewhere sooner or later?
As the two pedestrians walk away, another person suddenly appears right next to me. At first glance, he seems perfectly normal—but then I notice that he isn’t wearing any clothes underneath his trench coat. When did he take off his shirt and pants anyway?! Wasn’t it cold outside earlier today?
And people around here are used to that crap too! Hopefully he isn’t real either.
But wait… why am I still thinking about whether or not the monsters are real? This should be a simple matter of fact. Shouldn’t it be obvious, given that I’ve seen them myself already? So what if they don’t exist in reality? Why would that mean they can’t actually hurt us? In theory, if you had a magic wand that allowed you to create your very own fantasy world inside of your mind, you could use it to conjure up whatever creatures you wanted, couldn’t you? Wouldn’t that be awesome? You’d be able to go wherever you liked whenever you pleased, and nothing could stop you from doing what you felt like. No rules, laws, regulations, or moral codes to keep you in line.
And no monsters.
Suddenly, the pervert standing beside me turns around, stares straight into my face, and shouts, “You think those things aren’t real?!” Then he runs away, disappearing into the crowd.
So my question is this: are these things some kind of advertisement, like a hologram or something? Help a guy out.