[ Oh, it's not rude at all. It's an incredibly intelligent move. One that Maruki recognizes and appreciates.

And he does meld the two topics together seamlessly, so all credit to him.

And, perhaps most importantly– ]

Only a passenger, huh? I guess that's true of all of us, but I've never heard somebody phrase it quite like that before.

[ n o t e d ]

Ah, but to answer your question about perception... I study a field that focuses on how we perceive the world around us, and how our perceptions influence reality. Everyone's view of the world is unique to them, right? In that way, everyone has their own "version" of reality, so to speak. [ Air quote and everything! He's enjoying himself. ] It's true on just about every level, from the micro to the macro. How can we ever pin down objective definitions of truth and lies, or good and evil, when we all see things through our own lenses?

[ A beat, and then he shrugs affably and laughs at himself. ]

I'm not sure if I answered your question or just rambled on!