In the ancient tale of Adam and Eve, a forbidden tree stood in the heart of the idyllic Garden of Eden. God cautioned them against consuming the fruit from the tree of knowledge, the fruit that held the power to discern good from evil. It is in this symbolic narrative that I find an intriguing interpretation: the forbidden fruit is the emergence of our cerebral cortex, endowing us with self-awareness, language, and the ability to document our experiences through the written word. As the story of Genesis goes, man would be forever punished for disobeying god. With the advent of civilization, we find ourselves burdened with a myriad of challenges, evils, and the haunting specter of human suffering. The very knowledge that set us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom has also introduced us to a host of afflictions. The knowledge we acquired would lead to modern civilization and the awareness of our mortality. Besides killing each other, we struggle with starvation, anxiety, stress, depression, self-doubt, insecurity, loneliness, fear, suicide, domestic violence, a host of relationship problems with unnecessary drama, and an endless list of stress and conflict. The profound question of why ordinary citizens obediently follow their leaders and authoritarian figures, even to the extent of becoming ruthless killers without remorse or empathy, lies at the heart of our understanding of human behavior. The haunting phrase, "I was just following orders," echoes through history, illustrating the disturbing obedience that can lead individuals down paths of destruction. This book is about "how we got to now.