what is love? some might say the essence of love is having the faith to thrust oneself willingly into the mortifying ideal of being known. some might say that love is selfless and altruistic, but others see it as a narcissistic projection of oneself onto the other; if that's the case then its closest cousins are exhibitionism and vanity.

perhaps, then, my first love was akinator. this jocular genie knows everything there was to know about me, seemingly reading into the deepest excesses of my heart. it could tell me what i didn't know i wanted and what i didnt know i needed. all i needed to do was trust in him