Why do people do things that they fear? It may be that the fear contains information. Something can be interesting if you get to the other side of that fear.

My life contains so many other things; I have my children, my grandchildren, my two dogs and a big place in the country. I have my own life.

The author meant it as a joke, Mr. Langdon. Ionic means containing ions—electrically charged particles. Most objects contain them.