"For instance, they don't even know what their purpose is, which surprises this writer, given what an obvious and basic thing to know that would seem to be."
I'll admit their wording seems a bit overly casual, but it does convey things that simply saying "such as their purpose" would not, and it does it in fewer words than my example above.
Another way of conveying it might be this:
"For instance, they don't even know what their purpose is, which surprises this writer, given what an obvious and basic thing to know that would seem to be."
I'll admit their wording seems a bit overly casual, but it does convey things that simply saying "such as their purpose" would not, and it does it in fewer words than my example above.