Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the short story....

Stand-By (1963) by P.K. Dick

From the anthology The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories by Philip K. Dick. See The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories discussion hub for more info on the anthology and pointers to discussion of its other stories.

So I was disappointed when this ended rather abruptly. But apparently the next story is the continuation. which makes it a better read.

Amusing to think a machine becomes a President and a stand in is a labor rep. So I guess the people just don't want to exercise their right to vote and both senate and house are gone?

Yeah this was a strange one. I didn't really get the point. I always like reading PKD though because there's always an interesting idea or two in there somewhere. For me, it was "news clown." There's a Fox News Channel joke in their somewhere but I'll leave it alone....

I get the impression PKD doesn't think much of TV news (apparently Douglas Edwards, Walter Cronkite, Chet Huntley and David Brinkley didn't impress.)

I also get the impression he thinks even less of unions.

G33z3r wrote: "I get the impression PKD doesn't think much of TV news ... I also get the impression he thinks even less of unions ..."

Yeah, it's interesting. Our union stand-by is certainly unlikeable, even though he has his moments. (Interestingly, I'm not sure he comes off worse than the demense owner in "Ragland Park")

I liked this one for the concepts -- what would make people voluntarily turn over decision-making to a computer? (possibly relevant now politically, but also when thinking about self-driving cars -- or investment decisions) is there a place for "organized labor" in a future where most "labor" is mechanized? And "news clown" is a great phrase

I kind of liked the "back on stand-by but somewhat ambiguous about what's next" ending

Hillary wrote: "is there a place for "organized labor" in a future where most "labor" is mechanized?..."

"In the future, every factory will be run by one man and one dog. The man's job will be to feed the dog. The dog's job will be to keep the man from touching the machines."


Hillary wrote: "what would make people voluntarily turn over decision-making to a computer?..."

Possibly the belief that the computer would be beyond bribery, graft & corruption?

It's 1963, nobody's hacking computers yet.

OTOH, in the 1966 novel Colossus, the US turns its nuclear arsenal over to the titular computer, and it doesn't work out so great.

I'm good with self driving cars.

G33z3r wrote: "I'm good with self driving cars."

Based on the driving behaviors I see on the streets these days, I think they should be mandatory for some drivers.

Google Assistant might turn into a self operating house someday. My only concern is energy for all these...automatons.