2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This is where we will discuss Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick after we start reading it in October.

Everyone reads at their own speed, so please remember to mark spoilers by using spoiler tags: [spoiler]...[/spoiler], but replace [ by < and ] by >

Some discussion questions to get us started:
- Do you think the androids evolved beyond their artificial beginnings to become alive or, at least, equivalent to genuine life? Why or why not?
- What is the significance of the paintings of Edvard Munch or Mozart's The Magic Flute to the themes or plot of the novel?
- By the novel's end, do you think Rick has become permanently empathetic to the androids or will he return to being able to think of them as objects and not people?

If you have seen the movie Blade Runner:
- Which one do you like better the book or the movie? And why?
- Why do you think the movie eliminated (view spoiler)[Mercer and Mercerism (hide spoiler)]?

I finished this early and forgot to come check in here so I'll answer the questions I actually still remember...

- Do you think the androids evolved beyond their artificial beginnings to become alive or, at least, equivalent to genuine life? Why or why not?

Yes, (view spoiler)[they have what seems like a natural emotional response to things. Self-preservation, fear, joy. They don't respond the way humans do to certain things, but they still respond in a way that doesn't seem artificial. If that makes sense. (hide spoiler)]

I think I've seen the movie, but I don't remember it at all... However I will say that I think they eliminated (view spoiler)[Mercer is because that was the part of the book that was the least interesting and hardest to grasp for me. Not sure why, just every time it was brought up my eyes glazed over. (hide spoiler)]

I just started today. The first chapter was really interesting, so I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

Just finished chapter 4: I am wondering what is up with animals as a status symbol? I understand that they are almost extinct and thus rare and precious. But why does everyone feel the need to own one?

Ilona wrote: "Just finished chapter 4: I am wondering what is up with animals as a status symbol? I understand that they are almost extinct and thus rare and precious. But why does everyone feel the need to own ..."

One of the themes of the book is what makes someone human. Humans are said to be able to empathize with other living beings, which means they care about taking care of animals who have survived the apocalyptic event that is making Earth uninhabitable. It has become "fashionable" to care for animals to the point that those who cannot afford a real animal buy and care for robotic ones. As usual, author Philip K Dick trades in absurdity so he often escalates things to a ridiculous degree.

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "One of the themes of the book is what makes someone human. Humans are said to be able to empathize with other living beings, which means they care about taking care of animals who have survived the apocalyptic event."

Yeah it is really absurd, but it brings his point across, both for empathy as criticism on consumerism.

I finished the book: it was a quick read for me. I mainly liked the first half, where Dick presents some interesting themes, but while the second half had some strong chapters, some parts, mainly the last couple of chapters featuring Mercer and Mercerism, were annoyingly vague.

Some notes I made after Chapter 9: (view spoiler)[How the tables have turned! Officer Crams appearance and him accusing Rick of impersonating a bounty hunter, or being an android with a false memory is a good twist! I have absolutely no idea how this is going to turn out, I can imagine both Crams as Rick as an android. Who do you all think is speaking the truth here? If one of them is an android will they even know themselves?
This unreliable narrative is really interesting. (hide spoiler)]

When googling the book today (litcharts.com has a good analysis of each chapter), I found out that the Dutch title translates to The Electrical Nightmare. I think that the English title is much more fitting.

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- Do you think the androids evolved beyond their artificial beginnings to become alive or, at least, equivalent to genuine life? Why or why not?
Yes, (view spoiler)[the Nexus-6 models are already close to humans in the way they act en respond, and each newer model will be better than the last (hide spoiler)]

- By the novel's end, do you think Rick has become permanently empathetic to the androids or will he return to being able to think of them as objects and not people?
(view spoiler)[Honestly, I don't think this one day will have him changed permanently. He only was empathic to the androids that he found attractive, not all of them. (hide spoiler)]

Ilona wrote: "When googling the book today (litcharts.com has a good analysis of each chapter), I found out that the Dutch title translates to The Electrical Nightmare. I think that the English title is much more fitting."

Hmm interesting, there must be different Dutch editions with different titles then. I just finished my Dutch edition (published 1979) which just has a literal translation of the English title. Its cover didn’t feel at all fitting to the story though, and gave me very different expectations.