Martian Time-Slip discussion

I used to be, like probably, most readers of this book; a big fan of Phillip K Dick's. The concepts he develops in his novels have had a major influence on the modern science fiction genre and gave birth to movies like Blade Runner, Minority Report and Total Recall. I am at this time however; reviewing my opinion of this literary "giant", because I am currently reading "Martian Time Slip". Though the Arnie Knott character is an abject racist; I would argue there are ways of expressing this characterization without resorting to some of the "rabidly racist" language deployed in this novel. Who is to say why a novelist chooses these words or those words to express the views of his characters. What is undisputable; is the fact that the words were chosen consciously and with a purpose. I don't know enough about PKD, to objectively analyse his views on race as expressed through his novels. If his motives sprung from some mischievous urge to either highlight aspects of the human condition for debate; or to sabotage his own public persona; they may backfire. At best, this kind of writing inspires debate and consigns the perpetrators to a murky no-man's land where any merit in their work stagnates. At worst, this kind of writing encourages and incites the kind of racial hatred that gave rise to the holocaust of Nazi Germany and other racial holocausts since then. Without a firm personal statement from PKD defending his intentions behind his appalling use of racist language in Martian Time slip, I am forced (reluctantly) to take the view that he is a racist of unspecified pedigree. As such, his work should be treated accordingly by all citizens of conscience.

Equating Dick as a racist because Arnie Kott is one is absurd. Should a racist not speak like one? You are either far too easily offended, or attempting to get a rise out of people.

It's an anuthor's job to invoke feeling with his writing. He has certainly evoked feelings in you! If he is trying to show us a character who is blatantly, unremorsefully racist, language and words is a very good way to do so. Are you implying that because Dick has access to these phrases and turns of speech, that he must socialize with racists himself? I saw quite a bit of racism and bigotry as a child. I heard people use names and phrases that would scorch a soul. If pressed, I could list some. Does that make me a racist? Just because I am able to parrot their language? Just because I have a good memory? I am not talented enough to write, but if I were, I would be remiss in not using every tool at my disposal, personal experience among them.

Rubbish. I find disturbing your implication that Dick should only have sourced from the infinite pool of individuals available to an author, those who harbour no prejudices at all, should they all have had blond hair and blue eyes also? He didn't write utopian fiction, he wrote about contemporary (to him) society; thats the point.
This train of thought is firstly ignorant and ultimately the sentiments of the kind of social nannyism (protectionism) that often presents itself as a theme in Dick's work. Your opinions abject yet ernest ignorance illustrates perfectly for others that you are a reactionist of unspecified pedigree . As such, your opinion should be treated accordingly by all citizens of conscience.

I might add that Arnie Knott is hardly portraid in the best light, you are meant to dislike him as a person but find him at the same time endearing. Also Racism was one of the more obvious minor themes in Martian Time Slip, you seem to have missed the point completely.

P.S Your comparison to Dick's work and anti-Semitic propaganda of Pre-WII europe and the subsequent Nazi institutionalised xenophobia and attempted genocide is cringe worthy.

Cheers :D

if a character in a book in a drunk, should we not see him drinking? if a character in a book is an abusive husband, should we not see him hitting his wife? pkd is putting it out there in no uncertain terms that arnie is a racist, and as such, talks like one. he is not the "hero", or even the anti-hero, so he's not putting racist words into the mouth of a character we're supposed to like.

I don't think it's racist to accurately portray a racist.

In fact, it's probably the definition of an author who is NOT racist that he doesn't try to make racists more polite, smoother, less insulting.

Racists don't shy away from certain words in life--why should they do so in fiction, unless the goal is to make a racist easier to take...which is indeed what a racist would do?

If you read enough PKD - his fiction and non-fiction - you will find two things:

1) he was very open and tolerant

2) he was exceptional at characterizations and detailing the human experience

Another thing you will find is that PKD was ultimately concerned about the things going on in the society in which he lived, and used SF to extrapolate on these ideas.

In my humble opinion, writing well as an author or critic carries a responsibility. There is a dark side to having the freedom to express whatever views we like from any perspective that takes our fancy. We should all be mindful of what we are doing and the likely consequences of doing it. I will moderate some of the comments in my review, and update this analysis. Thank you for your considered comments.

There is a subtle difference between relishing in the portrayal of a character and simply portraying a character as part of your story.

If the intent behind the characterisation you have manifested in your written work is ambiguous; you are either guilty of being careless with the perspectives you are projecting about yourself, or you are willfully 'grooming' your readers to commune with evil impulses towards their fellow human beings.

Of these two, I'm not certain which is worse.

I Believe my impressions of this racist characterisation were neither reactionary nor over-sensitive. They were a combination of recognition and intuition; that gut feeling of something being very wrong. I don't name the author's intent, but I have named the deep disturbance caused to me by elements of this work. In my view, any work with themes like this, should be accompanied by a statement from the author. Not necessarily as an apology, but certainly as a clear statement of the author's personal perspective.

In a fair society, it is not acceptable to pretend you are not responsible for the consequences of what you have written, when what you have written contains themes of hatred.

Robert <><> "if a character in a book in a drunk, should we not see him drinking? if a character in a book is an abusive husband, should we not see him hitting his wife? pkd is putting it out there in no uncertain terms that arnie is a racist, and as such, talks like one. he is not the "hero", or even the anti-hero, so he's not putting racist words into the mouth of a character we're supposed to like."

There is an ethical question here about an author's responsibility for their work. Only a fool could claim the personal perspective of the author in their written work was of no material consequence.

To provide an allegorical comparison, would readers of a popular piece of child fiction published around the world, be concerned if they were to become aware the author was a paedophile guilty of crimes against children? Of course they would!

In my view, an author who writes compellingy of racist sentiment, is obliged to make his or her own position clear. Refusing to do this when challenged, leaves a serious question mark about the author's agenda. PKD, (now deceased), is unable to offer any statement, but I would welcome any factual information to shed light on his personal views on race hatred.

This dialogue is not over!
Thank you for your comments.

John wrote: "John Stephen I don't think it's racist to accurately portray a racist.

In fact, it's probably the definition of an author who is NOT racist that he doesn't try to make racists more polite, smoother, less insulting.

Racists don't shy away from certain words in life--why should they do so in fiction, unless the goal is to make a racist easier to take...which is indeed what a racist would do? "

By your reckoning, Bret Easton Ellis should be considered a psychopath because he wrote convincingly of one. J.G Ballard a homosexual because he wrote convincingly of homosexual acts. Vladimir Nabokov a paedophile because he wrote compelling of one.

There are also ethical questions regarding the practice of equating deceased authors to Nazis, paedophiles and racists on the basis of a piece of fiction in which he portrays a racist.

I'm not sure that making an allegorical comparison is the same as equating.

The former being the practice of "presenting a story, poem, or picture which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one:Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory of the spiritual journey"; the latter being the practice of "considering (one thing) to be the same as or equivalent to another".

Again, "I don't name the author's intent, but I have named the deep disturbance caused to me by elements of this work"

There is an important ethical thread to be explored here. Again I would welcome any factual information that would shed light on PKD's personal attitude towards race hatred.

Again, I will moderate some of the comments in my review, and update this analysis.

Hopefully with some factual references so we can reduce speculation to a minimum.

Thomas wrote: "There are also ethical questions regarding the practice of equating deceased authors to Nazis, paedophiles and racists on the basis of a piece of fiction in which he portrays a racist. o..."

Update:
Philip K. Dick - The Penultimate Truth (full documentary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM921s...

At 1h:12m:50s - PKD is giving a speech at a SF convention in Metz France.His 'friend' strangely dismisses something he says and claims she wished she had not been there.

Philip K Dick Interview in France 1977
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoZ3tJ...

1977 - radio show interview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFhsDU...

1981 - radio interview (excerpts of)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3RUE9...

The Gospel According to Philip K. Dick
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM5PoQ...

Philip.K. Dick - "Arena" 1/6 & 5/6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJehaC...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_UR4m...

Collage of artwork on some of PKD's novels
http://pkdickbooks.com/firsteditions.php

If you are interested - On PKD's speculation about a computer generated reality ...

The Matrix won Best Science Fiction Film at the 1999 Saturn Awards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26th_Sat...

At 1h:49m:46s - David Icke elaborates on "The Matrix"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlGKCF...

Saturn's anomalous hexagon
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cas...
/cassini-20070327.html

Alex Jones take on the Saturn Anomoly
http://www.infowars.com/mysterious-na...

A simulated world is alluded to at 0h:09m:02s of this clip exploring the 'Saturn Machine'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgTDa3...

This refers to a movie (World On A Wire) released in 1973, which contains plot references explicitly used in the movie 'The Matrix'. i.e The telephone transport out of simulated realities.
http://sensesofcinema.com/2010/featur...

This movie is remarkably well reviewed:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/world...

Hang on! The this movie appears to draw on influence from PKD's book Simulacra (1964).
http://www.philipkdickfans.com/litera...

And it appears to draw on influence from another book of a similar name - Simulacron-3 (1964), written by Daniel F. Galouye. The fact it was published the same year as PKD's novel is coincidence?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacr...

Perhaps PKD was onto something?

The two authors published stories in "Amazing Stories July 1964 Philip K Dick GAME OF UNCHANCE (Volume 38, No. 7)", with Mindmate by Daniel F. Galouye.
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Stories...

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/7480204...

This site also has some further info on PKD.
http://onehumanbeing.com/pkd/philip-k...

I think you misunderstood my comment.
Also I might add that if you are interested in simulacra, it had been sited by Jean Baudrillard as a source for his own ideas.... Ummm 'why hasn't everything already disappeared' is the title of the collect of essays its in off the top of my head. I read it recently. Baudrillard being the influence for the matrix, which is not a great example of the existentialist position in my view.

There is also a movie called 'world on a wire' which I haven't seen but sounds like an interesting exploration of the simulation/simulacrum concept.

This post is absurd for the various reasons outlined above. Either you have some personal race issues and are looking to be offended or are surely joking....

Yes, he is.
'Man in the high castle'.
That is all.

Funny. I am only on my 3rd PKD book - one being a short story. Theres a few things that made me raise my eyebrows and wonder About his atitudes to race. At this point i dont know, but will be reading more to come to my own concousions. I know in the short story, there was use of the word negro and a character who disliked them. In another book "voices from the street" the protagonist dislikes jews and comments about them being dirty and lacking motivation...whilst puzzling over the fact his friend is a jew.

It's obvious that Jerome is an idiot.

Jerome, for whatever reason, wants desperately to paint PKD as a racist. Was he? Ultimately we'll never know because there are no quotes of him saying, "I am a racist," but I think it's safe to say Jerome is in the minority opinion.

This book is horribly racist, sexist, and homophobic. It is also written like a man sharing these as his personal beliefs, rather than them being part of the story.

Mark above must be an ardent follower of the orange buffoon. Dear Mark, keep waving off racism and bigotry for, in doing so, your feeble intellect will uphold this silly idea that the "white man" is superior to any and all.. Go on. I dare you to attempt to convince anyONE that both this idea is true AND D Trump is the best that humanity has to offer. Come on. I can wait...

In his time, probably anti racist. But he’d have to adjust in modern times for sure