Wiktor Wise
'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' is a book by Philip K. Dick, which explores the themes of humanity, empathy, artificiality, alienation, religion, and consumerism. The story is set after World War Terminus, where the remaining population struggles with waste and radioactive dust. The protagonist, Rick Deckard, is a bounty hunter tasked with retiring renegade androids. As he navigates his assignments, Deckard contemplates the nature of consciousness, the distinction between organic and artificial life, and the complexities of empathy. The following quotes highlight the depth and intrigue of the narrative, shedding light on the characters' experiences and the world they inhabit.
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What You'll Learn
Quotes about the distinction between humans and androids
The following quotes from 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick highlight the distinction between humans and androids:
> "An android doesn’t care what happens to another android. That’s one of the indications we look for."
This quote suggests that a key difference between humans and androids is their capacity for empathy. Androids are depicted as lacking concern for one another, which is a notable contrast to human behaviour.
> "Empathy, evidently, existed only within the human community, whereas intelligence to some degree could be found throughout every phylum and order including the arachnida."
Here, the narrator makes a direct comparison between humans and other species, including androids, suggesting that empathy is unique to humans, while intelligence can be found across various life forms.
> "You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe."
This quote explores the complex nature of human identity and the potential for self-reflection and moral conflict, which is seemingly absent in androids.
> "I like her; I could watch her the rest of my life. She has breasts that smile."
The above quote, attributed to a human character, showcases the objectification of androids, specifically those designed to resemble women. It highlights a key distinction between the two: androids are treated as objects to be owned and used, while humans are not.
> "Owning and maintaining a fraud had a way of gradually demoralizing one. And yet from a social standpoint it had to be done, given the absence of the real article."
This quote further emphasises the objectification of androids and the complex relationship between humans and their artificial counterparts. The use of the word "fraud" suggests that androids are seen as imitations or fakes, again underscoring the distinction between the two.
> "In a giant, empty, decaying building which had once housed thousands, a single TV set hawked its wares to an uninhabited room."
This quote describes a post-apocalyptic world where humans and androids coexist. It hints at the impact of human-created technology, which can be both a source of connection and isolation.
In conclusion, these quotes from 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' highlight various distinctions between humans and androids, including empathy, identity, objectification, and the impact of technology on their respective experiences.
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Quotes about the nature of empathy
In 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' Philip K. Dick explores the nature of empathy through the lens of a world filled with artificial life. The protagonist, Rick Deckard, is tasked with "retiring" androids—an act that requires him to develop a unique understanding of the nature of empathy.
Deckard's journey begins with a clear delineation between organic and artificial life. He owns an electric sheep, which he despises for its falseness, and yearns for a living animal that would reciprocate his care. This initial distinction sets the stage for Deckard's evolving empathy as he encounters various androids throughout the story.
Deckard's ruminations on the inner workings of the artificial brain lead him to conclude that androids must have aspirations and dreams. He recognises that their sole purpose is to serve humans, and this realisation sparks his growing empathy for the enslaved androids. Deckard's empathy is further tested when he discovers that Rachael, an android, has been assigned to seduce him and force him to empathise with his targets. Despite her deception, Deckard's newfound empathy for the androids prevents him from killing her.
The novel also delves into the idea that empathy is inherently human and may not exist in other forms of life. Dick suggests that empathy blurs the boundaries between hunter and victim, and that it may be limited to herbivores or omnivores who can depart from a meat diet. This notion is further explored through the contrast between the cold intellect of androids and the emotional warmth of humans.
Throughout the story, Dick presents a world burdened by the aftermath of World War Terminus, where the entire planet is disintegrating into "kipple"—a colloquialism describing the disorder caused by garbage and radioactive dust. In this decaying world, Deckard's once-cheery outlook is dampened, and he grapples with the weight of his role as a bounty hunter, maintaining a fragile balance between the pressure of kipple and non-kipple.
In 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?', Philip K. Dick invites readers to contemplate the nature of empathy and its role in a world where the lines between organic and artificial life are blurred. Through Deckard's journey, the novel delves into the complexities of empathy, challenging readers to reflect on what it means to be human.
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Quotes about kipple and the state of the planet
In *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*, Philip K. Dick describes a world in which the entire planet has begun to "disintegrate into junk". The term "kipple" is used to describe the junk and disorder that is taking over the planet, competing with radioactive dust to bury the world.
> The entire planet had begun to disintegrate into junk, and to keep the planet habitable for the remaining population the junk had to be hauled away occasionally... or, as Buster Friendly liked to declare, Earth would die under a layer—not of radioactive dust—but of kipple.
Kipple is described as "useless objects, like junk mail or match folders after you use the last match or gum wrappers or yesterday's homeopape". It is a universal force, constantly increasing and spreading:
> When nobody's around, kipple reproduces itself. For instance, if you go to bed leaving any kipple around your apartment, when you wake up the next morning there's twice as much of it. It always gets more and more.
The character Isidore recognises that, despite his best efforts, he cannot stop the spread of kipple:
> No one can win against kipple... I've sort of created a stasis between the pressure of kipple and nonkipple, for the time being. But eventually I'll die or go away, and then the kipple will again take over. It's a universal principle operating throughout the universe; the entire universe is moving toward a final state of total, absolute kippleization.
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Quotes about Deckard's relationships with others
Rick Deckard's relationships with others in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? are complex and multifaceted. Deckard's relationship with his wife, Iran, is strained due to his obsession with organic life and his need for a real animal. This is evident when Iran shows him that their toad is electric, and he feels hatred towards it. Despite this, Iran expresses relief and joy when Deckard returns home, indicating a deep care and affection between them.
Deckard's relationship with Rachael, an android designed to look like a young girl, is also notable. They become involved in each other's lives, but Deckard's obsession with organic life wins out. When Deckard discovers Rachael's secret assignment to seduce and manipulate him, he feels empathy for the androids, unable to kill her for deceiving him. This reveals Deckard's ability to form connections and his respect for their intellectual capacity.
Deckard's relationship with the androids he hunts is complex. He respects their intelligence and ability to accomplish tasks, yet he is uncomfortable with their emotional coldness. Deckard's job as a bounty hunter depends on this lack of affect, as it is his only way of distinguishing between machines and humans. Despite his respect for their capabilities, he draws a clear line between organic and artificial life, yearning for living animals and despising his electric sheep.
Deckard also interacts with John Isidore, reflecting on the concept of "kipple" — the junk and disorder overtaking the planet. Isidore acknowledges the challenge of fighting kipple in abandoned apartments, and Deckard recognizes the temporary nature of his own victories over it. This shared understanding of the world's decay and the futile struggle against kipple connects them.
Deckard's relationships are marked by his empathy, respect, and yearning for genuine connections. Despite his job as a bounty hunter, he grapples with the complexities of his world, forming unexpected bonds and gaining insight into the lives and motivations of those around him, be they human, android, or electric sheep.
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Quotes about the difficulty of distinguishing organic and artificial beings
In 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?' by Philip K. Dick, the line between organic and artificial beings is blurred. The novel explores the difficulty of distinguishing between the two, and the following quotes highlight this theme:
> "Empathy, evidently, existed only within the human community, whereas intelligence to some degree could be found throughout every phylum and order including the arachnida."
Here, the narrator, Rick Deckard, muses on the nature of empathy and intelligence. He suggests that while humans possess empathy, other creatures, including arachnids, exhibit varying degrees of intelligence. This blurs the line between organic and artificial beings, as intelligence is typically associated with the latter.
> "An android doesn't care what happens to another android. That's one of the indications we look for."
This quote, attributed to Deckard, highlights one of the key ways in which humans and androids differ—their capacity for caring about each other. The ability to care or show empathy is often considered a defining characteristic of humanity, and its absence in androids is a key indicator of their artificial nature.
> "You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe."
In this quote, Deckard reflects on the nature of identity and the struggle to maintain one's sense of self in the face of external pressures. He suggests that the "basic condition of life" is to be forced to compromise one's values and violate one's own identity. This struggle is presented as a universal experience, shared by both organic and artificial beings.
> "In a giant, empty, decaying building which had once housed thousands, a single TV set hawked its wares to an uninhabited room."
This quote describes a scene of post-apocalyptic desolation, where a television set continues to function and advertise to an empty room. It serves as a reminder of the artificial nature of technology, which persists even in the absence of human life. The image also underscores the novel's exploration of the blurred lines between organic and artificial beings, as the lifeless building and the functioning television set create a dichotomy.
> "The entire planet had begun to disintegrate into junk, and to keep the planet habitable for the remaining population, the junk had to be hauled away occasionally... or, as Buster Friendly liked to declare, Earth would die under a layer—not of radioactive dust—but of kipple."
Here, the narrator describes the state of the planet, which is buried under junk and kipple—a colloquial term for useless objects and disorder. The quote highlights the impact of human (and possibly android) activity on the planet, leading to its disintegration. The distinction between organic and artificial beings is blurred as both contribute to the planet's decline.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some quotes from "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" that relate to the theme of empathy:
- "Empathy, evidently, existed only within the human community, whereas intelligence to some degree could be found throughout every phylum and order including the arachnida."
- "Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet. Because, ultimately, the empathic gift blurred the boundaries between hunter and victim, between the successful and the defeated."
- "He thought, too, about his need for a real animal; within him, an actual hatred once more manifested itself toward his electric sheep, which he had to tend, had to care about, as if it lived."
Deckard, one of the main characters in "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," has several notable quotes throughout the novel:
- "In a giant, empty, decaying building which had once housed thousands, a single TV set hawked its wares to an uninhabited room."
- "The entire planet had begun to disintegrate into junk, and to keep the planet habitable for the remaining population, the junk had to be hauled away occasionally...or, as Buster Friendly liked to declare, Earth would die under a layer—not of radioactive dust—but of kipple."
- "You have to be with other people, he thought. In order to live at all. I mean before they came here I could stand it... But now it has changed. You can't go back, he thought. You can't go from people to nonpeople."
Philip K. Dick, the author of "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," includes several quotes in the novel that are not spoken by any specific character:
- "My schedule for today lists a six-hour self-accusatory depression."
- "You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe."
- "Owning and maintaining a fraud had a way of gradually demoralizing one. And yet from a social standpoint, it had to be done, given the absence of the real article."
