Philip K Dick discussion
Philip K Dick talks about THE MATRIX in 1977
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Thanks for sharing.One can belive it or not, but I think that the Matrix creators (I mean the movie) have seen this (the deja-vu part is so similar).
I think the Wachowskis have mentioned PKD as an inspiration, so that's none too surprising.
and PKD's ideas wouldn't have existed without LSD
Nah, they wouldn't have existed without Gnosticism. I don't think PKD ever took that much acid, his much-publicized drug problems were more with amphetamine... and the most "out there" of his books he actually wrote after he quit the drugs!
You're right about the drugs Simon. He only took LSD two times according to him.Also, according to him, his bigger influence is really philosophy. He studied it while in college (only for a short time) and was interested by it all his life.
A while ago I wrote an article for a college paper about how PKD was one of the very few Christian Existentialists to come out of the English-speaking world and that's a running theme in his novels. It's even more notable when he's a science-fiction author, because it's hard to think of a literary genre which generally has taken religion less seriously!
Finally got to watch this. Amazing. Had never actually seen Dick speaking before.I was wondering... what do you think his mental state was at that point like?
That would be at roughly the same time he wrote "A Scanner Darkly", which means that it happened after he quit the drugs but before the religious themes started taking front and centre in his work. I don't think he was ever diagnosed with any kind of mental illness actually, he might have felt very strongly about some rather strange spiritual beliefs he followed... but then again, all religions look pretty ridiculous to most people who don't follow them.
Scanner Darkly was one of his MOST AUTHENTIC books, and seemed more like a life sketch than any of his previous books.
I don't agree with the argument that PKD took LSD only twice, so it couldn't be a major influence on his works. Sometimes one time is enough, it's not a recreational drug and psychedelics can change your attitude towards life in an instant. Sure, philosophy was one of his major interests - he was an autodidact and studied an enormous number of works in this field. But being an avid seeker he also used drugs as another way to expand his imagination (and probably fried his brain in the process as well).
Maciej wrote: "I don't agree with the argument that PKD took LSD only twice, so it couldn't be a major influence on his works. Sometimes one time is enough, it's not a recreational drug and psychedelics can chang..."Well, I'm just going by what he said himself.
Before trying LSD he already wrote novels about his more "trippy" themes, like Time Out Of Joint or The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. In my opinion he didn't need LSD to write stuff like Ubik either.
wish this thread would get back on track - topic: Dick's convention speech.
Well, my original question was about his state of mind at the time; the speech was great, but my gf commented that he doesn't look all that good. And any discussion on his mental state is bound to hinge on drugs, no?
Philip K. Dick's internal life was a strange as his fiction, although he clearly considered his fiction to be grounded in an actuality hidden from most people. Gotta love a man whose conception of god is a zebra who visited him in the form of a pink laser beam fired down from an orbiting alien satellite.
Yes, he doesn't look too good. It's quite a sad sight, especially the final moment, when PKD stands up and looks at the listeners and sees people laughing at him.
The audience reaction is unfortunate, but he surely cannot have expected anything different. It's one thing to fictionalise your philosophical ideas, but something else to aver their literal truth. For example, I find the Biblical story of creation an interesting one which, like many religions, myths and folklore, can tell us a lot about the human condition, but I don't understand how people can still believe in it as literal truth.I'm not saying that PKD's conception of alternative realities impinging on mainstream reality cannot be true, but I don't think that there's any empirical evidence for it (though I'd be fascinated to be shown otherwise).
The gormless goons always laugh at the wrong guy.:)
I always found it hard to distinguish between PKD really believed in, wanted to believe in and just plainly used to screw with us.That said, and even if it was my gf who prompted my question about his state, I'm not sure I see anything wrong with him in the video. A troubled man, for sure, but also passionate and desperate to get the truth out of him and share with the world. Yes, maybe kind of sad, but who wouldn't want him to be their friend? A most boring person, probably.
Them~I'd love Dick to be my friend, and that was an intentional non-euphemism. But I think he'd take the piss, probably live on my couch or something...
:)
Hey Mike,I think you're absolutely right. Then you wouldn't be able to wait enough for him to leave, and then you'd be banging your head against the wall for not having him stay more.
Them~it's called 'rock n a hard place', I guess
LOL
Does anyone know if there is a transcription of PKD's recording (as an alternative to watching the video)?
Ah, yes, Simon - takes me back 25 years - and don't forget, thishttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_lRJ3...
:)
I watched his France interview a year or so ago, and it was most enjoyable. Too bad there aren't more such interviews.Regarding the Matrix, I don't know if this has been said before in other forums, but I am of the opinion that it was anticipated by Olaf Stapledon in Star Maker, in the section where he describes the "Radio Bliss" scenario (circa page 36 in the SF Masterworks paperback). And this from the 1930s!
OMG.. This video is SOMETHING! It's exactly what The Matrix was!
Intriguing stuff.