"How Do You Know You're Reading Philip K. Dick?" by James Tiptree Jr.

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This is our discussion of the Introduction....

"How Do You Know You're Reading Philip K. Dick?" by James Tiptree Jr.

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.

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Randy wrote: "The introduction to the collection, written by James Tiptree Jr. made me laugh when she pointed out that PKD always lets you know what business industry employs his characters...."

One of the things that makes me laugh is an introduction by Alice Sheldon (aka Tiptree), noted feminist SF author, for collection of stories that is so very 1950s in its role for women. And yet she doesn't mention it at all. ("How do you know your reading Philip K Dick?" The only female characters are serving coffee to the men folk.)

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

G33z3r wrote: "The only female characters are serving coffee to the men folk."

I believe "Captive Market" had a prominent role for a female character. "What the Dead Men Say" also had a prominent female character. But you're right overall. Of course, most of these stories were written more than 50 years ago, prior to Kennedy being assassinated. The world was a little more June Cleaver-ish at that time.

[[deleted user]]

Randy wrote: "G33z3r wrote: "The only female characters are serving coffee to the men folk."
I believe "Captive Market" had a prominent role for a female character...."

Yes, "Captive Market" is the only story with a female lead character. And, Mrs. Berthelson isn't a nice person. I think she's also the only female character addressed by a last name, too.

I noticed that the male characters are all addressed as their last name, whereas the womenfolk are all first names.

E.g., Autofac, O'Neil refers to the male character, while his wife is Jennifer (who serves coffee.) In "Minority Report", it's Mr Anderton, his wife being called just Lisa. In "Service Call," Mr. Courtland is the group lead and his wife, Fay,... serves coffee to the all-male inquisitors (Who have a female stenographer who is an even granted the courtesy of a name.)

Even in "Captive Market", Mrs. Berthelson gets the honorific "Mrs", while the guys just get last names.

Kind of funny once you notice. Maybe I'll make it the basis of a drinking game!

[Hillary]

I usually skip intros until I've finished the book, but I made an exception for this one. A lot of Tiptree/Sheldon's points resonated, and some made me want to argue with them, which is probably a good thing in a preface.

But you're wrong, G33z3r, she does mention Dick's women -- "the occasional screaming psychotic female who is one of Dick's specialties, and is always treated with love." (Sheldon says she's read some PKD novels but hasn't really read the short stories, and I think this shows. I can think of more novel examples of the psychotic female in the novels -- Alice in Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said comes to mind -- but I'd say there's a dash of her in Lisa Anderton.)

Where I would want to argue is with the idea that "there is little evidence of either technology or science." There may be less of a focus on nuts and bolts, but I think the ethical implications of technologies are pretty central. (I pretty much have to think of the ESP stuff as its own thing -- would these things be considered more legitimate science speculation at the time? Some CIA history argues maybe. But whether it's feasible or just fascinating, it's definitely as obsession for PKD.)