February 13, 2012 7:00 PM - 15 attended
Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner) - Philip K. Dick
This location is shown only to members
All remaining places to this meeting will be £5 with all proceeds going to the National Literacy Trust.
World War Terminus had left the Earth devastated. Through its ruins, bounty hunter Rick Deckard stalked, in search of the renegade Replicants who were his prey. When he wasn't 'retiring' them with his laser weapon, he dreamed of owning a live animal -- the ultimate status symbol in a world all but bereft of animal life. Then Rick got his chance: the assignment to kill six Nexus-6 targets, for a huge reward. But in Deckard's world things were never that simple, and his assignment quickly turned into a nightmare kaleidoscope of subterfuge and deceit -- and the threat of death for the hunter rather than the hunted . . .
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a book that most people think they remember, and almost always get more or less wrong. Ridley Scott's film Blade Runner took a lot from it, and threw a lot away; wonderful in itself, it is a flash thriller where Dick's novel is a sober meditation. As we all know, bounty hunter Rick Deckard is stalking a group of androids returned from space with short life spans and murder on their minds--where Scott's Deckard was Harrison Ford, Dick's is a financially over-stretched municipal employee with bills to pay and a depressed wife. In a world where most animals have died, and pet-keeping is a social duty, he can only afford a robot imitation, unless he gets a big financial break. The genetically warped "chickenhead" John Isidore has visions of a tomb-world where entropy has finally won. And everyone plugs in to the spiritual agony of Mercer, whose sufferings for the sins of humanity are broadcast several times a day. Prefiguring the religious obsessions of Dick's last novels, this asks dark questions about identity and altruism. After all, is it right to kill the killers just because Mercer says so?
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Gerard
I reread this for the third time last week (1st time @ 16yo I hated it and 7-8 years later I'd gotten to 'meh') and I think it's the first time that being in the BookClub has actually made me enjoy it more. Considering all the consequence and conditions we have and consciously place on 'empathy' added new depths to my reading. Can't wait to discuss this one. Sadly there won't be as much GenderFighting as in January's Book :(
Posted February 1 at 3:25 PM -
Derek
I'm happy to make some misogynistic comments to get some gender-wars going if it'll make you happy oh ruthless dictator.
Posted February 1 at 4:17 PM -
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Hayley Nebauer
And I will fight you all simply for the joy of it ; )
p.s. by 'you all' I of course mean ' you, Derek'Posted February 1 at 6:48 PM -
Gerard
Jackie: Both FemRant & ManMoan's are approved recreations. Continue.
Posted February 2 at 1:18 AM -
Inge
I want to talk about androids and goats! But I promise to do it in a one-sided, argumentative manner
Posted February 2 at 8:48 AM -
Derek
oh it's on! In the interests of fairness and full disclosure I shall be fighting for the causes of men, androids and leopards at this meeting. I reserve the right to pull faces and make derisive snorting noises whilst feminist rants are taking place.
Posted February 2 at 2:50 PM -
Gerard
I Follow Mercer
http://files.meetup.com/1637017/Follow%20Mercer.jpg
Posted February 10 at 4:14 PM -
Dean Simons
In the war between mercer and buster friendly, mr friendly wins. Fact. ;)
Posted February 10 at 5:00 PM -
Gerard
Penfield setting for the evening are:
#7813: Feeling the evening will be interesting, enjoyable and life enriching experience
#9961: Feeling of mild excitation followed by a mellow and sustained empathy for all
#13643: Desire to buy Your Glorious Leader ® a drink when you approach the bar
#2134: Feeling the Organiser is incredibly attractive/handsome/clever (no matter what he says)
Posted February 12 at 1:34 PM -
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Gerard
Dean
nobody wants to hear about your sex life and/or your taste in music theatre. Give the unit a wipe down with a damp cloth, turn it off, then on and the settings will work. Please remember this is a public site.Posted February 12 at 11:05 PM -
Dean Simons
Going to get my penfield fixed. Might be slightly late for the meet tonight. Hopefully not as late as last time.
Posted February 13 at 2:27 PM -
Inge
Also I think Rachel pushed the goat off the roof as a way of showing that she is above empathy- she is the next stage of evolution not bound by empathy. She's saying what makes you human and supposedly superior is your empathy- "I CAN kill this animal, no problem, but you are devastated by it. Your humanity is a defect."That's also why it was important for the andys to reveal mercer as a fraud. Etc I should have said this last night-aaa cider
Posted February 14 at 7:23 AM -
Gerard
Can everyone upload pictures of their Kipple drawers? It'll be fun to compare how common or different they are ;-)
Posted February 16 at 5:10 PM
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KerstinIt was fun, loads of empathy vibes going around. I also liked the interactive games with the table shuffling.
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Your organizer's refund policy for Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner) - Philip K. Dick
Refunds offered if:
- the Meetup is cancelled
- the Meetup is rescheduled
Additional notes: Due to the unexpected popularity of this book, places to this meeting are only available to members who RSVP and attend one of January's meetings. Members who RSVP to this without having first RSVP'd and/or who do not attend one of January's meetings will
Payments you make go to the organizer, not to Meetup. You must make refund requests to the organizer.
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I just went into my attic to look for my copy of this book, half expecting to spend ½ an hour looking in boxes, and it was the first book I picked up :) RESULT!