Revisit Ch. 1, particularly the end of it (11-14). What is the difference between owning a real animal and a fake? Why would the neighbors look down on Rick for having a fake? What does all this have to do w/ Mercerism/the Ascent/two handles of empathy? What's the difference between a "mechanical" breakdown and an animal dying? Why was it a crime not to own an animal after WWT?
This whole aspect of Mercerism is completely absent from Blade Runner. Make note of this b/c it makes the two texts very different. (In the second half of the novel, Dick will get more into the philosophy/religion).
(Interesting trivia: Dick was offered a lot of money to write the novelization tie-in to Blade Runner. As part of the deal, he had to agree to let Androids go out of print so essentially the novelization would have become the "real" novel even though Androids was the inspiration. Dick refused. It's a real-life postmodern moment--he was offered money to create a simulacrum of his own novel.)
The difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal is basically when you have a real animal, you are looked at as a more respectable person, rather than a fake animal, where people would see you as a less stature person. Its like the difference between having a job and having a career. A job is temporarily most of the time, people look at that and say, hard worker, or needs to support themselves. A person with a career would be looked as someone who is well educated and set for life. I think the neighbors would look down on Rick for having a fake animal, because, now they see he doesn't have the same status as them. I feel people feel more powerful when they have someone to look down on. The Rich feel powerful, looking down on the middle class, the middle class to the poor people, and the poor people to homeless people. Knowing that Rick has a fake animal, could make the neighbor himself feel that he is better than Rick.
ReplyDeletethe difference between owning a real animal and a fake one is that it looks better having a real one. but not only that, it also better to own a real one because it makes you look as if you have money and the bigger the animal the better it is for you. and also you need to take care of the animal because it looks good on you because your able to provide and do whats necessary for the animal. the neighbor would look down on rich for having a fake animal because they consider immoral and anti- empathic for not taking care of the real animal.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between owning a real animal and a fake and the question as to why the neighbors might look down on Rick for having a fake and why might it be a crime not to own an animal after WWT, is a series oif question that can be answered together. In the story, we see that in order to tell the difference between a human and an android, you must go through the Vogit-Kampff test. this test is a serious of questions that test the persons empathy. if the person has empathy then he is human if not then he is an android. the reason as to why owning an animal shows empathy is because no matter how tough you are, when you, meaning a human with feelings, not a robot, hears about an animal or human getting hurt or tortured you will respond because of the feelings.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the first 10 chapters i feel like this world that Dick wrote about follows a "religion" of Mercerism. everyone believes in this mercer guy, and that he is like the god of the world and the religion, like Jesus and Christianity.
the difference between a mechanical breakdown and a real animal death is that when an animal dies they can send it to the vet to be repaired into a mechanical animal but after a while the fake animal will break down and so the repair process would have to happen again
People think having the real anything is better than having an imitation, like buying name brand clothes gives you more "credibility" than buying the knock off. Having a real animal just shows that you can afford to buy something expensive and you’re responsible enough to take care of it. The neighbors would look down on not having a real animal because it’s not the full experience of being a pet owner, it’s just an illusion. With a mechanical animal you can make mistakes and forget to take care of it and just get it fixed so it’s back to or close to new. Real animals aren't expendable, one mistake and the animal is either injured or ends up dying.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between a real animal and a fake was the simple fact that the animal wasn't able to convey the companion and sense of feel that real animals do. Animals are considered a mans best friend, and I feel like just that warmth and affection that animals come with couldn't be replicated by a "fake". I can see why Rick's neighbors would look down at him for having a fake sheep because as much as our neighbors already judge us, it kind of gives them more of a reason too now. They're probably wondering why would anyone get something fake when they could have the real thing? Like he wouldn't know what having a real animal was like and maybe they think he wouldn't be responsible to have the actual sheep.
ReplyDeleteThis really reminds me of the movie "Blade Runner" which I watched in my previous English class and we're gonna be watching in this class soon. Turns out this novel and the movie are tied together and I could certainly tell by reading the first few chapters. The idea of what was real and what was fake and distinguishing between the two was ongoing throughout that film. There are specific qualities and emotions such as empathy, that can be put into place when trying to tell the real and the fakes apart.
In "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", the difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal is that a real animal is able to feel certain emotions that humans can. A fake animal however is programmed to feel a certain way and if it gets damaged it could be repaired or replaced. Rick is looked down upon for owning a fake sheep, because it shows that he is low class, since all the wealthy people have real animals. I believe that it was a crime to own animals after WWT because after the war, there were not a lot of animals and humans left after the war. So the people that survived wanted the animals to be free and to live on their own. The survivors could have also had more important things to think about like repopulating, and the animals were the last thing on their minds.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the difference between owning a real animal and a fake?
ReplyDeleteI think in the novel owning a fake animal is frowned upon, if you don't have real one you are looked at differently. From what the novel said when W.W.T started the first things do go where the animals. So being that the humans are no longer on earth and most where moved you would think that it would be rare for people to own them because they have gone extincted. Rick might feel ashamed because he has a fake sheep but I don't think that it is his fault, animals die and there is noting that we can do about it. As an animals owner I think him having the electric sheep is better then having a real one. In the end the heartbreak of it dying does not happen because its not real, it can be fixed. When owning a real animal you have to deal with the consent reminder that anything can happen, it can get sick and die just like Ricks sheep Groucho did. Even thought it was kind of hidden that Ricks sheep was fake i don't see why no one could know that it was not a living breathing sheep. Is it that the human-like androids, the android animals can take over and kill the humans like they do. Is that a fear that one day another W.W.T might happen and the only ones that will survive are the androids, weather they be animal androids or human-like androids?
In this world, owning a animal shows your status. The nicer and uncommon the animal is, the higher your status is. Typical animals like cats and dogs were seen as the lowest form. Higher status meant you had an animal like a horse. The more you had, the higher your class. The difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal shows a lot. It is like you're pretending to have seniority. The animal isn't real, it could be fixed and enhanced. Fake animals also cost less than the real thing. In Ricks case, it's cheaper for him to buy a fake animal. Real animals could develop an illness die so fast, like his sheep died from tetanus. With an android animal, you do not have to worry about it. They can get reprogrammed, fixed and taken care of. You never have to worry about the animal dying. Some neighbors look down on Rick for having a fake, because he is pretty much being fake. The animal is not real, so his status shouldn't be so real either. It was a crime not to own an animal after WWT because the world was pretty much destroyed, the animals had no where to go, no where to get food. Everything was toxic. So, the people who were left and alive had to step in and take care of these animals.
ReplyDeleteIn "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", homeowners typically have an animal. Some own a real animal(s) and some own a fake animal(s). Before W.W.T., there existed an abundant amount of real animals and because the aftermath of the dust, a lot of species died. This led to the last resort of creating an imitation of the animal but electronically. During a conversation with his neighbor, Rick admitted to having a fake sheep and his neighbor expressed sympathy for Rick. His neighbor even tried to coax Rick by explaining that it wasn't Rick's fault for his real sheep dying and that it wouldn't be a good idea for the other neighbors to know about this because "they'll look down on him" and "will consider it immoral and anti-empathetic." I think neighbors would look down on Rick for having a fake sheep because according to them, it shows neglect of responsibility. I think this is important and ties with Mercerism because it is accepted to have an animal that is pure and original. For an electric animal, having a "mechanical breakdown" isn't the same as a real animal dying because the electric animal can easily be repaired if needed.
ReplyDelete.............
Owning a real a real animal gives you a responsibility as far as cleaning, feeding and spending time with the animal,rather than a fake animal or inanimate object. It is the complete opposite for owning a fake animal because you don't gain any of these qualities or practice...
ReplyDeleteThe difference between owning a real animal and a fake one would probably have to do with the rarity of the real ones. When WWT happened many of the animals had died off and nearly wiped out every living thing. When it had first happened the owls were the first to go, apparently falling from the sky. Following them were the birds and so on. Having an animal was possibly an attempt to keep them all secure. Owning a fake is looked down upon because everything has to be "organic" and real. Being natural is looked highly upon and praised more. While these real animals had actual life spans and were suppose to be cared for and looked after, the fakes would just need a repair and they'd be good as new. This wasn't natural and something that shouldn't be happening so the people who owned these fakes had to keep it secret and act as if they're pets had just been sick and needed to visit the vet.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Religon Mercerism, that's followed by the people posssibly instructs them to have an animal. apart of the rules maybe, you must care, love, and show empathy for your animal. the diffrence betwenn a real animal and a fake is theres no way to love a fake animal only because it cant love you back. people may look down on you beause having a real animal is the norm. fake ones are obviously not accepted in their society. people buy fake things for a reason, mostly when the real is unable to do its job. so maybe the people feel people with fake animals are less than...
ReplyDeleteThe difference between owning a real animal and a fake is that your responsibilities are different. Caring for a real animal means actually paying attention to the animals needs and the care it has to receive in order to live. With a fake animal, responsibilities aren't exactly needed in order for survival. I think the neighbors look down on Rick because they feel like he doesn't know what it really means to own a animal or how it is to look after someone with value. When a computer or any electronic has a mechanical breakdown, it can be solved by just wiping the electronic clean and it's basically brand new. When a animal dies, that is pretty much it. You can't really do much with a dead animal so you have to get another one. After WWT it was a crime to not own an animal because owning an animal seemed to be the only way to make sure of the continued existance of animals...
ReplyDeleteIn "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" the difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal is the animal wont end up dying. Having a mechanical animal means if something were to go wrong it can be repaired. The neighbors would look down on Rick for having a fake animal because it would violate the moral structure of Mercerism. All of this has to do with Mercerism/the Ascent/ two handles of empathy because the story is referring to a new religion and a journey that Rick is going on. It is explaining his new experiences and his views as well as his neighbors views on having a fake animal. I believe the difference between a mechanical breakdown and an animal dying is that you can fix something that is mechanic, once an animal dies there is no coming back from that and it can be unexpected. It was a crime not to own an animal after WWT because people would look down on you..........
ReplyDeleteTher difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal is very apparant in the story and as well as in the book postmodernism for beginners. In postmodernism for beginners it bring out the example of having a mercedes and a volkswagon. There is nothing morally wrong with either but it shows a difference in status. When you are seen with a mercedes people believe you are rich. It states when a consumer buys a mercedes instead of a volkswagon he is buying into a whole systm of needs that is at once rational, homogeneous, stematic and hierarchical. The urchase of the mercedes differentiates the buyer of the volkswagon socially, and this purchase helps integrate him, systematically and rationally, into a homogeneous level level of socity in which everyone drives a mercedes. This is the same way people differentiate between having a real animal and a fake. Or even an expensive real animal and a cheaper real animal. In Androids, when Rick tells Barbour what exactly is the deal with his sheep Barbour tries to comfort Rick by telling him he wont tell anyone. When Rick says maybe it doesnt matter, Barbour says but they will look down upon you. Case and point. The difference between the two is a matter of status.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal was if you owned a real animal it meant you had a higher status in society. If you owned a fake animal the book says "it had a way of gradually demoralizing one." Rick wished to god he had a real animal and owning a fake sheep embarrassed him. The neighbors would look down on Rick for having a fake animal because they would think hes poor and cheap and cant afford a real one..
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand, we are at the end of the world. The radiations are killing creatures. The few that are still alive are precious. Buying an animal become rare and luxurious. Some people are resigned to have robotic animals. However there are inconveniences that come when people have a fake animal. The animal do not respond the way they expect it to, it doesn't have much emotions and they have to repair it often. So for those who have a real animal it is considered like being part of the old world. They are lucky and they have the feeling that they are less close to die than the ones not having a real animal.
ReplyDeleteRick’s neighbors might look down on him because he has a fake animal. To own an animal is a sign of status. Rick didn’t have a status because this animal wasn’t genuine ( genuine over artificial).The difference between owning a real animal and a fake is that your cant love something that’s fake that’s what Dick try’s to portray the empathetic emotions humans experience towards a an animal........
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the difference between owning a real animal and a fake animal is when you own a real animal showed that you were someone who was wealthy and considered part of the higher level of the populations society, also because to find real animals it was harder then just looking for a fake one. When you own a fake animal it is considered to be the lower population of society because it was cheaper to get. The neighbors would look down at Rick having a fake sheep because it showed them that Rick is not as wealthy as he looks. What this has to do with Mercerism is that in this society, its either all wealth or sufferage.The difference between a mechanical breakdown and an animal dying, is that when a animal has a breakdown, it can be fixed and then re programmed. However when an animal is dying, once its gone there is no way in bringing it back.. It was a crime not to own an animal, because if you didn’t own an animal you were looked at and categorized as being a part of the lower society for not being wealthy enough to get a real animal.
ReplyDelete