Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Philip K. Dick on Prophets of Science Fiction

Buy it for two bucks -- cheap! Below are the comments I live-tweeted about it,
and a brief exchange with a fellow Dickian. Read from the bottom up for chronology.


@1ZenWoman I don't mean to gripe. Very much glad that it's there to introduce folks to the PKD bio, if not the themes. My wife liked it.

@1ZenWoman: @t3dy It was no BCC Arena piece, but my friends loved it... their first "glimpse" of this man who has so dominated a chun ...

@1ZenWoman I would simply add that you don't need the fancy technology coming true to have a phildickian story. Not his only trick.

RT @1ZenWoman: @t3dy Well, I preferred KSR's definition of phildickian. Pessimist to sum up PKD? I like his own "philosophizing writer."

@1ZenWoman I don't agree that he was an unqualified pessimist. Was motivated by hope, had great insight into optimistic side of gnostic coin

@1ZenWoman Have you gotten much into Terence McKenna's I Ching stuff? I was delighted to learn in the Exegesis that PKD knew TM's theories.

@1ZenWoman Best parts of the show were those reconstructions. I'm glad they did MiTHC but bummer it's the only unfilmed book they mentioned.

RT @1ZenWoman: @t3dy ahhh... I-ching and pink beams, just a few of my favorite things ;)

Ridley Scott: "Aren't most prophets troubled souls?" #PKD

KSR: "He's really one of the best descriptors of our entire culture."

I maintain that "phildickian" is a much better choice than the infelicitous "PhilipKDickian." Don't get me started on these definitions.

I'm not all that interested in this "PKD predicted it" approach. He was talking about problems that reality already had, didn't need to wait

@1ZenWoman I'm not 100% on the same page with Rickman's theories about PKD, but I'd have like to see him talk about them.

What about Phildickian cosmology? His "insights" are not in the realm of theoretical physics (although they're interesting as info science).

Not digging the choice to have Michio Kaku do the same rant on string theory and parallel universes we've already seen a million times.

@1ZenWoman Me too. I've neglected too many opportunities to meet Rickman. (+ keep forgetting that it's his first name has the double-letter)

Digging the I Ching stuff. KSR "he would plot his novels using the I Ching..."

The reconstruction of PKD working at his wife's jewelry shop and having the inspiration to write Man in the High Castle is a nice surprise.

RT @1ZenWoman: @t3dy watched earlier, but missed the close. Gonna see that now. 1st time I've SEEN Rickman.

PKD: "Nietzsche was right about Christianity." http://t.co/n11JjPVP His anti-religion moments weren't all that rare.

I wish they had spent a little more time showing the trippy old 60s
70s paperbacks we barely got a glimpse of just now.

Having Gregg Rickmann summarize the minority report story is a waste. Let him talk about his biographical theories and literary arguments!

apparently he's only an influence thru films.

Would PKD fans be up in arms if they had chosen Sasha Grey to play Tessa?

KSR narrates the fish neclace pink beam experience. Fortunately they're using the Crumb comic to illustrate. But no clip from @rfamovie

Stan Robinson very soberly telling us that PKD predicted it all in advance. Too bad he can't really say anything else given the format.

some of these talking heads are mistakes. "loose yourself" pun not intended.

The quick shot of the UCSD library is a more interesting and phildickian image than most of the computer stuff

"Dick's insights into the flexible nature of reality are prophetic." KSR:"he was talking about, well what if the TV's taking over our lives"

Neuroscience of memory dude is pretty rad. "manipulate... the information."

Glad to see the emphasis on loss of his sister. Disappointed that it follows the order of the movies, which don't explain PKD's literature

Getting off track w/PKD as influence on android designers "Androids that are humanlike make us nervous...b/c we wonder if they have a soul."

glad to see Kim Stanley Robinson, and especially Greg Rickmann interviewed. The reconstruction of Dick theorizing the break-in is hilarious.

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