Why PKD?

 

Literature: Philip K. Dick

A prolific writer of speculative and science fiction, PKD wrote more than 40 novels and 120 short stories. Although too long considered by many to be a "hack" science fiction writer (Disch, ), he acquired a growing cult following among both mainstream and science fiction readers. Since his death in 1982, critical response to his work has brought about a reassessment, so that he is now considered to be one of the most important and influential writers of the last century. Time magazine included his novel Ubik as one of "the best 100 novels of the 20th century.".Frank Rose, in Wired, called him "one of the most hallucinatory yet insightful critics of late-capitalist American civilization" ("Philip K. Dick Goes Legit With Library of America Canon," Wired, May 22, 2007).

 

Frank Rose explains some of the continuing interest in PKD, "At a time when most 20th-century science fiction writers seem hopelessly dated, Dick gives us a vision of the future that captures the feel of our time" (Rose, Frank. "The Second Coming of Philip K. Dick." Wired 11:12 Dec. 2003. ) Part of the "feel of our time" comes from Dick's use of "pseudorealities," an important element of postmodern culture, as Jean Baudrillard pointed out in "'Simulacra and Science Fiction'". (in Simulacra and Simulation. U of MI, 1994.)

 

Dick explained this focus, "We live in a society in which spurious realities are manufactured by the media, by governments, by big corporations, by religious groups, political groups. I ask, in my writing, What is real? Because unceasingly we are bombarded with pseudorealities manufactured by very sophisticated people using very sophisticated electronic mechanisms. I do not distrust their motives. I distrust their power."