Philip K. Dick - On Our Nature (Page 1 of 2)

PKD was an amazing mind in an oddly wound mortal coil. A Hero of the Noble Realms. Helping us with Data Recovery from the Next World. But Phil was already there when he was still here. And he's still here even though he's now there. Phil was cool.

The most valuable thing about PKD's theories is that they were never "done". Dick was never completely satisfied with them and kept refining and reworking them. My favorite PKD anecdote: when Phil was putting together the Valis concept (Vast Active Living Intelligent System, if I remember correctly) which he named as the provider of the new information he had received through a "pink beam", there was a project in California (where Phil lived) called VALS (Value Added Lifestyle System, I think) which attempted to develop a method of beaming commercial advertising directly into people's minds. The punchline was, "if you wake up thirsty for the coke you were dreaming of, that was no dream. That was a commercial." I thought this was way too much for coincidence. Valis/VALS beaming information into your head. I bet the boys at VALS were using pink lasers. Dick was very sensitive to his environment, both physical and metaphysical, and was interpreting the information as well as he could. But he was never positive of anything, so he never stopped trying.

I just finished reading 1978 Exegesis posted on www.deoxy.org/plurifrm.htm

Amazing!

I believe Philip K. Dick and his writing deserve a prominent place in our discussions. I'm convinced he is our true brother and a trustworthy guide.
I intend to pursue him and appreciate any input from more experienced readers.

AFB,

I really appreciate your recommendations on PKD. My elder brother introduced me to PKD several years ago. He had me read The Man in the High Castle, I guess because of my Japan connection. This is the passage that　really struck me from reading last night:

...This is the highest law: to violate one's own nature for another's good. And the most difficult - and painful - law to fulfill.

Thanks again.

Perceval, you've inspired me to pick up my Selections from the Exegesis again. I like to open it to a random page for max synchronicity. Here's what I got today (from 30 years ago!):
    "The Constitutional guarantees of our country have been suspended for some time now, and an assault has begun on the checks and balances structure of the government. The Republic is in peril; the Republic has been in peril for several years and is now cut away almost to a shadow of itself, barely functioning. I think they are carving it up in their minds, deciding who sits there forever and ever, now. In the face of this nobody notices that virtually everything we believed in is dead. This is because the people who would have pointed this out are dead: mysteriously killed. It's best not to talk about this. I've tried to list the safe things to talk about, but so far I can't find any. I'm trying to learn what the Lie is or what the Lies are, but I can't even discern that any more. Perhaps I sense the Lie gone from the world because evil is so strong now that it can step forth now as it is without deception. The masks are off.
     "But nevertheless something shines in the dark ahead that is alive and makes no sound. We saw it once before, but that was a long time ago, or maybe our first ancestors did. Or we did as small children. It spoke to us and directed and educated us then; now perhaps it does so again. It sought us out, in the climax of peril. There was no way we could find it; we had to wait for it to come to us.
     "It's sense of timing is perfect. But most important it knows everything. It can make no mistakes. It must be back for a reason."
                            --Philip K. Dick, 8 July 1974

wait . . . what happened again now?

oh, he's still alive? and what data recovery from what next world?
the 4th?