Philip K. Dick´s nazi diaries influence

I wold have used the word "Influence" rather than "inspiration" because "Inspiration" makes it seem like it being a good thing. It is not. Lost all my relatives to the Nazi's.

Sorry, but I don't get this. If Dick thinks of them as being disassociated from human intercourse, therefore unable to feel real emotion, how would the screams of the children keep them awake? Wouldn't they rather go to sleep easily, after maybe counting a few electric sheep? (couldn't resist using it again, Sparty) It doesn't make sense to me. Maybe that quote from the diary isn't the best way of describing the influence that might or might not have been apparent there...

I think he meant how deep these cold bastards were into this shit, the nazi officer expresses this screams [i]just[/i] as kinda [i]noise[/i], that kept him from sleep. As it were a weather phenomenon or like.. @spart influence, right, sounds better..-edit-- so, whatever horror this was, this was a link for Dick for his book. That in mind, a replicant, as shown in BR, makes an even deeper impression..

That does add an even more disturbing edge to the context of what it MEANS to be human in [i]Bladerunner[/i]...thanks for that Kane77

Yes that sounds different and is far more horrifying. It makes more sense now, as inhumane and sickening as it is...

Exactly HAL 9000..."that sounds different and is far more horrifying. It makes more sense now, as inhumane and sickening it is..." The nature of man's inhumanity to man has always fascinated me in that it so thoroughly horrifies...NOW PLEASE, EVERYONE HEAR ME OUT....I DON'T LIKE OR ENJOY THE HORRORS OF WHAT THE NAZI'S OR ANY MOVEMENT LIKE THEM HAS DONE.....but I'm fascinated by the history... I'm constantly watching documentaries and reading about these horrible events because I feel a sense of DUTY to the people lost, the millions of lives that just seem to fade into our past, as though it's UP TO ME to remember them.... I will never understand how anyone could allow such horrible treatment of a human being, but I take pride in the exercise of constant remberance, no matter how disturbing the imagery or fact of history....It's strange and I don't know how else to explain it...I just feel this NEED to remember those people and always hold them dear to my heart....

@craigamore, I totally agree with you and feel exactly the same way. Those horrors shall never be forgotten, but forgiven and therefore allow people to move on after all those years.

Agreed HAL 9000

it is fascinating ! and a politically tough thing to talk around but yes I agree with that.

All it takes is dehumanization. All it takes is an authority figure saying "They are not us. They are inferior to us." And if anyone thinks it's now only "a part of history," he or she is living in a fairytale. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2n7vSPwhSU]Baptist Pastor Calls For Death of 'Queers & Homosexuals'[/url] PS: If you happen to be Baptist, please FIX this. Please set up your own "reeducation center" for this individual (AND the ones amen-ing in the congregation). Every day that he remains in the pulpit I hold your ENTIRE belief system responsible for this hate speech. Evil things have small beginnings.

Yes I also agree with you Sparty. That's why I hesitated to reply in the first place, as I still remember just too well what it can develop into on certain forums and in a different context. Isn't it shocking how 'hot' this topic still is? Well, I guess that is the side effect of constantly reminding, remembering and discussing it... I always find it really hard and odd to realise that there is a certain fascination when watching all those WWII documentaries. It's that weird mix of deepest disgust and sadness, but also fascination or even respect at times! Most of the rage and hatred comes usually from those who look at the whole story very narrow mindedly, and only from one side. Very few people look into all the beginnings before 1939 and back to 1933 or even earlier. They cannot see the 'bigger picture'. But I'm glad we all agree that we're lucky that this regime came to an end due to united efforts, humanity won and returned at the end. Peace.

But back to the original topic, I never knew that Dick was influenced by it and I'm glad that you cannot really feel it when reading the novel or watching Blade Runner, at least I can't. @sukkal: Yes it also shocking that similar things still happen in our world, maybe on a smaller scale but it is scary enough. Why do we still have Neo-Nazi's, who needs them??

@Hal I like watching docus of that time, too, and as a german, this era is a special one. As we can see with the norway nazi slaughter Breivik who killed at least 85 kids, this is actual politics, too. I was more interested in the mentality behind this when I made this thread. I mean , anyone knows those horrible figures like Mengele and so on, but evil hides behind normality, like this officer..many nazis were known as very cultivated and sophisticated. What that means is just pervers in context with the crimes those have done. in any case, the replicants are a very good concept to think about basic, human behaviour..as they tend to show more feelings than humans in BR..

Hey Kane, had no idea you were German, it really doesn't show at all! ;-) Do you still live over there and which part are you from, if I may ask? Your English is pretty spot on mate! They do lovely Bratwurst and Schinken there, not to mention the beer!!! mmmhhhh BACON!!! Sorry, off topic again but I had to ask.

haha..well..munich, here, town of beer..;-) ..funny that many people think of Bratwurst and Sauerkraut as german association first..;) ..and not so funny how Chelsea kicked some ass .. cheers ps nice fotos in your portfolios..

@sukkal right, man. In this manner Alex Jones is doing his job quite well IMO. Some people dont like his personal style but basically he´s right. ( btw he is aquarius, same birthday like me, sympathic..harhar) My personal view on the world has changed quite a bit since 9/11 and americans could be proud of somebody like him SHOUTING his truth in the face of power every week..;) (ok, money is in the game, too, but..well, it is whatsoever)

@Kane: I think I owe you an apology as I've been a bit of a cheeky monkey by not 'coming out' as a German myself earlier! So here you go, the reason I brought up Bratwurst is simply because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE it! But you're right, and it does bother me as well sometimes, that this seems to be the general, stereotype German image (oddly enough, including the far North Sea shores)... who is feeding entirely on Bratwurst, Kartoffeln and Sauerkraut whilst yodeling in Lederhosen. LOL! As for the football, hmm well... In general I'm not much into football myself. But having said that, and for the sake of honesty I should 'come out' probably even a bit more. I'm originally from Dortmund, my dear Bavarian friend and I admit that I do have a little bit of local patriotism. Of course I'm proud of the BVB, and that is because I simply believe they have done outstandingly well this and last season. BUT, I would have loved to have seen Munich kicking Chelsea's butt. I felt genuinely sorry for Munich when I saw that penalty shooting... Anyway, I hope my North-Rhine Westphalian heritage doesn't create any cultural barriers between us. Also thanks for your compliment regarding my portfolio links, I appreciate that! BTW, I left Germany for London in 2001 and I'm planning to return home for a while pretty soon, but of course not before I've seen the Prometheus premiere and the film at least a few times in original language. Are you still residing in Munich, do you have a chance to catch it in English somehow? I really hope so, as the German trailer and the usual choice of vioces has already put me off once more. And I tip my hat to Kulmbach's Kuliminator 28!! That is a killer beer my friend!! Cheers!

Someone wrote : "All it takes is dehumanization. All it takes is an authority figure saying "They are not us. They are inferior to us." And if anyone thinks it's now only "a part of history," he or she is living in a fairytale." Sure; they have been recruted by the CIA, 1945, the von braun scientist team...

It makes sense to me. In in Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? there is no "redemption" for replicants, like in Blade Runner. Rachel is a murderous bitch, Roy is more explicit regarding wanting to kill JF Sebastian from the beginning, and Pris has a lots of fun removing a spider's legs one by one.

[quote][i]@Kane: I think I owe you an apology as I've been a bit of a cheeky monkey by not 'coming out' as a German myself earlier![/i][/quote] Ah, so that's why you thought my username was interesting the other day...

@Gehirn: BINGO! Indeed it was for that very reason! @Arkadine: Interesting insight you shared there. But talking emotions, if the replicants didn't have any, how's Pris able to 'enjoy' pulling a spider's legs out? If they know what fun is, they should know sadness as well, unless they've been programmed that way, no?

@HAL 9000 Well, the replicants are a great allegory, a great mirror for us people. You could ask the same about a psychopath or a serial killer... how can they be nice to a pet dog, or be moved by a Symphony and, on the other hand, be able to perform the most horrifying acts without feeling any remorse? Well, empathy, or the lack of it is the answer.

@Arkadine: You got a point there. But I'd assume human's would always be a lot more complex and 'random', if you want. An attribute I'd never expect to find in replicants, no matter how cleverly programmed they'd be. Therefore, behave much more predictable in a way.

Hey Wirrn, I agree with most items on your list, maybe not so much with the movie "Conspiracy", I found it pretty lenghty and weak (not referring to the story here but how it's been made into a film). Then I couldn't agree more on how much 'better' "The Pianist" is compared to "Schindlers List". Have you ever heard of the novel (1992) and TV film (1994) "Fatherland"? Might be worth adding to your list. Oh, and how about the film "Downfall" (2004)? Or do you maybe feel like it is looking at the Holocaust from the wrong perspective? As I'm not sure about your background, I'd understand that only too well. [i]"Fatherland is a bestselling 1992 thriller by the English writer and journalist Robert Harris. It takes the form of a high concept alternative history set in a world in which Nazi Germany won World War II. The novel was an immediate bestseller in the UK. It has sold over three million copies and has been translated into 25 languages."[/i]

“People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel.”----- Fyodor Dostoyevsky

THis morning the Science Channel run a documentry about the writer Philip K. Dick's life. It was very interesting as he, a writer, kept coming up with stories about parallel earth and stories that have been made into movies i am aware of . There was mention of a book 'The Man In The High Castle'. dealing with a different outcome of WWII. The storyline caused me to remember the scene where Fifield and millburn discove a pile of Engineer bodies. THere was a mention of holocaust. I could help but wonder(especially since Ridley Scott was part of the program.).that the scene was a nod toward Dick's writing in the SciFi field.