We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick
"We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick is a thought-provoking science fiction story that explores themes of memory, identity, and the nature of reality. The narrative follows Douglas Quail, a man who dreams of visiting a colonized Mars but feels unable to do so. To fulfill this fantasy, he seeks the services of Rekal, Incorporated, a company specializing in implanting false memories. Quail's request not only includes a trip to Mars but also a twist where he becomes an undercover agent, highlighting the story's exploration of how technology can create experiences that feel more vivid than actual memories.
As Quail undergoes the memory implantation process, technicians uncover that he already possesses suppressed memories of having visited Mars and served as an agent, raising questions about his true identity and past. This revelation thrusts Quail into a dangerous situation as he confronts the implications of his real memories, which may hold secrets about an alien invasion. The narrative challenges readers to contemplate the fluidity of reality and memory, suggesting that the distinction between what is real and what is imagined can become increasingly blurred. Ultimately, the story serves as a commentary on the psychological implications of memory alteration and the complexities of human experience.
We Can Remember It for You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1966 (collected in Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick, 2002)
Type of work: Short story
The Work
Douglas Quail dreams of visiting Mars, still in the midst of colonization, but is unable to do so. He contracts Rekal, Incorporated to have false memories implanted fulfilling his fantasy. He further adds a twist of adventure, as these memories will make him an undercover agent of Interplan. McClane, the head of Rekal, promises that the memories will be sharper and more vivid than real memories, which blur and fade over time. This highlights how modern technology is able to be more “real” than reality itself, providing sensory stimuli well beyond what normal human interaction gives.
Before the implants take place, however, technicians discover Quail already had an implant that erased his memories of actually visiting Mars as an undercover agent, blowing a government secret. Now aware of his true past and scared for his life, Quail tries to run; however, he is contacted by Interplan agents who convince him to surrender. Interplan agrees to give Quail a new set of memory implants to replace the real Mars memories; in these new implants, Quail foiled an alien invasion as a child and only his continued survival prevents the invasion from resuming. Unfortunately, McClane discovers this may be the truth as well, as a drug-induced Quail moans that this secret was never to be revealed—again, right before the implants take place.
The addition of false memories is less troubling than the uncovering of true memories suppressed for a reason. It becomes difficult to verify what is “real” and what is “false” since what one has to rely on are the altered memories of a damaged man.
Bibliography
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