Speaking of Dickish dystopian "Minority Report style technology":<p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38398910">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38398910</a><p>DonHopkins on Nov 23, 2023 | parent | context | favorite | on: The Eyes Have It (1953)<p>"Lies, Inc." aka "The Unteleported Man" had an eye eater!<p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/2360689/The_Missing_Pages_of_THE_UNTELEPORTED_MAN" rel="nofollow">https://www.academia.edu/2360689/The_Missing_Pages_of_THE_UN...</a><p>Freya said, "Tell me. What is the 'eye-eater'? I have to know." Her breath caught in her throat; raggedly, she managed to breathe, but with difficulty.<p>"A fungiform," the taller of the THL agents said briefly. "One that resides here." He said nothing further. [...]<p>The eye-eater said pleasantly, "Mr. Ben Applebaum, reach inside me and you will find a slightly-different edition of Dr. Bloode's Text. A copy of the twentieth edition, which I ingested some time ago... but as far as I can determine, not already dissolved by my gastric juices." The idea seemed to amuse it; the lower portion of its face split apart in a peal of excrutiatingly-penetrating laughter.<p>"You're serious?" Rachmael said, feeling disorganized. And yet the eye-eater was correct; if it did possess a later edition of the text he most certainly had reason to seek it out -- wherever it lay, even within the body of the offensive eye-eater. "Look, look," the eye-eater exclaimed; it held in one of its longer [...]<p><a href="https://sickmyduck.narod.ru/dick15-0.html" rel="nofollow">https://sickmyduck.narod.ru/dick15-0.html</a><p>"A lie," the eye-eater rumbled ominously; again its pseudopodia whipped viciously, seeking out the agile creditor balloon, which dipped and bobbed barely beyond the flailing reach of the several sucker-impregnated arms. "As a matter of fact, this gentleman here-" It indicated Rachmael. "My understanding is that the lady and this individual are emotionally involved. Miss Holm is-was, whatever-a friend of mine, a very close friend. But hardly my mistress." The eye-eater looked embarrassed. [...]<p><a href="https://survivorbb.rapeutation.com/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=4193" rel="nofollow">https://survivorbb.rapeutation.com/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=419...</a><p>Let me quote one of Dr. Bloode's quite singular Thingisms.<p>"'Thingisms'?" Rachmael felt baffled -- and wary. He had a deep intuition that the Thingism, whatever it was, would not be amusing. Not to him, anyhow, or to any human.<p>"I always enjoyed this one," the eye-eater intoned, its saliva spilling from its mouth as it writhed with glee. "Consider: since you are about to read the book, here is Thingism Number Twenty, dealing with books.<p>"Ahem. 'The book business is hidebound.'"<p>After a pause, Rachmael said, "That's it?"<p>"Perhaps you failed to understand. I'll give you another gem, one more particular favorite of mine. And if that fails to move you ... Oooohhh! That's a Thingism! Listen! 'The representative of the drayage firm failed to move me.' Oooohhh! How was that?" It waited hopefully.<p>Baffled, Rachmael said, "I don't get it."<p>"All right." The eye-eater's tone was now harsh. "Read the book purely for educational purposes, then. So be it. You want to know the origin of this form which I have taken. Well, everyone will take it, sooner or later. We all do; this is how we become after we die."<p>He stared at it.<p>"While you ponder," the eye-eater continued, "I'll delight you with a few more Thingisms of Dr. Bloode's. This one I always enjoy. 'The vidphone company let me off the hook.' How was that? Or this one: 'The highway construction truck tore up the street at forty miles an hour.' Or this: 'I am not in a position to enjoy sexual relations.' Or --"<p>-- "Lies, Inc.", by Phil Dick