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THE BOMB AND THE BABE
In the novel, technological advances including: the development of nuclear warfare and the android are seen in our modern society. Firstly, a nuclear war has yet to rear its ugly head into modern times; however the use of a nuclear bomb has been used. To assume such an occurrence can never happen again, would be a rather naïve statement, as all it takes to launch such a weapon is hatred and disagreement. In the novel, the physical remains left from the nuclear war, left Earth with a small of amount of humans. In the great loss of life, a loss of humanity went with it. Nuclear warfare not only eliminated human life but it completely obliterated the line between humans and animals. This type of freakish technology, which is currently alive and functioning in this society, would eliminate the line completely because technology such as modern cities, man made achievement, and history would be wiped, thus making the slate clean. Humans would eradicate their achievements leading them into a period of returning to their primitive animalistic roots.
Destructive Technology?
As for the technological breakthrough of the android, this society has created a similar breakthrough in the sex toy. While the androids in the Blade Runner universe were not made as sexual objects, they did often become desirable. In the novel, Rachael is seen as desirable to Deckard and she seduces him into sex, in an effort to deter him from “retiring” the remaining androids. Her quote in the novel reveals though that she has seduced others in the past, “‘No bounty hunter has gone on . . . After being with me’” (Dick 196). While sleeping or being romantically involved with an android is seen as illegal, the fact that androids were made as male and female brings up suspicions that the androids were intended to be sexually desirable to humans. The androids are sexualized and have the ability to be seductive, a trait that has been instilled into them. In our current society, sex toys, especially life-size sex dolls are easily attainable and sold in stores.