Engaging in Theme

In "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep," a prominent consumerist theme is the emphasis placed on owning real animals as a status symbol, signifying one's humanity and social standing, where the act of acquiring a living creature becomes more important than genuine empathy or connection with the animal itself, essentially commodifying life and reflecting a society obsessed with material possessions. 

Key aspects of consumerism in the novel:

• Electric sheep as a symbol:
  The widespread use of electric sheep as a substitute for real animals highlights the artificial nature of consumer goods and how people prioritise appearances over true substance. 

• Social hierarchy based on ownership:
  Owning a real animal, particularly a rare or valuable breed, is seen as a sign of wealth and societal status, driving characters to seek out these animals even if they struggle financially. 

• Mercerism as a consumer product:
  While presented as a spiritual practice, the "empathy box" used to access Mercerism is essentially a commodity that one buys to experience a sense of connection, further reflecting the commodification of even emotional experiences. 

• The "Kipple" concept:
  Kipple, representing useless clutter and junk, criticises the consumerist tendency to accumulate unnecessary material goods. 

How the novel critiques consumerism:

• Dehumanisation:
  By prioritising material possessions like an electric sheep over genuine empathy, the novel suggests that excessive consumerism can lead to a loss of human connection and compassion. 

• Questioning authenticity:
  The blurred lines between real and artificial animals force readers to consider what constitutes "true" value in a consumer-driven society. 

• Psychological impact:
  The characters' anxieties about their social standing based on their animal ownership reveal the psychological pressure exerted by consumerist ideals.

Alternative reading:

• Dick presents consumerism as a defining force in his fragmented, dystopian society. The relentless desire to acquire and display one’s status through material possessions, particularly animals, illustrates how consumer culture persists even in the face of environmental and societal collapse. In the novel, owning real animals becomes the ultimate marker of prestige and humanity, reflecting the importance placed on commodities. Rick Deckard’s electric sheep epitomizes the hollowness of consumerism in this world. Although the sheep provides him with a veneer of status, Rick feels deeply ashamed of its artificiality, yearning for a real animal to validate his social worth and personal fulfillment. This desire drives his bounty-hunting efforts, as he sees his earnings as a means to purchase a genuine animal. The commodification of animals diminishes their intrinsic value, as they become status symbols rather than objects of empathy.

• The novel also critiques consumer culture through the portrayal of artificial goods, such as mood-altering devices like the Penfield mood organ. These products simulate experiences that once occurred naturally, emphasizing how consumption has supplanted authentic existence. Even Mercerism, a spiritual system, exists alongside the pervasive influence of commercialism—followers need an empathy box to tune in and commune with Mercer himself and with other followers of the religion. Ultimately, Dick presents consumerism as both a coping mechanism and a source of alienation. While the pursuit of material possessions offers temporary solace in a cold and unfeeling world, the novel also suggests that the constant struggle to buy more and better items deprives life of meaning—it’s impossible, in this consumerist system, to ever feel fulfilled.

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The individual vs. the collective is another set of binary opposing principles that Dick seeks to blur and tear down in the novel. The quest for individualism is seen most clearly early in the novel in Rick's consumerist desire to own a real animal and in the Rosen Association's attempt to create an evolved android that will become indistinct from human life, thereby ensuring the company's economic survival in a capitalist economy. 

Rick's selfishness causes him to have a misplaced sense of empathy. He chooses not to feel the decay of humanity and instead focuses only on his own need for a real animal in order to show his social worth. This leads him to reject any notion of empathy or care for electric animals or for androids. His job is to kill them and he does so for the money.

This individual selfishness is seen on a macro level in the Rosen Association's desire to economically survive. A corporation such as the the Rosen Association, Dick says, will do anything for their own survival, including life or cheat and, even, encourage the injury or death of the bounty hunters that seek to destroy their androids. This is Dick's critique of an economic system that abandons all value for human life except for the value that creates the most economic gain.

These themes are contrasted with the idea of the collective. It is the collective of humanity that must band together in order to survive the decay of the world around them. Mercerism offers a vehicle for this process. Through the spiritual fusion with Mercer and with other people, the collective humanity is able to ensure their own survival with a sharing of each other's empathy. These themes can be understood as Dick's critique of capitalism and belief in a socialist form of economy that promotes a collective sense of value.