I think this term “tachyon bombardment” sums up Philip K. Dick’s VALIS/Pink Beam/Exegesis experience as well as anything I’ve heard (and I’ve heard a lot!) So, here are my musings on the Exegesis from yesterday, a Buddhist holiday. Imbedded here on my Crypto blog, is also the podcast with Erik Davis, a PKD scholar who assisted with some of the Exegesis editing, along with Pamela Jackson and Jonathan Lethem. Pamela and Erik really get into what it was like editing the 8-thousand rambling pages of insight and speculation that Phil left behind. I also posted a comment on their “Expanding Mind” page.
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Hi Jami,Indeed, “tachyon bombardment” is one possibility, amongst others. PKD has also used the infamous “Black Iron Prison,” and “philosophizing novelist.” He’s certainly eclectic, if anything, as can be seen from the PKD Fan Group over at Facebook…They can’t quite seem to make up their minds over there on how to interpret a metaphor like “Black Iron Prison,” which I find a rather obvious characterization of the increasing alienation and despair in our society. Almost as pithy as his wonderful character, The Bleekmen. Bleek, indeed!!!
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Then again, you could cite for support a letter PKD writes to Peter Fitting (6/28/74), wherein he states:”I think that I somehow for a short time transduced tachyon bombardment, which comes to us constantly, and which animals utilize to engram them into performing what we call “instinctive actions.” (Selected Letters, 1974, p. 142)
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Frank, I just found your comments. The term “tachyon bombardment” was, of course, Phil’s. He has used hundreds (if not thousands) of odd terms in the Exegesis, but that one in particular, really resonated with me as an explanation of what he was experiencing (in the 2-3/74 experiences.) And, why Frank, wouldn’t he note the date in that manner, rather than the misleading “2-3-74” (which seems like February 3, 1974?) Nonetheless, I did use that date (Feb 3) in my AKS novel, since it was also my mother’s birthday. And did everyone “get” my protagonist’s name– Perceval? With all the Exegesis buzz, there has been more talk lately of Parsifal, the “wise” fool, and the reason Niki has the Perceval surname. PKD also mentions Wagner’s opera in AKS, suggesting he and Pike see the “Penultimate” version of it on the “other side.”
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I’ve received my copy of the much, pre-publication, discussed The Exegesis. Not surequantity equates with quality. Still like what Lawrence Sutin did in Pursuit Of VALIS. But, yes, PKD does seem to like that term, tachyon. Not clear where he picked up on it, though. Nonetheless, I’ve actually started reading this much larger version of The Exegesis. Also went to the Dentist this morning for the first time in many years. Hope the two events aren’t related!!!
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Well, what do ya know, there’s even an entry at the much maligned Wikipedia on “Tachyons in Fition,” but I see therein no mention of Philip K. Dick.
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But I think the tachyon entry at the online SF Encyclopedia is better, even though I see no mention of PKD in it. You can read this at:http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/tachyons
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wow, speaking of tachyons, they are bombarding that spinning globe to the right. Each red dot is an IP address of someone who visited my site! Europe, middle east, east coast and of course, out West here. cool! they must be shy… only Frank comments 😉
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Yeah, Jami, what’s with the shy routine from your admirers?? There should be a LOT more responses than there are, whether they be about your marvelous novel, A Kindred Spirit, or about tacks…And of course, my above post should read: “Wikipedia on “Tachyons in Fiction.”
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Oh, Frank, I bet you say that to ALL the female Dickheads 😉 I’m still in retreat, so little to no chatting. I did send off the Otaku article to Patrick. I’ll be posting away soon… promoting Otaku #23, drumming up a bit more interest in AKS and the GodForce book, but back to Buddha for now! Thanks for being such a loyal responder!!
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Aw shucks, jami, I bet (a bushel and a peck of running clams)you say that to ALL the male Dickheads, which is probably an oxymoron anyways.I’ve been sending the PKD Otaku ad flyer as an email attachment to various and sundry PKD acquaintances around the world, as well as visiting various PKD blog posts whereat I respond making sure to include a reference to PKD Otaku.But your point is well taken, what with all the IP address dots in various parts of the world, WHY isn’t there more feedback, whether here or elsewhere about your work???
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