Wilbur Mercer
Wilbur Mercer: From Wikipedia: Mercerism Mercerism is a prominent religious/philosophical movement on Earth. The movement is based on the fable of Wilbur Mercer, a man who lived before the war. Adherents of Mercerism grip the handles of an electrically powered empathy box, while viewing a monitor which displays patterns that are meaningless until the handles are gripped. After a short interval the user's senses are transported to the world of Wilbur Mercer, where they inhabit his mind in an experience shared with any other people using an empathy box at that moment. Mercerism blends the concept of a life-death-rebirth deity with the values of unity and empathy. According to legend, Mercer had the power to revive dead animals, but local officials used radioactive cobalt to nullify the part of his brain where the ability originated. This forced Mercer into the "tomb world." He strives to reverse the decay of the tomb world and ascend back to Earth by climbing an enormous hill. His adversaries throw rocks at him along the way (inflicting actual physical injuries on the adherents "fused" with Mercer), until he reaches the top, when the cycle starts again, much like the plight of Sisyphus. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- I just purchased a collection of PKD's short stories, "The Eye of the Sibyl, and other classic stories by Philip K. Dick". The first story is titled "The Little Black Box". In it is a character named Wilbur Mercer, and he is a new religion. lol. This story was first published 05/06/1963. When I finish the story I'll post more about this. I wonder if it relates to DADoES?

From the notes in the back of the collection, PKD wrote: "I made use of this story when I wrote my novel "DADoES". Actually, the idea is better put forth in the story. Here, a religion is regarded as a menace to all political systems; therefore it, too, is a kind of political system, perhaps even an ultimate one. The concept of caritas (or agape) shows up in my writing as the key to the authentic human. The android, which is the unauthentic human, the mere reflex machine, is unable to experience empathy. In this story it is never clear whether Mercer is an invader from some other world. But he must be; in a sense all religious leaders are... but not from another planet as such." (1978)

It was an interesting read. A new religion, replacing Zen Buddhism has swept out of the Middle West to engulf California. Wilbur Mercer appears on television, but says nothing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Ray's voice was heavy with irony... "No one watches Mercer; that's the whole point." Tossing his cigarette into the fireplace, he strode to the TV set; there, before it, Joan saw a metal box with two handles, attached by a lead of twin-cable wire to the TV set. Ray seized the two handles, and at once a grimace of pain shot across his face. "What is it?" she asked, in anxiety. "N-nothing." Ray continued to grip the handles. On the screen, Wilbur Mercer walked slowly over the barren, jagged surface of a desolate hillside, his face lifted, an expression of serenity - or vacuity - on his thin, middle-aged features... To Joan, he explained, "This is the empathy box, my dear... when you take hold of these handles you're no longer watching Wilbur Mercer. You're actually participating in his apotheosis. Why, you're feeling what he feels." From The Little Black Box, by Philip K. Dick. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It contains suspense, deception, music, religion, mind reading, and hope. I really don't have more to write about it. It's best to read it for yourself. If you liked the Mercer/empathy box elements of DADoES, then you'll absolutely love this story. It has the strength of "Paycheck", and contains the elements expected in a PKD sci-fi story.