4 ms·

Soma, Spice and Substance D: A History of Drugs in Science Fiction

27 points by benbreen 11y ago

DonHopkins 11y ago
Dick also wrote mesmerizingly about Can-D and Chew-Z in "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". And of course there was Stelazine from "Faith of Our Fathers", which was actually an anti-hallucinogen. The 10 Greatest Mind-Altering Drugs and Drinks in Science Fiction : http://www.therobotsvoice.com/2009/04/the_10_greatest_mind-altering_drugs_and_drinks_in.php http://www.therobotsvoice.com/2009/04/the_10_greatest_mind-a... "While the drug of choice for author Philip K. Dick ran the gamut of uppers, his 1965 Nebula-nominated novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch featured two distinct hallucinogens: Can-D and Chew-Z. Can-D is used by colonists to “translate” themselves into the Barbie-style “Perky Pat” layouts where they either become Perky Pat or her boyfriend, Walt. While in this shared-hallucination, users can leave behind their dismal existence and act out an idealized, “swell” version of life on Earth. P.P. Layouts, the company behind Perky Pat, is also the manufacturer of the “illegal” Can-D. P.P. gets some competition when Palmer Eldritch is rescued from a crash on Pluto and returns with an alien drug known as Chew-Z. Like Can-D, Chew-Z transports the user into an alternate reality but the difference is that Eldritch plays puppet master to these hallucinations. The book spirals in and out of reality and hellish hallucinations until the memorable last trip."
- grownseed 11y ago
  "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" is a fascinating book, as so much of P.K. Dick's stuff is. Another interesting drug, or rather drug system, is the one used by enhanced Culture people in Iain M. Banks' amazing novels. People are modified to the extent that they can secrete a number of different drugs at will, or "glanding", which allows them to get high/drunk and sober again among other things.
- 5laton 11y ago
  There's a nice shout-out to Perky Pat in Cronenberg's Existenz. Check out the fast food bags in the segment with Willem Dafoe.
wavefunction 11y ago
Another great one was Nuke from Robocop.
- lobo_tuerto 11y ago
  Don't forget Slo-Mo from Dredd!
5laton 11y ago
So many great examples to choose from. PKD might have been the most creative in this area - Can-D is one of his most striking creations, but another interesting one is KR-3 in Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.
- icebraining 11y ago
  There's also jj-180 in Now Wait For Last Year; beyond the futuristic effect it has on its users, the description of its withdrawal symptoms is very vivid (pages 78-82): https://books.google.pt/books?id=58BWIwBDPJgC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=%22now+wait+for+last+year%22+office&source=bl&ots=9spMAb_evj&sig=Ue10OjxIwbuWWSRqw4-YLnadiS4&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22now%20wait%20for%20last%20year%22%20office&f=false https://books.google.pt/books?id=58BWIwBDPJgC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA...
- steveax 11y ago
  Not to mention the Mood Organ in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. https://law.stanford.edu/2012/11/01/lawandbiosciences-2012-11-01-biosci-fi-do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep-philip-k-dick-1968/ https://law.stanford.edu/2012/11/01/lawandbiosciences-2012-1...
bane 11y ago
meh, 1984 just used alcohol and the article completely misses the coffee references in Dune

27 points by benbreen 11y ago

Dick also wrote mesmerizingly about Can-D and Chew-Z in "The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch". And of course there was Stelazine from "Faith of Our Fathers", which was actually an anti-hallucinogen. The 10 Greatest Mind-Altering Drugs and Drinks in Science Fiction : http://www.therobotsvoice.com/2009/04/the_10_greatest_mind-altering_drugs_and_drinks_in.php http://www.therobotsvoice.com/2009/04/the_10_greatest_mind-a... "While the drug of choice for author Philip K. Dick ran the gamut of uppers, his 1965 Nebula-nominated novel The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch featured two distinct hallucinogens: Can-D and Chew-Z. Can-D is used by colonists to “translate” themselves into the Barbie-style “Perky Pat” layouts where they either become Perky Pat or her boyfriend, Walt. While in this shared-hallucination, users can leave behind their dismal existence and act out an idealized, “swell” version of life on Earth. P.P. Layouts, the company behind Perky Pat, is also the manufacturer of the “illegal” Can-D. P.P. gets some competition when Palmer Eldritch is rescued from a crash on Pluto and returns with an alien drug known as Chew-Z. Like Can-D, Chew-Z transports the user into an alternate reality but the difference is that Eldritch plays puppet master to these hallucinations. The book spirals in and out of reality and hellish hallucinations until the memorable last trip."

grownseed 11y ago
"The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch" is a fascinating book, as so much of P.K. Dick's stuff is. Another interesting drug, or rather drug system, is the one used by enhanced Culture people in Iain M. Banks' amazing novels. People are modified to the extent that they can secrete a number of different drugs at will, or "glanding", which allows them to get high/drunk and sober again among other things.
5laton 11y ago
There's a nice shout-out to Perky Pat in Cronenberg's Existenz. Check out the fast food bags in the segment with Willem Dafoe.

wavefunction 11y ago

Another great one was Nuke from Robocop.

lobo_tuerto 11y ago
Don't forget Slo-Mo from Dredd!

5laton 11y ago

So many great examples to choose from. PKD might have been the most creative in this area - Can-D is one of his most striking creations, but another interesting one is KR-3 in Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said.

icebraining 11y ago
There's also jj-180 in Now Wait For Last Year; beyond the futuristic effect it has on its users, the description of its withdrawal symptoms is very vivid (pages 78-82): https://books.google.pt/books?id=58BWIwBDPJgC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=%22now+wait+for+last+year%22+office&source=bl&ots=9spMAb_evj&sig=Ue10OjxIwbuWWSRqw4-YLnadiS4&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22now%20wait%20for%20last%20year%22%20office&f=false https://books.google.pt/books?id=58BWIwBDPJgC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA...
steveax 11y ago
Not to mention the Mood Organ in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. https://law.stanford.edu/2012/11/01/lawandbiosciences-2012-11-01-biosci-fi-do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep-philip-k-dick-1968/ https://law.stanford.edu/2012/11/01/lawandbiosciences-2012-1...

bane 11y ago

meh, 1984 just used alcohol and the article completely misses the coffee references in Dune