Philip K Dick: The Writer Who Witnessed The Future

Forty years since the death of sci-fi author Philip K Dick – whose stories have inspired films like Blade Runner and Minority Report – Adam Scovell explores how prophetic his work has been.

I am in passport control. I can see my face on a screen. The technology recognizes me and lets me through. I scan codes showing my vaccination status and recent COVID test results. The machines assess the data regarding my health and microbiology. Through into the waiting room, people are staring into little screens. A strangely large number have the camera flipped, and are capturing their faces at different angles, as if they’ve forgotten what they look like. I open my laptop and join in. I give my details to a company to enter the digital realm. Adverts tailored to my personality pop up. They know me better than I know myself.

This is 2022. And 2022 is a Philip K Dick novel. Read more >