Category: midterm

In an English course I am taking at my university we recently read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? This book looks into a post-nuclear apocalypse world in which androids are so advanced, they are almost human. Additionally, a majority of the people on Earth have left and emigrated to Mars because the radioactive dust has gotten so bad on Earth, it is almost uninhabitable. The few that remain on Earth are either “chickenheads,” meaning people with mental disabilities or abnormalities, or regular people that will soon be deemed unfit to reproduce. This world is erely similar to Nazi Germany where eugenics, the controlled reproduction of people believed to have undesirable genes, was practiced. We are first introduced to a character named John Isidore. John is a “chickenhead” since he is mentally challenged. He is not allowed to reproduce because he failed the IQ test and he is believed to have radiation poisoning, making him abnormal. As a result he has little human interaction because he is segregated the same way society today segregates abnormal people. The book also includes Rachel Rosen, Max Polokov, Luba Luft, Pris Stratton, Phil Resch, Garland, Roy Baty, and Irmgard Baty; all characters who are androids. Androids are not allowed on Earth because they are essentially slaves on Mars and can become defective, killing humans if they escape slavery. They are seen as abnormal because they cannot express empathy and they are viewed as less than a human. A common question that comes up throughout the book is “What makes us human?” Relating to their society being human is being able to show empathy. Relating to our world today I believe being human is grouping everyone under a bell curve, showing violence and hatred towards people who are abnormal, and showing no empathy towards those who are abnormal. In order to better understand this atrocious social structure, first we should define abnormal. In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the idea of abnormal is focused on the character John Isidore and all the characters that are androids. John Isidore is abnormal for two main reasons: he failed an IQ test, intellectually abnormal, and he is believed to have radiation poisoning, physically abnormal. The androids are abnormal because they cannot express empathy and they are not truly human. In our society I believe abnormal is defined as having an intellectual disability, physical disability, mental illness, disease, religion, or any other defining characteristic that is different than our own. However, we should take a step back, examine all the features, put aside our pride and accept that we are all abnormal.

From the time children are born they are compared to norms. Their height, weight, muscle tone, reflexes, etc. are all measured and compared to the average baby. When children start school, they are compared to norms. Their mental ability, social skills, physical abilities, etc. are all compared to the average child their age (Davis 1). Through the rest of their life they are compared to norms. They are trapped under this bell curve and told they are below average, average, or above average for their entire life. It is truly sickening. Then we as a society wonder “Why is someone bullied or is a bully?” We wonder “Why there is an increase in violence?” We wonder “Why are ‘millennials’ less empathetic than any other generation?” It all starts with trapping them under this imaginary bell that tells them what their self-worth should be. Davis says “The norm pins down that majority of the population that falls under the arch of the standard bell-shaped curve. This curve, the graph of an exponential function, . . . , became in its own way a symbol of tyranny of the norm.” We have no other way of defining normal because of this bell curve. How is the bell curve even measured? Someone finds out how everyone would score or compare on a certain activity or function and then groups them in below average, average, or above average. A majority of the people fall under the peak of the bell with fewer people on either end of the peak. This bell curve can be observed in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? when John Isidore has to take a minimum mental faculties test. He fails and is then classified as a “chickenhead.” The androids have to take the Voight-Kampf test to see if their empathy score matches a human’s. If they fail they are classified as an android and killed. This bell curve fits under the idea that “Society more so disables people” (NominalistWay). This quote comes from Examined Life – Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor, a video where Judith Butler, a gender theorist and philosopher, and Sunaura Taylor discuss what being disabled means. Sunaura Taylor has arthrogryposis, a disease that fuses joints and makes muscles weaker. She does not fit under the bell curve of what is considered to be physically normal because she cannot walk or do a lot of average everyday functions without assistance. But why should she be grouped under the abnormal group because she does things differently than most people? The answer is exactly what that quote says, because society says so. If society was to escape this trap of the bell curve, we would live together in greater peace and harmony.

Often people who are classified as abnormal are the victims of violence and hatred. In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, John Isidore experiences hatred when he sees the ads on the television that say “special” people are not wanted, have no use, and could not emigrate because they would ruin their new world (Dick 20). The androids experience violence and hatred the whole book because they are slaves on Mars and being hunted and killed for not being human. The only way to truly tell if they are not a human is to take a bone marrow sample and test it, but they still experience all this hate because they are different. This happens in society today. If you look at Charlottesville, Virginia, you will find the white nationalist showing hatred towards minorities. You will consequently see the minorities showing hatred back towards the white nationalist. As a result, there is violence. If the white nationalist could live in present America and not mid-1900’s America, the violence and hatred would not exist. But instead they view these people as different and not as good as they are.

A big question society has to ask itself is why does this violence and hatred exist? I believe one explanation is how much society values being the best. The Nazi’s killed people who were abnormal because “The physically and mentally handicapped were viewed as useless to society, a threat to Aryan genetic purity, and, ultimately, unworthy of life” (The Murder 1). We see people as useless to society if they are not the best, and as result we get this hatred and violence. In order to change this stigma, the idea that people who have abnormalities or are “abnormal” are useless to society needs to change. Sunaura Taylor offers another explanation to violence and hatred towards abnormal people relating to a reminder that our bodies are going to age and eventually we are going to die. People see these disabled people and know that eventually they will not be able to walk or do everyday simple tasks or function at their highest mental capability. As a result, I believe that people take this anger out on the people that remind them that they eventually will need help from others too. If you look back in history, there is endless examples of humans demonstrating violence and hatred towards other humans because they are different than them, abnormal. From the mass genocide of the Native Americans and enslavement of Africans to the mass genocide of Jewish people by the Nazi regime. Humans built machine guns and nuclear weapons before we learned how to live together.  Instead of learning how to be respectful and accepting of everyone, we choose to continue to assault, kill, and insult those who are different than us.

In society today, it is almost as if you are the abnormal one for being empathetic. For being kind. For seeing people for who they are and not judging them for their imperfections. Reasons behind this might be we are individualistic, value competitiveness, and are judgmental. “But in today’s fast-paced and technology-driven culture, people’s self-absorption leads to more narcissism – and, consequently, less empathy” (Grasgreen, 11). We care more about ourselves than any previous generation. I believe this is because at technology is so advanced right now that we do not need to necessarily rely on each other as much as used to. Social media also plays a factor into this as we use it to say “Look at how awesome I am” or “Look what happened to me, feel sorry for me.” Competitiveness is also valued way too much in society. From a young age we are told “you are the best” and made to believe that by the participation awards we receive. Later in life when we no longer get an award for everything we do and told we are the best, we start to feel uncomfortable and doubt self-worth, which leads to lack of empathy. Relating back to Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, John Isidore, the character in the book who is singled out for being mentally disabled, is the sole character who sees the androids for who they are; other people who think, breath, and have feelings. He looks past the fact that they are inhuman, abnormal. If we all make even the slightest attempt to be more like John Isidore, our world would be a much better place. We would not have a divided country. We would not be on the brink of nuclear war. We would not have children who are afraid to go to school. We would not give up on everything so easily. Because in the end, we are all abnormal. Who are you to think you are better than any other person? But the problem is some people have an ego so big that they do not want to admit and recognize that in fact, no I am not perfect. I have flaws. I am abnormal. Until everyone can admit and accept that fact, there will always be a set norm. I challenge you to be conscious of when you are judging others due to their abnormalities and remind yourself of yours. Look for ways you can help others surpass their abnormalities and do not be afraid to ask others for help with yours. I believe that if one would do this during every interaction, we as a whole would be much more happy.

To conclude, there are solutions to the three problems I discussed. The problem with the bell curve can be fixed by removing the bell curve. Instead of looking at the where the average human would score, we should look at every person as a human. “. . . the ‘problem’ is not the person with the disabilities; the problem is the way that normalcy is constructed to create the ‘problem’ of the disabled person” (Davis 1). The word normal should be removed when defining a person. No one can fit perfectly under the bell curve, so the bell curve should be removed completely as a tool to measure how “normal” a person is. Violence and hatred towards those who are abnormal can be removed by changing the view of people who are abnormal as not being a functional member of society and treating them with the respect we would want. Lack of empathy can be changed by restructuring the values our society holds and accepting that none of us are perfect. “I think we have become a society where we rate status over relationships. We relate image over character and when you do that, you place much less emphasis on the skill or the ability of empathy” (Grasgreen 11). I feel society fits into this outlook where we care more about who you are status wise and less about who you are as a person. Judith Butler says “Do we or do we not live in a world in which we assist each other? Do we or do we not help each other with basic needs?” Her idea is that we are not independent beings. We are interdependent for a reason and that reason is to help each other with our abnormalities. If I am really good at math, but have a disease like Sunaura Taylor and cannot pick up a cup of coffee, and you have the ability to pick up the coffee, but struggle with math, is it not selfish of us to not assist each other in aiding our abnormalities?

Work Cited

Davis, Lennard J. Constructing Normalcy. Binghampton, 1995

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

Grasgreen, Allie. “Empathizing 101.” Inside Higher Ed, 24 Nov. 2010, www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/11/24/empathy.

NominalistWay. Examined Life – Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor 720p.Avi.      Performance by Judith Butler, and Sunaura Taylor, YouTube, YouTube, 6 Oct. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0HZaPkF6qE.

“The Murder of the Handicapped.” United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007683.

What defines us as humans? This question has had many answers throughout history and it is constantly being revised. Is it our ability to think, rationalize, and reason? Is it the color of our skin or our religion? Or is it our ability to show empathy? Or maybe defining what is human just divides us further. The question of what makes us human is discussed in Phillip K. Dick’s novel, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” In the text, they believe the difference between humans and all other species is a human’s ability to show empathy. The novel is set in post-apocalyptic San Francisco and explores the lives of Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter struggling to accept the consequences of his job, and John R. Isidore, a societal outcast who has been labeled “special” because he was deemed less intelligent than a human should be. What sets humanity apart from every other species is not intellect or empathy, but rather our ability to consciously decide to make choices that impact those around us.

Rick’s job requires him to “retire” androids who have escaped from what is essentially slavery on the colonized planet Mars. In the text, Dick writes ‘”It’s a hard thing to explain. Having a servant [an android] you can depend on in these troubled times . . . I find it reassuring.”’ (7) After reaching Mars, each person is given an android servant/slave who works for them to make the adjustment to Mars easier. Rick justifies killing androids by claiming that the androids are not human and therefore their lives do not have value. He begins to become morally conflicted when he realizes that he can empathize with androids and that androids can empathize. He is tasked with retiring six Nexus-6 androids, a new model of android, that have escaped from Mars and are currently on Earth. One of these androids, Luba Luft, captures Rick’s attention because she shares a passion for Opera just as he does. After Luba Luft is killed, Rick asks Phil Resch, a fellow bounty hunter “”Do you think androids have souls?”’ (Dick 56) This is the first time the reader sees Rick actually question his job and whether or not he is doing the right thing.

Isidore finds himself in a similar situation as the androids. Society has labeled him a “special” because he failed an IQ test that would have allowed him to travel to Mars with the rest of the humans that passed. He is essentially labeled less than human just like the androids and is doomed to stay in what is left of San Francisco. “Once pegged as special, a citizen, even if accepting sterilization, dropped out of history. He ceased, in effect, to be part of mankind.” (Dick 7) In their society, intellect is what they use to determine the value of a human and empathy is what makes someone human. It is questionable whether empathy is a truly valuable characteristic to the society in the story because John shows more empathy than any other character and he is still exiled. The author writes, ‘”You’re androids,” Isidore said. But he didn’t care; it made no difference to him.’ (Dick 65) This quote shows that John indiscriminately shows care for all things regardless of the consequences.

Empathy may be a valuable characteristic and should be encouraged but it is not all that makes us human because it can be influenced by the social environment one grew up in, physical trauma to the brain, or emotional trauma. A human who is able to empathize is seen as compassionate or caring which are characteristics that society has deemed as positive. But there are many reasons that could justify a lack of empathy in a human. In the text, Rick gives the Voight-Kompf test to each android to determine if they are human or not. The test measures empathetic responses to intentionally provocative statements. However, the test only accounts for normal responses within one society. In the text, Dick writes “I can explain why she scored as an android might. Rachael grew up aboard Salander 3. She was born on it; she spent fourteen of her eighteen years living off its tape library” (21) In this case, she would not have been able give the appropriate physical responses because she had never actually experienced their society. Also, medical studies have shown that emotional and physical trauma can impact one’s ability to connect with others emotionally and lessen their empathy. According to a study published in 2014, by Melissa Parlar, doctor of philosophy and neuroscience, studying the effects post-traumatic stress disorder from childhood has on empathy, women who had experienced severe emotional trauma in their childhood had significant deficits in their empathetic abilities. They were able to exhibit empathy in situations that were similar to situations of their own but found it harder to identify with situations that were not directly related to their own personal experiences. Empathy should be encouraged, but there are many groups who would be excluded from humanity if the determining factor was empathy.

For example, in the novel, animals are rare and sacred so most questions on the Voight-Kompf revolved around killing and eating animals. If the same test were to be given to people in American society today, most people would fail because it is normal for us to eat animals. The test would see us as less empathetic than normal, determine that we were androids, and we could be killed. These types of test cannot be tailored to each person in the human race because every culture varies in practices and beliefs. For instance, if a test was given to a group of people who practiced Hinduism, an appropriate statement to trigger an emotional response would involve eating a cow since they are sacred in their culture. This could not be applied to other groups such as Christians since there is no religious restriction on what animals can be consumed.  Also, a person who experienced emotional trauma may not be able to empathize in a way that society deems as normal as shown by the empathy study by Melissa Parlar previous cited. The same goes for those who have experienced physical trauma to their brain. One famous example of this is Phineas Gage. Gage was a railroad worker who was disfigured in an accident that damaged his prefrontal cortex. In an article published in the Smithsonian Online Magazine recounting the incident, his friends stated that after the accident “The balance between his “intellectual faculties and animal propensities” seemed gone.” This means that he became more primal, crude, and unable to empathize all because of the physical trauma.

Intellect also cannot be the sole factor of what determines whether or not we are human. Our society, like the one is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, values intellect as a superior quality and has created a competitive culture based on intellect. But using this to determine the value of a human inherently marginalizes a few groups like the mentally disabled and the poor. Those who are mentally disabled are not capable of passing the IQ test like the ones in the text so they will be discriminated against just like Isidore was.  The poor generally do not have access to the same quality of education as the rich and thus test on very different levels.  According to an article published by the Atlantic, “The discrepancies occur largely because public school districts in Connecticut, and in much of America, are run by local cities and towns and are funded by local property taxes.”  This means that wealthy areas will have better schools because they are funded by property tax in that zone and poorer area will have less funding due to low property taxes. This causes poorer children to have lower test scores and to have lower value placed on them.

Society also encourages us to compete based on physical capabilities. Olympians and athletes receive incredibly high praise and children are often encouraged to play sports at very young ages. In schools, students have to take the presidential fitness test that assess whether or not they are able to reach the national average in physical fitness. Amateur and professional athletes are ranked based on accomplishments and the higher you are in the ranks the more you are worth to a team and to a society. But valuing people based on physical capabilities discriminates against physically impaired people.

Discrimination against the disabled is a largely topic discussed in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and in today’s society. J.R. Isidore has been labeled “special” which basically means that he was not intelligent enough to immigrate to Mars sand continue on as a part of the human race. In many cases, the disabled community is treated as less than human. They are not accommodated for in society and are socially unaccepted. In the video Examined Life Judith Butler, a philosopher and gender theorist, and Sunaura Taylor discuss the limitations physical and mental disabilities put on an individual.

Sunaura Taylor suffers from arthrogryposis which left her in a wheelchair with limited use of her body. She discussed how she had always been an outcast and bullied by her peers. She moved to San Francisco because she felt as if there was less of a stigma about people with disabilities there so it was easier to interact. It was one of the few places that did not have limited access to public places for the disabled and therefore people were more accustomed to seeing them and more likely to interact with them. But Sunaura brings up and good point about humanity that largely connects to my thesis, “In my opinion, help is something that we all need, and is something that is looked down upon when we all need help in this society and we are all interdependent in so many ways.”

The human race is interdependent and the choices we make when interacting with each other determine how we influence the world around us. Although humans have not been known for making the best choices, the fact that we are able to make such powerful one’s is unique to our species. In the past. we have made the choice to create social barriers and to discriminate against others and we can make the choice to break down those barriers. In Constructing Normalcy, Lennard J. Davis explains that the idea of idealizing being average inherently creates a hierarchy of people. If there is an average, there will always be a below and above average. In order to deconstruct normalcy, we have to change the way we look at certain groups and become a more inclusive society. One way to start this is to make decisions in our everyday life to make every person feel equally valued in society. The example Sunaura Taylor gives in Examined Life is helping a physically impaired person to carry their coffee to their table. Small acts of kindness to help every group feel accepted and accommodating society for universal use are small practices that can go a long way in improving our society as a whole.

In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Rick and John choose to live their lives in very different ways just as we all do every day. We can choose to live our lives like Rick did and reject what is different and abnormal. Most of us do, and that is why we currently live in a society than ranks people and excludes and discriminates against many minority groups. Or we could decide of live our lives like John Isidore and show empathy and compassion for everyone no matter the race, religion, intellectual capability, physical capability or species. We could choose to deconstruct the idea of what normal is and break down the societal barriers that divide us. It could be as easy and a friendly conversation or carrying a cup of coffee. Or it could be as complicated as advocating for equal education opportunities and disability rights. But none of this is out of our reach. We just have to make the conscience choice to be a little more like John.

Work Cited

Davis, Lennard J. “Constructing Normalcy.” The Cyborg Apocalypse , eng28105fall15.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/constructingnormalcy_davis.pdf.

Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? www.larevuedesressources.org/IMG/pdf/dadoes.pdf.

“Examined Life- Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor 720.p Avi.” Youtube, 6 Oct. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0HZaPkF6qE&t=328s.

Parlar, Melissa. “Alterations in Empathic Responding among Women with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Associated with Childhood Trauma.” Brain and Behavior, vol. 4, no. 3, 13 Mar. 2014, pp. 381–389., doi:10.1002/brb3.215.

Semuels, Alana. “Good School, Rich School; Bad School, Poor School.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 25 Aug. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/08/property-taxes-and-unequal-schools/497333/.

Twomey, Steve. “Phineas Gage: Neuroscience’s Most Famous Patient.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Jan. 2010, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/phineas-gage-neurosciences-most-famous-patient-11390067/.

We treat those with disabilities in society as incapable beings and only slightly accommodate their needs. Originally those who are disabled or are lacking in certain qualities are deemed different, therefore we segregate those specific groups or individuals into areas away from the main population. It is as if we deem those with flaws to be less than human and unable to be given the same rights as other individuals who are perfectly able-bodied. In reality, there is no perfect human, we must be all flawed in some way whether or not it is an obvious deviation from society’s ideal human being. Humans are in constant need for help and interactions with others. We thrive when given these conditions even if we believe ourselves to be independent workers. What sets us specifically apart from androids is that we, as humans, will be unable to reach perfection and precision where an android can. A cyborg is a human with improvements created to enhance the individual to reach closer to the perfection they seek.

When looking at the concept of how disabilities relate to our humanity we can examine the impact of inclusion laws and relevance through real life. For example, those with “special” needs are set up in classes away from the rest of the student body in school. To be put into the “special” needs course they must fit into requirements set by the law. The individuals must be tested or be observed to have a discrepancy in achievement and ability. These Classes are only given to specific individuals who qualify and are not all integrated classes (Eligibility: Determining Whether a Child is Eligible for Special Education Services). Originally those with disabilities were sent off to a separate school all of their own. In 1971 it became required by law to allow those with disabilities into public school (Timeline of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)). As the ability for disabled children to get an equal education over the years has improved there as still specific areas they are separated.The highs school I went to have a special education program, for various classes all individuals including those in the special education program could participate. One year a class that had previously been integrated into the whole school population no longer became available to the main population. It created a larger barrier as kids in the program had less interaction with the rest of the school population. It was the only class where I ever really got to know someone in the special education program. The classes are now only available for special needs students and separating them from the rest of the population when taking that specific class. Over time it creates a stigma and disillusionment that those who are different will always require more than others and should be hidden from the rest of society. We do not think other problems being as difficult, as we do not see its impact on life. When it becomes out of sight, the problem is out of our minds. It creates an invisible wall between the common population and the individual. This creates a ripple effect, more problems and difficulties then occur for that individual just to go outside. Our image of a human being is greatly flawed as it is based upon ideals that can never be met and reached. We believe we should be empathetic and caring but not overly emotional. People are comprehended to be multifaceted and extremely complex so how would we ever truly to say that a specific average should determine our capabilities and limitations as anything outside the ideal is taboo and deviant, to be frowned upon (Davis).

In the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? we encounter a man named John Isidore who has been deemed unfit in society due to his disabilities (Dick). He is treated/valued at a life less than a human even though he biologically fits the “ideal” human outline as being empathetic. Isidore’s differences create tension in his life and disrupt how society views and treats him. He is unable to gain a life of normalcy as his world has already decided that he should be cast out from the rest. There is no system in place protecting or allowing Isidore the same chances as his counterparts or fellow humans. What makes Isidore so special in the novel is in society he is considered less than human but the reader sees he is the most human character in the book. In the novel to be considered as human, one must show a specific level of empathy. The reader knows he is empathetic when he looks after androids, cares for a spider trying to save it from Pris and all beings electronic or not are seen as living through his eyes (Dick). Isidore is able to empathize with others, as he understands how it feels to be mistreated or discounted just for a flaw he had no complete control over. In his society, he is separated from the main population by his living situation. Isidore lives in an abandoned building with no other people living to associate with or communicate to. John meets the android Pris and treats her as if she were a living creature. In return, her interactions with him are quite different than the humans of his world. She talks to Isidore and speaks up for him when another android decides that they would be better off with him dead (Dick). In Isidore’s work environment, the boss treats him unfairly and often yells at him for any mistake. He is often called a “chickenhead” and is in the lowest possible socio-economic class in the society. The jobs available to him are a select few as it is limited to him just due specific flaw due to no fault of his own. Can you imagine telling a child that they can only choose to be a custodian or a factory worker for the rest of their life due to a deformity or flaw? Would you allow a child born with a deformity to have their life controlled by limitations set before them? People like Stevie Wonder or Stephen Hawking would have never been able to impact the world. Our society would never have the knowledge or development in our modern age without the contribution of everyone in society instead of just the select able-bodied individuals.

Our societal views and ideals must change as they are unrealistic and unable to advance society if we discredited all who are different. The idea that people must be smart, talented, hard-working, sociable, kind, modest and etc. will be the perfect being.  If we take out all who don’t perfectly fit into the box we label as a human there would be no real “human”. The variations allow for society to advance as we develop ways to improve ourselves and code over discrepancies for our genes. The possibilities are limitless when viewed or creating for the visage that everyone is in need and there is no one singular person that does not need help in his or her lifetime. In even our everyday lives we rely on others for help. For example, we rely on teachers to learn information, Custodians to help take care of trash and, elected officials to keep the country running and to uphold laws. We are unable to do everything alone it is physically impossible and yet as a society, it states we must be independent and have all the advantages at our disposal. When looking at traits a ‘perfect individual” must have they often contradict. This can be seen when saying an individual must be caring and able to make critical decisions. In the circumstance of war, a critical decision is made costing various lives is the individual still able to be considered caring when knowing the outcome could be death for others? To be so caring and yet able to send people to their deaths it is conflicting roles. The idea of perfection becomes further out of reach creates limitations on human beings(Davis). These limits could be specific actions such as no longer allowing anger to occur or a large variety of actions that deviate from the norm. In extreme cases to keep perfection, we outcast others from society such as Isidore. Those who don’t reach the set standard must live in a certain area or only have some rights, unlike other individuals. Once the individuals are separated they become mentally separated from the main population. They aren’t viewed in the same light and we become unable to comprehend the struggles faced by others in different circumstances.

In American society, those who have a disability are often not treated with the same respect or equality under the system of law. There is a significant increase in the likelihood to be mistreated by a police officer if one is disabled (Myers). The American police force is trained to act and ask questions later, while this may be useful in high-risk situations it does not account for all situations. When approaching a math problem would you use the same methodology to understand the author’s meaning in the text to solve the equation? A specific skill set is unable to be used in all situations as a variety of events could occur that is unable to reach the correct answer. In general, when the police force is only trained in a specific skill set they are unable to solve all solutions accurately similar to the math problem. The lacking in a variety of training causes those with a disability such as Down syndrome to be shot on site instead of being dealt with appropriately. The way the officer deals with the average person would not work for someone with down syndrome as they wouldn’t entirely be able to comprehend what they did wrong or what the officer wants them to do. Those who are disabled or different become victims to the structure around them that is supposed to be there to protect their wellbeing and welfare. The police need to become trained to deal with the situations to protect the lives and no longer increase the risk to be harmed when encountering violent situations based on predetermined life factors.In society, the way we treat an individual with schizophrenia is very different than a child with multiple sclerosis. Both individuals deserve help but not always the same type of help. We need to stop assuming what everyone needs help with and instead preemptively prepare for problems when they arise.This relates not only to the way our society enforces justice, it includes how education is taught, how a building should be made and educating those specific individuals so they also know how to deal with certain situations we believe to be common knowledge.

To combat the ideals set before us we must begin to accept the idea that no one will be able to create the absolute perfect human being. Actions such as creating and building areas accessible to everyone instead of those who are just able-bodied. We must educate enforcers on these how to deal with those with disabilities so they are not mistreated or accidentally killed in our crime system. This way the police force no longer kills on site and allows for those who are unable to understand or comprehend the current situation. Those with schizophrenia or down syndrome shouldn’t be pushed or treated less than human just do to disease or illness they suffer from. The disease does not represent those individuals and they are then being mistreated due to the differences in their DNA or symptomology. When buildings are regulated to be accessible to all individuals the barriers began to break down. The increased interaction with those who are different is able to combat the negative stereotypes and close the gap between humans across the whole world. Once they the change in society occurs we will be able to live in a world with less struggle, pain and, separation. A greater understanding for all individuals on disability can enhance how society could function in the future.

Works Cited

Davis, Lennard J. Constructing Normalcy; the Bell Curve, the Novel, and the Invention of the Disabled Body in the Nineteenth Century. (n.d) Pdf. Retrieved https://eng28105fall15.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/constructingnormalcy_davis.pdf

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

“Eligibility: Determining Whether a Child is Eligible for Special Education Services.” Learning Disabilities Association of America. https://ldaamerica.org/eligibility-determining-whether-a-child-is-eligible-for-special-education-services/. Accessed 6 October 2017.

Myers, Carly A. Police Violence Against People with Mental Disabilities: The Immutable Duty Under the ADA to Reasonably Accommodate During Arrest. Vanderbilt Law Review. Vol. 70 Issue 4, p1393-1426, 2017, https://ezproxy.stevenson.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=123081687&site=ehost-live. Accessed 5 October 2017.

“Timeline of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).” University of Kansas-school of education. https://educationonline.ku.edu/community/idea-timeline. Accessed 8 October 2017.

What really makes us humans? Living in today’s society we can’t help but wonder what is the true meaning of humanity. I don’t think the world would ever know what actually makes a human, a human. There are a combination of things such as the diversity of our personality, our physical and emotional characteristics, our races and cultures to sum up some things is what makes us human.

In the novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” written by Phillip Dick takes us to a world in which the author believes that androids and humans are the same in a way. But being able to not tell them apart from reality/humanity is the main concern throughout the novel. In the novel the only way to tell the androids and humans apart were by the features that we as humans ourselves classify which are essential to humanity. The major theme in “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” is empathy. Empathic people are those who express their feelings toward your problems with sympathy and understanding. Empathy means the ability to emphasize with something or someone which also means ‘being human’ in the novel.

“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” revolves around a bounty hunter whose name is Rick Deckard. Throughout the novel we see the development of Rick and the experiences he goes through to retire six androids and how that changes his perspective on life in general. As we see Rick’s life unfold, the underlying question throughout the novel is, what does it mean to be human?

There was a test in novel called the Voigt-Kampff which was designed to determine whether the subject (Machine vs. Human) was actually an android. The subject was asked a series of questions that would show if it had any emotion. If the reaction to a certain question changed their emotions in a certain amount of time, then the subject would pass (human). The emotions that are shown, if any, would be measured by examining how much the subject’s pupils would dilate also. It was to believe that in the novel that in order to distinguish a human vs. an android was by saying that if you have a lack of empathy than you are to be categorized as an android. The androids was thought to have no feelings towards anything, which is why when they were given the test, the question about the mistreatment of animals  was to get an empathetic reaction from them. But once the release of the “Nexus 6” came about, it was to allow the androids to learn the concept of empathy which made it very difficult to tell who was human and who was not. Everyone started to question whether androids really had the ability to feel empathy or empathize regardless with a human emotion.

Besides the main character, Rick Deckard, another crucial character is introduced in the novel, John Isidore. John is classified as a “Chickenhead” because of his failure to pass a test which is a disadvantage compared to those who were not affected at all by the radioactivity. With Isidore, the author shines light of an issue regarding mental retardation also known as intellectual disability. Throughout the novel, Dick distinguishes Isidore as a lesser character compared to the others just because he was the only one who was negatively affected from the aftermath of World War Terminus. Although he is labeled as a chickenhead, Isidore is still the one who shows the most empathy than the other characters. During the time that this novel was written (1960’s), the disabled were not accepted by society and in the future, would still not be all the way accepted either. One of the major themes in this novel is empathy and the author shows that although John Isidore is indeed a chickenhead, no matter what, he will always show empathy than those who were unaffected by the disaster.

Which brings me to another novel, “Constructing Normalcy”, written by Lennard Davis. In this novel, Davis argues about what this society constitutes as normal. This also relates back to the thesis “What makes us humans” and John Isidore. Throughout this article, Davis gives us the history of the word normal and its influence regarding Sigmund Freud. The relation between “Constructing Normalcy” and John Isidore is the social model of disability. Davis argues that we should focus more on the way we view what seems to be out of place (referring to a disabled individual). He points out that what society views as normal, it’s actually ideal. Those who have perfect physical features/characteristics, to society, that is considered normal. But when it comes to a disabled person, society labels them as being “different” and this comes from judgement from people in general period. What makes something normal vs. what makes something different from the norm? Same thing as, does empathy makes us human? Or overall what makes us human period? Davis believes that society needs to change the way disability is viewed. The way to do this is change our perception of “normal” and “abnormal”. Society needs to be able to learn that everyone is human no matter what their physical features are, that doesn’t mean that someone is disabled. In the article, it talks about a bell curve which is when someone wants to be at least the average (not below) standard. Whether it’s in height, weight, or grade, according to Davis, this is all important to society because of the standard that is portrayed. Disabled people shouldn’t be looked down upon because they are still human and the stereotype against them has to go away.

“Examined Life – Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor” is a video which takes us into the life of disability activist Sunaura Taylor and philosopher Judith Butler. The video gives us insight on what’s it like to be ‘normal’ and of others as disabled (not normal). Also gives a glimpse of what it’s like to be a disabled person a daily basis. Sunaura Taylor, who has a body impairment, when asked if disability was the social organization of impairment, Taylor’s response was, “the disabling effects, basically, of society.” Taylor also talks about an incident when she was once in a coffee shop and needed help but it was looked down upon only because she was a “disabled” person. Sunaura recalls how as a child, when she tried to move without her wheelchair, she was told that she looked like a monkey. This led to her being deemed ‘less human, more animal’, hence being compared to a monkey. Taylor also states that “all human beings are interdependent in many ways.” The idea of the walk is to break down the ideas of ableism (social prejudice against people with disabilities), independence and self-reliance that we seem to have constructed around our selves. It also questions the idea of individualism which goes back to the coffee shop incident. It explores the able/normal and the disabled/abnormal body. The walk between Butler and Taylor shows that change can go a long way with a simple act as walking and talking together which can create hope.

In the article “Constructing Normalcy”, Davis also describes what is considered “undesirable” traits. People with disabilities were discriminated against for having been born with deficiencies that did not qualify them to “fit in the nation”. Davis also claims that people are viewed differently because of the standards that society considers is normal and what is not normal. In today’s society, there’s a norm set for what it means to be someone average and below average. A person who is disabled would be classified as below average because to society, that person doesn’t fit the requirements of normalcy.

Does having a disability make you not a human? Having a disability doesn’t make you less of a human. They should be treated as equal as the “normal” person is being treated, respect for their human worth. No matter what culture, sex, or degree of disability, no one should be treated as though they are an animal. The love that we show to other makes us human. During our group discussions in English 281, we once talked about animals who demonstrate empathy, does that make them human. It doesn’t make them human because for animals, empathy is a drive and can be in charge of but for humans in general, we can have a choice of the way we feel.

In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, what makes a human, “human” is the natural (emotion) to understand another person’s feelings, and the power to identify with and understand another individual’s feelings, or difficulties. The emotions that the human characters are showing in the novel are fake. For example, the people in the story are able to program their emotional states with the Penfield Mood Organ device. The book states that users of the mood organ can dial up many different highly specific emotions like, Penfield Mood Organ cartoon bubble image “desire to watch TV, no matters what’s on it “a creative and fresh attitude toward his job” (Dick 7), “the desire to watch TV, no matter what’s on it” (Dick 6), and most humorously, “pleased acknowledgement of husband’s superior knowledge in all matters” (Dick 7). Although the mood organ allows these characters to experience these certain emotions every day, that doesn’t make those feelings real. Which brings us readers to wonder how the “humans” in the novel are any different than the androids. All we continue to ask ourselves, what is the true definition of being “human” in the story and in reality.

Empathy is definitely not the way to tell if someone if human or not because in today’s society there we so many people who treat others and animals cruel. If we were to say that empathy was the way to tell someone was human, would those who are okay with treating people with disrespect on a regular basis be classified as human? Even if they have all the physical features of a human and the human mind, just not the emotional part, would they still be classified as human? I personally wouldn’t say that empathy was the way to tell if a human was really a human. In the story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Dicks did a good job with using empathy in his context but in reality, there is more than just showing empathy that makes us human a human. In order to stop disability discrimination, we as a whole (community) must come together. We as a society must be able to heal the differences that we have and agree to disagree. It’s easy to fight with one another and divide amongst ourselves. Why is it so hard for us to come back together and put the negativity to the side? People with impairment (disabled) are humans also and they shouldn’t be treated as if they aren’t.

After reading all three sources (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Constructing Normalcy, and Examined Life – Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor) we can determine what really makes us human. Empathy isn’t fully what makes us human. I don’t think we will ever know one word that can describe what really makes us human. Everyone is different in their own way and saying that empathy is what makes us all human is not the right route to go. As said before, what about those who aren’t empathetic? What would they be classified as? It’s much more to being human; so many things. Disability is discussed in all three stories and in each one, it demonstrates how people with disabilities are mistreated. As discussed before, having a disability does not make a person less of a human. No matter how much people would want a change to happen with dealing with discrimination, just like racism, nothing can change these outcomes because people already have their mind on these society norms and standards sadly. Only thing we can do for ourselves is change our perceptions on things like disability.

Works Cited

Dick, Philip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Random House, 1996

Davis, Lennard J. Constructing Normalcy. Binghampton, 1995

Butler, Judith. An Examined Life – Judith Butler & Sunaura Taylor Sunaura Taylor. Interview.