This blog post focused on the connection between historical struggles with racism and humanization and the term ‘andys.’ It is a troubling idea that humanity would fall into the same faults that plagued us in the past.
”’It must be one of those new, extra-clever andys the Rosen Association is turning out,’ Miss Marten said.” (27)
This sentence gives us insight into the societal perception of androids, and the technological progress of androids. Marten uses the word ‘andy’ for android, which brings to mind the World War Two terms of ‘Jerries’ and ‘Japs’ for Nazi and Japanese troops respectively. These terms were used by the Allied powers in their newspapers and general populace in a derogatory manner towards their enemies. They were used in the overall effort to vilify the Axis powers. ‘Japs’ is especially considered a ethnic slur. The name ‘andy’ has the same connotations. The casual use of it is indicative how humans view androids as enemies or something to be feared. This fear is shown through the Mercer beliefs that humans have. How every human has to own a real live animal to prove they have empathy and prove they aren’t an android. Rick, during Chapter 12 in the midst of questioning the morality of killing androids, never uses the term ‘andy’ once. He instead refers to them as ‘android’ and their names. It is a reflection of Rick’s growing confusion and conflict over the sentience of androids and their humanity.
The adjectives ‘new’ and ‘extra-clever’ for the androids tell us about how androids have been improving over the years. How they are becoming more human like with every iteration. This is worrying for humanity as bounty hunters are already struggling to pin down androids. Rick’s Voigt-Kampff test nearly fails to detect Rachael, and the police station Rensch works at is entirely replaced by androids. Earth is being infiltrated by androids and who knows if they will be distinguishable by humans in the future. That raises the question if they are indistinguishable, are they human? Could these androids eventually be programmed to feel empathy? These two adjectives give huge implications for the future of humanity and its relationship with androids.