A Scanner Darkly

In the context of Dick’s early-‘70s suburbia, straight refers to the privileged, upper middle-class. The “straights” have nine-to-five jobs, they are part of America’s consumer economy, and they see themselves as superior to the dopers who don’t participate in society as they do. Dick comments on the homogenous, “plastic” conformity he sees in American culture, a conformity that shuns experimentation or deeper questioning of existence. The dopers may not have material goods or the respect of society, but at least they aren’t afraid to ask the profound questions or to reflect more meaningfully on their lives.

Dick’s fictional brain monitoring device allows users to see their own brainwave patterns. It is a recreational device, and Arctor and his roommates use it to unwind and destress while stoned. It is a crucial part of their routine, apparently, because Arctor devotes a good deal of time and energy trying to figure out who damaged it and if it can be repaired. In terms of personal value, he places it almost on par with his car (in fact, it is his second most valuable possession). Both, it seems, are necessary for survival in the user’s world.