Higher Power In Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?

It is human nature to look to a higher power for a sense of self-worth and purpose. This innate characteristic of the human race is depicted through Buster Friendly and Wilbur Mercer. These two figures represent the tight hold that a higher power has on human beings. Mercer and Buster Friendly both serve the same purpose, but they each compete for control of the human mind. Buster Friendly and Wilbur Mercer of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? symbolize the innate human need for belief in a higher power by utilizing their strict hold over the general population. The start of the novel indicates that the characters are aware of the grip that both Wilbur Mercer and Buster Friendly have on them. J. R. Isidore watches Buster
Friendly all morning and night and fuses with Mercer frequently (Dick 70). Buster Friendly attempts to take control of the human race by providing constant entertainment, making people dependent on him for fulfillment. Wilbur Mercer fights for control by representing the power of spirituality. People have faith that they are “better off when [they are] with Mercer. Despite the pain,” they know they can withstand the physical pain as long as they have a higher being, in this case, Wilbur Mercer, to hold on to (159). If humans have a deity-like figure to put their faith in, they have a reason to treat each other with decency. Buster Friendly tears apart Mercerism by exposing Wilbur Mercer to be a fraud (193). Buster Friendly thinks that by debunking the power of spirituality, there can no longer be any differences between humans and androids. Unbeknownst to androids like Buster Friendly, “Mercerism isn’t finished” with its spiritual reign (195). Buster Friendly is a distraction for the masses, but Wilbur Mercer gives the people a higher power to put their faith in. The loss of this spiritual connection would destroy the human race, so people deny the claim that Wilbur Mercer is a fraud, allowing the reign of Mercerism to continue.
Buster Friendly and Wilbur Mercer both serve as a distraction from the harsh realities of the world, but they battle individually for control of the human race. Buster Friendly rules through the power of entertainment while Wilbur Mercer rules through spiritual connection. The loss of either of these individuals would be a devastating blow to the stability of the human race. People have an internal need for a sense of stability and purpose, and both of these influential figures provide that.