How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
So this is what Mercer sees, [Rick] thought as he painstakingly tied the cardboard box shut—tied it again and again. Life which we can no longer distinguish; life carefully buried up to its forehead in the carcass of a dead world. In every cinder of the universe Mercer probably perceives inconspicuous life. Now I know, he thought. And once having seen through Mercer's eyes, I probably will never stop. (22.9)
This is a toughy, so you might want to read it more than once. Go on, we'll wait.
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Back? Okay. This quote is all about the importance of empathy. When Dick in the voice of Rick describes reality as "the carcass of a dead world," his point is that we have to nurture that "inconspicuous life" to prevent things from getting worse. Empathy is the key to beginning and sustaining that nurturing attitude. And, as Rick notes, once you start seeing life empathetically, good luck unseeing it.