How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
[…]; it had been a costly war despite the valiant predictions of the Pentagon and its smug scientific vassal, the Rand Corporation—which had, in fact, existed not far from this spot. Like the apartment owners, the corporation had departed, evidently for good. No one missed it. (2.2)
"Ennobled violence" is the belief that violence, such as war, will solve the world's problems—that dropping an a-bomb will end violence with extreme prejudice. This quotation lets us take a good guess at how well that turned out for the world in this novel.
Quote #2
In retiring—i.e., killing—an andy, he did not violate the rule of life laid down by Mercer. You shall kill only the killers, Mercer had told them the year empathy boxes first appeared on Earth. (3.19).
Check out the language Rick uses to consider his violence acts toward androids. The word "retiring" gives him a mental work around to the fact that he's doing violence that is against Mercerism. That's some classic doublespeak right there—and it also makes us think about retirement parties in a new light, know what we mean?
Quote #3
[…]; the .38 magnum slug struck the android in the head and its brain box burst. The Nexus-6 unit which operated it blew into pieces, a raging, mad wind which carried throughout the car. Bits of it, like the radioactive dust itself, whirled down on Rick. (8.78)
This description of Polokov's death hints at how Rick views violence toward androids at this point in the novel. On the one hand, the language of the bullet shredding through Polokov's head is ultra violent. On the other hand, words like "Nexus-6 unit" and "brain box" are weirdly sterile. We're so confused. How are we supposed to feel? Someone hold us.