Phillip K. Dick

          After reading about Phillip K. Dick's background, I find that his life follows an expected pattern. Numerous great artists are ridiculed and disliked during their lifetime; people will often push their work aside because of false judgement, not truly recognizing how great it is. Then after the artist passes away, everyone starts to remember that they even existed, and they will study their art and finally realize its value. They say "you never realize what you had until its gone", and this is true for Phillip K. Dick along with many other amazing artists. It doesn't surprise me at all to know that he was constantly deemed an "oddball", only to have his work transform the world of science fiction after he died.
          But regardless of whether Phillip K. Dick was living or deceased, his ideas are revolutionary. He was one of those to question the universe. He recognizes the flaws of technology, and the immense power it has over mankind. He was also brave enough to explore the relationship of humans and our precious technology, and he wasn't afraid to show how dangerous that can be. I think that is what separates an artist from a great artist. An artist observes the world, reflects, and displays his findings in some form of art. A great artist observes the world, recognizes its flaws, and challenges society. They are willing to highlight the not-so-perfect aspects of humanity, and that scares a lot of people. Phillip K. Dick uses his art to show his audience "a glimpse of what makes us human". He exposes who we truly are as a species without hesitation, and its that type of artist that has the capability to change the world.