Simulacra: Part 2

I will admit that I did get a bit confused at first jumping around from story to story, but once action started happening and certain events went into play I feel that the story moved very quickly. I think that the simulacra and the von Lesseringer time machine were just government ploys to be able to control and deceive the people of the USEA. I also found it interesting that the government in the novel was trying to perfect Nazi ideology. I mean, look how well that worked for the Nazis. Plus the only thing the Nazis were truly interested in was total eradication of the Jewish race and gaining power. I also wonder why they government felt the need to use two fakes to be the faces of the "legal system". Since the der Alte was a simulacra, is the government able to control it easily to it's will? I mean how do they make sure all goes the way the government wants it to? I'm pretty sure the government had to see that eventually someone would tell the whole world about the der Alte being a fake as well as Nicole.

From Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? there is a question: What does it mean to be human? I think the book itself attempts to explain its answer to that question and does a good job of doing so. In The Simulacra though, are we (humans) the dominant species on earth and should we continue to be? I think the book was trying to show a possibility of what could happen. Similar to when the novel's government would look at several events to see possible outcomes. I think the book was trying to show that while we are the dominant species, it was unsure whether we would continue to be. They were just starting what seemed to be their 4th World War. Plus the government was very corrupt and it their lies came back to bite them in the end. In the novel, it seemed that the second second was also answered. Survivors of the radiation and those born with deformities (chuppers) were recognized as Neanderthals. Almost like mankind was starting over - being reborn. My personal answers to those would be: in our real society, I think we are the dominant species and I don't think that will be changing anytime soon. I'm very doubtful that anything will come along to take the human race's spot as the dominant species.

But overall, I did enjoy the book. It had me on the edge of my seat needing to find out what was going to happen next.