Philip K. Dick uses Mercerism to criticize religious institutions, commenting on how impossible it is to be entirely empathetic. Towards the end of the novel, the deconstruction of Mercerism as a monolith of empathy shows the underlying lack of extremes in Dick’s society. Symbolizing the idyllic Mercerist, J.R. Isidore is conflicted with the metal conundrum of always preserving both his empathy and the empathy of Wilbur Mercer; as a result, Mercerism is less about following Mercer’s teachings, but preserving his teachings through bonded consciousness. While in the desert, Deckard realizes that he is still fused with Wilbur Mercer. He reconciles it saying “but if I’m Mercer, he thought, I can never die.” (233). Mercerism is inherently flawed
