--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once, in a cheap science fiction novel…" description: "\"“Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come across a perfect description of the Black Iron Prison, but set in the far future. So if you super..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/philip-k-dick-502_ancient-rome_once-in-a-cheap-science-fiction-novel-fa_1060640.jpg" --- # Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come… ![“Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come across a perfect description of the Black Iron Prison, but set in the far future. So if you superimposed the past (ancient Rome) over the present (California in the twentieth century) and superimposed the far future world of The Android Cried Me…” quote by Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/philip-k-dick-502_ancient-rome_once-in-a-cheap-science-fiction-novel-fa_1060640.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/philip-k-dick-502_ancient-rome_once-in-a-cheap-science-fiction-novel-fa_1060640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/039/philip-k-dick-502_ancient-rome_once-in-a-cheap-science-fiction-novel-fa_1060640.jpg) > ““Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come across a perfect description of the Black Iron Prison, but set in the far future. So if you superimposed the past (ancient Rome) over the present (California in the twentieth century) and superimposed the far future world of The Android Cried Me a River over that, you got the Empire, as the supra- or trans-temporal constant. Everyone who had ever lived was literally surrounded by the iron walls of the prison; they were all inside it and none of them knew it.”” [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Black Iron Prison metaphor suggests humanity is unknowingly trapped within societal structures across time, limiting freedom. **In simple terms:** We’re trapped in unseen societal walls. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge systemic constraints. Themes freedom society illusion Mood reflective critical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - political analysis - personal growth - creative writing Key Concepts systemic oppression historical cycles psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you see the “prison” in your life? - What steps can break these invisible walls? A Different Perspective Awareness alone may not free us. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient rome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-rome/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Future world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-world/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Wisdom never kicks at the iron walls it can't bring down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-never-kicks-at-the-iron-walls-it-can-t-bring-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best technology is aimed far enough in the future that it stands out, but close enough to the present that it blends in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/the-best-technology-is-aimed-far-enough-in-the-future-that-it-stands/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [Perhaps then, some day far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/perhaps-then-some-day-far-in-the-future-you-will-gradually-without/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [Science fiction sometimes is fun because it reaches so far in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-taylor/science-fiction-sometimes-is-fun-because-it-reaches-so-far-in-the/) [Alan Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-taylor/) > [“you don't need to go that far in the future, you just have to go 2000 years ago,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-don-t-need-to-go-that-far-in-the-future-you-just-have-to-go-2000/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I don't really like to think too far into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/i-don-t-really-like-to-think-too-far-into-the-future/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [When you're riding in a time machine way far into the future, don't stick your elbow out the window, or it'll turn into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/when-you-re-riding-in-a-time-machine-way-far-into-the-future-don-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“but I learned long ago that it does no good to think too far into the future. There is only here. Only now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zink/but-i-learned-long-ago-that-it-does-no-good-to-think-too-far-into-the/) [Michelle Zink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zink/) > [“Congratulations on the new library, because it isn't just a library. It is a space ship that will take you to the farthest reaches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/congratulations-on-the-new-library-because-it-isn-t-just-a-library-it/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [When I first started, my novels were set in the far future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-sawyer/when-i-first-started-my-novels-were-set-in-the-far-future/) [Robert J. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-sawyer/) > [It may be far in the future, but there's some kind of logical way to get from where we are to where the science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-moon/it-may-be-far-in-the-future-but-there-s-some-kind-of-logical-way-to/) [Elizabeth Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-moon/) > [In the far, far future, essentially all matter will have returned to energy. But because of the enormous expansion of space, this energy will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/in-the-far-far-future-essentially-all-matter-will-have-returned-to/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [I've always loved far future SF, so it was more or less a given that I would one day want to write in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-ve-always-loved-far-future-sf-so-it-was-more-or-less-a-given-that-i/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“Today, at this very moment in time, is as far into the future as you can go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-alan-milne/today-at-this-very-moment-in-time-is-as-far-into-the-future-as-you/) [Kevin Alan Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-alan-milne/) > [“According to T-shirts we've come so far as to see the future as female, and presumably not so far as to see it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-p-mauro-sr/according-to-t-shirts-we-ve-come-so-far-as-to-see-the-future-as/) [Anthony P. Mauro, Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-p-mauro-sr/) ## More by Philip K. Dick > [So we and our elaborately evolving computers may meet each other halfway. Someday a human being, named perhaps Fred White, may shoot a robot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/so-we-and-our-elaborately-evolving-computers-may-meet-each-other/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Even if all life on our planet is destroyed, there must be other life somewhere which we know nothing of. It is impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/even-if-all-life-on-our-planet-is-destroyed-there-must-be-other-life/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“That is not how you do it; you do not solve one problem with another, greater problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/that-is-not-how-you-do-it-you-do-not-solve-one-problem-with-another/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [For each person there is a sentence—a series of words—which has the power to destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/for-each-person-there-is-a-sentence-a-series-of-words-which-has-the/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [I want to write about people I love, and put them into a fictional world spun out of my own mind, not the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-want-to-write-about-people-i-love-and-put-them-into-a-fictional/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [Why does a man cry? he wondered. Not like a woman; not for that. Not for sentiment. A man cries over the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/why-does-a-man-cry-he-wondered-not-like-a-woman-not-for-that-not-for/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The day came. The wrath descended. Sin, guilt, and retribution? The manic psychoses of those entities we referred to as states, institutions, systems -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-day-came-the-wrath-descended-sin-guilt-and-retribution-the-manic/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The church of my choice is the free, open world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/the-church-of-my-choice-is-the-free-open-world/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“I see,' Rick said. He felt numb. Completely. Throughout his entire body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/i-see-rick-said-he-felt-numb-completely-throughout-his-entire-body/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“What is identity? he asked himself. Where does the act end? Nobody knows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-is-identity-he-asked-himself-where-does-the-act-end-nobody-knows/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [You're killing yourself with cynicism. Your idols got taken away from you one by one and now you have nothing to give your love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/you-re-killing-yourself-with-cynicism-your-idols-got-taken-away-from/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [What scared me the most was when my father would put on the gasmask. His face would disappear... This was not a human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/what-scared-me-the-most-was-when-my-father-would-put-on-the-gasmask/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“A man is an angel that has become deranged, Joe Fernwright thought. Once they – all of them – had been genuine angels, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/a-man-is-an-angel-that-has-become-deranged-joe-fernwright-thought/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“When do I see a photograph, when a reflection?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/when-do-i-see-a-photograph-when-a-reflection/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [My major preoccupation is the question, 'What is reality?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/my-major-preoccupation-is-the-question-what-is-reality/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Explore all 489 Philip K. Dick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) ## More Ancient rome quotes > [“The truth is heavier than a sword.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/the-truth-is-heavier-than-a-sword/) [Naiyem Chowdhury Rony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naiyem-chowdhury-rony/) > [“What you seem so unwilling to accept, even now, is this: that the ideals which supported the old Republic had no correspondence to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/what-you-seem-so-unwilling-to-accept-even-now-is-this-that-the-ideals/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [“Governor Paetus...’ Lupus closed his eyes that we might not read the rage in them. ‘Governor Paetus has informed us that he will return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/governor-paetus-lupus-closed-his-eyes-that-we-might-not-read-the-rage/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [“Cum dignitate otium”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/cum-dignitate-otium/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“When you fear nothing, you have nothing to fear”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-f-chandler/when-you-fear-nothing-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) S.F. Chandler > [From food trucks to hot dog stands to county fair favorites, 'street food' has enjoyed a rich and storied history in American cuisine. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/from-food-trucks-to-hot-dog-stands-to-county-fair-favorites-street/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [“The hermit, without access to the news of the day, owes it to himself to be up to date on the doings of ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-tesson/the-hermit-without-access-to-the-news-of-the-day-owes-it-to-himself/) [Sylvain Tesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-tesson/) > [“Marcus woke again to find Sanga lying asleep on his bed, and he quietly climbed off his own mattress, standing still for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/marcus-woke-again-to-find-sanga-lying-asleep-on-his-bed-and-he/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [If we were living in ancient Rome or Greece, I would be considered sickly and unattractive. The times dictate that thin is better for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/if-we-were-living-in-ancient-rome-or-greece-i-would-be-considered/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [“Julius waited stone-faced as the other centurions scattered to their centuries, eager to make sure their men were ready for a forced march, none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-riches/julius-waited-stone-faced-as-the-other-centurions-scattered-to-their/) [Anthony Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-riches/) > [“It would have been easy to ask, then, ‘What of this Eagle?’, to have wheedled out of them all they knew: where it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-scott/it-would-have-been-easy-to-ask-then-what-of-this-eagle-to-have/) [M.C. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-scott/) > [ “My tongue tasted like a gladiator's jockstrap \[Marcus Corvinus after a night out\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wishart/my-tongue-tasted-like-a-gladiator-s-jockstrap-marcus-corvinus-after-a/) David Wishart > [I write about times and places I would visit in a time machine, like ancient Rome or the Wild West.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lawrence/i-write-about-times-and-places-i-would-visit-in-a-time-machine-like/) [Caroline Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lawrence/) > [I was born in England and went to school there. That's when I discovered my undying passion for history - not just for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/i-was-born-in-england-and-went-to-school-there-that-s-when-i/) [Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/) > [“The fervor and single-mindedness of this deification probably have no precedent in history. It's not like Duvalier or Assad passing the torch to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-fervor-and-single-mindedness-of-this-deification-probably-have-no/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 142 Ancient rome quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-rome/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once, in a cheap science fiction novel, Fat had come across a perfect description of the Black Iron Prison, but set in the far future. So if you superimposed the past (ancient Rome) over the present (California in the twentieth century) and superimposed the far future world of The Android Cried Me a River over that, you got the Empire, as the supra- or trans-temporal constant. 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