It is never a good idea to bring emotions into a workplace as it stirs up trouble and creates an uncomfortable atmosphere. Case, Molly, Armitage, and others in their line of work barely show any emotions in the novel. Are they keeping their jobs strictly platonic or do the simply suffer from a lack of emotion?
In Neuromancer, little emotion, or any at all, is shown after an injury or murder on the job. They may be used to witnessing death or are unable to express their sadness. Case admits that he “had always taken it for granted that the real bosses, the kingpins in a given industry, would be both more and less than people” (Gibson 203). The people in Case’s industry live cold and unaffected lives, riding themselves of typical human qualities. Ashpool even compares this lack of sentiment to an “imitation of autism” (185).
It is undeniable that Case and Molly maintain a sexual relationship while simultaneously taking down the enemy. However, do they truly care about one another? When Maelcum asks Case, “She you woman, Case?” Case responds, “I dunno. Nobody’s woman, maybe” (192). He feels no emotional attatchment to Molly regardless of the fact that they spend all their time with each other or in contact and are having sex. In their emotionless world, they are incapable of preserving a modern day passionate relationship.
Laughing, crying, loving, hating- all emotions humans regularly experience. Case screams when Molly gets hurt, but is that just a human reflex uncontrolled by emotions? Is he just speaking meaningless words when Case claims he despises Wintermute but then trusts the AI’s directions? Molly rarely cries since her surgery to relocate her tear ducts so she instead spits- an emotionless act. The characters in the novel work together but never create bonds or put their feelings on display. Are they simply trying to keep work strictly work, or are they wired specifically to feel nothing?
In Gibson’s imagined future, where everyone has been altered and enhanced by surgeries, it makes one wonder whether these procedures are extracting all emotions and creating a world of robots.
This is so true Rebecca. The idea of no emotion or feeling becomes apparent in almost every scene. Many of the characters, even the ones who claim to be “partners” do not express genuine concern and care for each other. I feel that these characters, like machines, can only operate in two extremes. They are either active or dormant. Most times they take pride in exploiting each other’s weakness because they know that they would not be responsible for the emotion of guilt or remorse. This lack of emotion starts from a lack of conscience, like you have said. Their ways and actions become too mechanical, too methodical, logically formulated. And Gibson is hinting at the greater problem of a world solely dependent on technology.
Yet it seems when Molly’s life is at risk, and admits afterwards that she doesn’t think she was going to make it out, she shows real emotion. In this moment, Molly tells the story of her first love, Johnny, who Case reminds her of. This also seems like the first time that Molly has shown something beyond a playful physical attachment to Case. However, in her story Johnny was murdered because of their job. It seems as a result of this, Molly had emotionally hardened up until now. Thus, the lack of emotion in many of these characters could be linked to the lessons learned in dealing with dangerous “biz” their involved in.