We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

We Are Legion (We Are Bob) redefines humanity by separating identity from the physical body, arguing that consciousness, memory, and emotional capacity are the true markers of the self. The novel presents a narrative in which the protagonist is stripped of his biological form to explore what remains, suggesting that identity is not a static state but a fluid product of continuous experience. When Bob awakens as a “replicant,” he is told he is a “computer program that thinks it’s Robert Johansson” (16), triggering an existential crisis. One of his initial steps toward reclaiming his identity and agency is the creation of a virtual reality environment, which allows him to simulate sensory experiences and feel grounded in a tangible, albeit artificial, body. This act demonstrates Bob’s consciousness striving for a form to anchor its existence, implying that the vessel is secondary to the mind it contains.

The novel deepens this exploration by linking humanity to emotional growth. Initially, Bob’s feelings are suppressed by “endocrine simulation routines” (21) that prevent panic but also deny him genuine emotion, such as the ability to mourn everything he has lost by awakening more than a century in the future.