Dune: The politics of religion, transportation, and intelligence

[Walt Starr]

I just watchedthe Sci-Fi channel's rendition of the Dune novel again (I'll re-read the novel again after I finish my current reading).

I was struck by the allegory and how timely the references to the use of religion in politics. Paul Muad Dib as Mahdi is so similar to how many leaders attempt to use religion to gain teh backing of their followers. Bush himself seemed to try and paint himself as messiah, and many of his followers treat him as if he's some mystical savior.

Coupling religion with the politics of transportation (spice = oil) and throwing in a dash of the politics of intelligence (Bene Gesserit truthsaying) and the entiore Dune story has applicaiton to our world today.

Or am I totally off base here?

[Ready4Change]

1. Dune was a strongly realized Universe, imo.

With clear power centers and interconnections between them. Paul "Maud Dibs" vision of those connections, and of his own nearing towards a major leverage point was interesting and, as you say, a merging between tech, politics and religion.

But I see different connection than you seem to suggest. While Maud Dib did use the religion factor in his favor, his power in that realm was, in the end, not a false claim. In addition to those mystical abilities was a keen understanding of the political realities of his universe, which allowed him to use his peoples resources to their best advantage. And he starts his true journey as a political underdog, albeit one with an aristocratic foundation.

Your analogy seems to suggest placing Bush in Pauls role. He doesn't fit. His actions do not follow the convictions of his religion. He appears to have a gravely disfunctional view of this universe, and he is wasting his peoples resources like non other before. And while he does have an aristocratic background, you'd be hard pressed to say he's an underdog.

Academically, I'd say a far better fit for Paul Atriedes today would be Osama. He is an underdog from an aristoratic family. He resides in, and is tied to, people who inhabit the lands from which the resource of ultimate power (oil) comes from, and he too is wrapped in that peoples religious cloth. (Legitimately or not.) He's kind of a desert nomad to boot.

I do love America. Which makes it hard for me to say that this Administration has really fit us to the role of House Harkonnen. But that's my view.

To me, Bush fits in as Beast Rabban, who was put into power by Baron Harkonnen (Dick Cheney, the real power player in my opinion.) But, as did Rabban, Bush has made a mess of everything he's controlled. Rumsfeld is a bit old for Feyd-Ruatha, but I'll put him there as the militant enforcer. And I see Rove making an excellent Piter De Vries.

Hey, this also works! Joseph Wilson fits in nicely as Liet-Kynes, the screwed over Imperial Planetologist assigned to Arrakis.

Do I say all this to claim that America is doomed, as was House Harkonnen? No. "Dune," although entertaining, is just a work of fiction. As such, it can maybe be used to gleen insight into our view of our own world. But we shouldn't take it so far as to consider it prophecy.

Just my .02

[Walt Starr]

2. Actually, no, I'm not putting Bush into Muad Dib's role

Bush is more of the Feyd Rautha role with respect to Iraq, or at least that was the role that was attempted for him. I see Bush Sr. as Vladimir Harkonnen and Saddam as Rabban.

If you recall, the idea was to make Feyd the savior after Rabban squeezed the people/ that plan was overthrown by the emergence of a real Mahdi instead of a fake one (i.s. Feyd Rautha).

No Muad Dib has truly emerged, although Muqtada al Sadr comes close.

[Ready4Change]

3. Ah, I assumed wrongly. n/t

[rickrok66]

4. I love the Dune Series

I read all the novels plus the Sci Fi series. The David Lynch version is good, but David Lynch is of course David Lynch.

My son and I tried to apply Dune to the current mess in "Iraqiss". I always felt that Saddam Hussein was the Baron Harkonnen and his sons were Fayd and the Beast Rabban. We (the Imperial Family) established Saddam's authority in the 1980s, when we helped them against their war with Iran (remember the picture with Rumsfeld shaking Saddam's hand).

The war in Iraq now is more like the Sardaukar (Coalition of the Willing) fighting the Fremen (insurgents) over control of the spice (oil). We are backed by the Mentats (neocons), the Spacing Guild (multinational corporations), and the Bene Gesserit (the religious right). You also have a large contributor to the Emperor's party - the Bene Tleilaxu (The Pharmaceutical Companies).

The Ixians are played by Microsoft - of course.

What is scary is that there might be a real Kwisatz Haderach out there and he probably won't be American.

[blindpig]

5. More SF wisdom:

From Samuel Delaney's Nova: Lorq van Ray's father explaining things, "The most important factor in our civilization is the cost of transportation."

From memory. That has always stuck with me and seems to be very true.