10 Comments
User's avatar
Naūno's avatar

I actually see much more of the colonialist/imperialist approach in Dune, and that remembers me the actual empires and colonizers, such as British empire or US empire. But, as a criticism on every state/war machine and hero mythology, Dune applies very well to ussr and Lenin, as well as to the whole movement of national identity that began with French revolution. Paul Atreides is not only Lenin, but JFK, Winston Churchill, Fidel Castro, Barack Obama, etc. Every leader painted as savior of something but actually slave to the logic of the empire. So funny that anyone nowadays links tyranny to ussr (frankly, a dead dog) as if it's the utmost example. It shows that american propaganda worked very well on american or americanized minds

Expand full comment
Michał Cieślik's avatar

I agree, to me the core of the criticism is the futility of using colonial tools in order to dismantle colonialism. While Paul only has good intentions for Arrakis, he has been groomed since childhood to be a colonial leader, taught how to exploit their populations for profit. He tries using the messiah myth to give rise to a revolution against colonialism, but instead he simply recreates it with different owners. His upbringing as a member of the owner class gave him the tools of power that he used to get into power, but these tools themselves cannot lead to the abolishment of the system. Aka, you can’t use colonialism to get rid of colonialism.

Expand full comment
Felix Futzbucker's avatar

God bless America

Expand full comment
Naūno's avatar

I’d say gods and goddesses bless the survivors of the violence and theft of every empire. Be it the native people of the Americas (which is not a country, surprisingly), the Palestinians, the citizens of former colonies all over the world.

Expand full comment
Konstantin Asimonov's avatar

Also, "Kwisatz Haderach" in mangled Hebrew is "a jump on the road", which sounds to me like a 5 year plan in 2 years.

Expand full comment
Felix Futzbucker's avatar

Let's not forget KGB and the Bene Gesserit: Both specialized in manipulation and gathering secrets. But the KGB never mastered the "Voice," they just used good old-fashioned blackmail.

Expand full comment
Konstantin Asimonov's avatar

KGBene Gesserit?

Expand full comment
Felix Futzbucker's avatar

Kwisatz Gesserit Bene

Expand full comment
Laggy's avatar

The main pic lollll

Expand full comment
Felix Futzbucker's avatar

indeed quite lmao

Expand full comment