Some reflections on the conflicting reality of Dune

Some excerpts and phrases from Dune that go far beyond fiction

A few weeks ago, I finished reading Dune, a science fiction epic written by Frank Herbert in 1956. It's a read that I was really looking forward to, especially after the 2021 film adaptation, Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve.

Dune is a powerful and intelligent book. The complexity of its story, of each part of the development of the saga, immerses us in a conflicting and exciting reality. Equally well developed, each branch of the first book in the series (with a total of six books written by Frank Herbert and several additional ones by other authors) is treated critically: politics, ecology, religion, and concepts adopted by society.

It is for this reason that I separated some quotes from the first book that made me reflect beyond fiction and could fit into the present reality with criticism similar to that presented in the book.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

This is one of the best excerpts in the entire book in my opinion. Paul and Jessica are inside a sandstorm, in an ornithopter provided by Kynes. They had gone on an unexpected escape against the Sardaukar in a hideout that was an old ecological station of the Empire, which Duncan Idaho fought for their lives. Paul, who was with his clearly terrified mother Jessica, recited the response from the litany of a Bene Gesserit rite against fear that Jessica had taught him.

The quote says that if a person faces their fear, which is capable of killing them, of dragging them away little by little, they will look at their past and realize that they only see themselves. Because fear is not part of them. Fear is a dangerous impostor, and by eliminating it, the person will be true to themselves and this will wake them up, making them see their purpose.

I think we see this clearly during Paul's journey to discover himself and his true purposes about the Fremen, to Arrakis, and what has tormented him since the beginning, which he calls his “terrible purpose.” The future of all ramifications: politics, religion, exploration, the future of Arrakis.

“What do you despise? By this are you truly known.”

In the sentence chapter, Nefud, one of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen's lackeys, assures that Paul and Jessica are dead after they are seen diving in a thopter in a fatal desert storm. In this chapter, the baron shows his plans to Kynes, due to his distrust of the imperial official's true loyalty. There are also the cruelest plans for Thurfir Hawat, Duke Leto's former mentat, as the baron intends to hide the truth about what happened to the Atreides while exploiting the mentat's capabilities in favor of his plans.

The phrase says that you truly know someone when you understand what they cannot tolerate. Because it is what we consider unacceptable, which says about important traits of our opinions and personalities. Of course, it is also possible to make misinterpretations of what we find unacceptable, but it is up to each person to seek coherence and honesty in their self-assessment.

I believe that in the general context of the book, this graft from Muad Dib's Manual, by princess Irulan, represents more than the others, the Atreides. Duke Leto, and his actions to repair what the Harkonnens did, represent how much contempt for conduct can be a guide to knowing what someone or a legacy stands for.

In any case, the knowledge of the unacceptable of the intolerable (What the Harkonnen were and what they did), contributed to the Atreides' alliance with the Fremen. This guides Paul in all his decisions.

“The mind can go either direction under stress—toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training.”

In the context of this excerpt, the Bene Gesserit proverb is Jessica's thoughts about Paul and his adaptation. The two find themselves alone in the desert, with only what supplies and survival equipment provided to them, and Paul manages to have positive views about the place. “I discovered that I like the tranquility of this place,” says Paul, soon, Jessica realizes how Paul's mind is working, analyzing everything around him and possible futures, trying to find solutions.

The phrase talks about the reaction a person has when being in a tense situation. The mind can be prone to failure and then have a trance-like state, almost like unconsciousness, with fewer acts or limited visualizations. Or, the mind can visualize the real situation and work with it, analyze it, see the problems, advantages, and disadvantages, create a plan of action, consequences, and possible variables. It would be hyperawareness.

The ability to adapt is a tool for the positive side of the mind in the context of the sentence. It is the reaction of the mind subjected to tension that seeks stability, balance, or just the solution to problems. This reaction is linked to the training that the person receives, and of course, the training of the mind.

This also refers to Paul's relationship with his power and decisions at the beginning of the first book. At the moment he is still going through adaptation trials, especially due to his new and frantic hyper-consciousness emerging strongly and intensely, further refined with the mélange, present in every atom of that place.

“The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future.”

This is a chapter focused on the Harkonnen perspective, where Feyd-Rautha performs an arena battle for a visit from one of the emperor's representatives. Count Feering and his wife visit the Harkonnens, leaving some open questions regarding the emperor's true plans for the house and also the objectives of the Bene Gesserit, due to the conversations about protecting bloodlines that took place between the count and his wife.

Now about the phrase, she states that the idea of ​​progress is a defense mechanism for human beings so that their days have purposes and justifications. Constant work and dedication, with the idea that we develop more and more every day, surpassing goals and progressing in a positive way to continue our lives. Progress is a mechanism that postpones the idea of ​​death, described as the horrors of the future. This is linked to what human beings seek to fulfill daily: the notion of belonging usefulness, and purpose.

It would be interesting to reflect on the purposes of the important groups in Dune. The Fremen have purposes with Arrakis that carry generations and generations, the imminent fear of death would be of no use, since what they seek needs to be passed on so that it can be consolidated one day. Even Baron Harkonnen had plans for his nephew Feyd-Rautha, and knew that his goals would take years, and would continue after his death.

“My father once told me that respect for truth comes close to being the basis for all morality. 'Something cannot emerge from nothing,' he said. This is profound thinking if you understand how unstable 'the truth' can be.”

In this context, we have a new narrative perspective. Duke Leto's surviving soldiers, led by Gurney Halleck, are with the Fremen. And, despite being a tense meeting, full of difficulties linked to cultural differences, the groups have the key factor for a relationship to be established: their hatred for Harkonnen and what they had gone through and lost because of them.

Now, regarding the quote in question, it takes me back to the studies of history and its application. A critical view is observed in various contexts and excerpts of the book. His lesson is simple, respect for truth is the science that things go through construction, contexts, and consequences followed by a timeline. In other words, respect for truth is respect for history and its fickleness.

History is neither absolute nor immutable. After all, history is about knowledge of the past. The process of building this knowledge is complex and has undergone progress and changes, not just one stage or another. It's not just about writing down a report and understanding it as true, or following clues and deducing events without investigation. There is variety in the source, there are analysis and investigation processes to study the available material, and there is always more to understand or discover that can change what already exists or is already understood as fact.

Therefore, things do not exist out of nowhere. The knowledge we have exists because it was discovered, and investigated. And respect for the mutability of truth defines what rules a given group will follow, and whether that group really respects the truth or just shapes it in its favor.

We see this in several contexts throughout the book, when Paul and his mother find out more about the Fremen, when the Emperor's true goals regarding the Atreides and the greater houses are revealed, etc. All this is around the objectives defined based on the individual “truth” followed by each of these groups.

“Greatness is a transitory experience. It is never consistent. It depends in part upon the myth-making imagination of humankind. The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in. He must reflect what is projected upon him. And he must have a strong sense of the sardonic. This is what uncouples him from belief in his own pretensions. The sardonic is all that permits him to move within himself. Without this quality, even occasional greatness will destroy a man.”

For the last quote I reserved, in this chapter, there is an important dinner for the Atreides on Arrakis. Duke Leto is the host of a banquet for varied people, each with relevant roles in the desert. Dinner is strategic to show the position of the Atreides and get to know possible allies or enemies. A notable act of the Duke in this chapter is the break with the tradition of wasting water implemented by the Harkonnens. “The custom ends here.”

The excerpt states that greatness is not something consistent, but is nurtured and established for someone, as part of a dominant role related to the creations and beliefs of a society. The person who is given the role of being the one with greatness takes on the role of feeding beliefs and myths, as consistent greatness is unrealistic. And when you understand this, you also understand what you must reflect on and do to be aligned with your role. Therefore it would be a sarcastic approach by the individual's science of the separation of his greatness and his interior, by his myth, having chosen the path of feeding it.

Paul understands the weight and responsibility that falls on him as Lisan al-Gaib's role is consolidated for the Fremen as the book progresses. At certain moments, especially at the end, he regrets that his true friends were becoming admirers, but he continues with his decisions for his purpose. This proves Paul's awareness of the Fremen's faith and what he should project, and also the differences between the figure of Lisan al-Gaib and Duke Paul Atreides.

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These were just a few of the many excerpts and phrases present in the book, which opened my perception beyond the fictional world of Dune. These are intelligent reflections and criticisms, applicable not only in the book. There's so much more to Dune to explore, and more lines to discuss, but these were my favorites and worth noting. The entire book is noteworthy.

Finally, I believe that the reading experience of being able to read something that opens your mind to new perceptions is the best for those who seek answers in words. Dune is an exciting and brilliant book from different perspectives, and by far one of my favorite reads at the moment.