NP: Dune again, white dudes-- and others. Not Others.

[Ian Livingston]

How about the way by which we arrive at the great insight that all these metaphors are true metaphors? 

Maybe they represent to the cognitive function of the mind subjective experiences of the central nervous system that are also subjective experiences that occur in the very similar central nervous systems of other Homo sapiens, producing similar (not identical) cognitive responses. Perhaps those cognitive responses are different subjective interpretations given general shape by way of social and cultural milieux. 

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> On Oct 27, 2021, at 7:51 AM, Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:
> 
> Great article. Saying similar things myself but I was less articulate, less filled out than this.I sense we are in basic agreement that Herbert’s intentions as a writer got subverted by 2 things:1) too much attention to the machiavellian  maneuverings of the Empire,House Atraides  and the godlike messianic powers of Paul A,  with little serious development or nuance or internal divisions in the Fremen culture. and 2) too binary a conflict (messiahs lead to wars- really what about buddhism) with no 3rd option. As I said earlier I think killing the ecologist off was a big mistake as he could have represented a 3rd way. War is never ecologically friendly, and future heavens are piss poor substitutes for milk and honey now.
> 
> I do not think the original reception of Dune was as nuanced or provocative as Herbert intended. I think a lot of the novel’s popularity revolved around fantasies of revenge against imperial violence toward justice and the earth, and the idea that psychedelics might be a liberating force that would free individuals and society to a higher destiny. 
> The dark side of messianic powers was not what I remember people talking about, and in fact this was a heyday of Jesus People and other cults. 
> 
> There is an appeal of being at the center of a great mystery hinging on your personal destiny that is seductive to the ego and dangerous , just as there is an appeal to disappearing safely into the peace of enlightened non-attachment that can be more like asleep than awake. Is there at least a 3rd way?
> 
> 
>> On Oct 27, 2021, at 9:28 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> https://slate.com/culture/2021/10/dune-2021-movie-vs-book-white-savior-islam.html
>> --
>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> 
> 
> 
> 
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