This will turn into an essay on archetypal themes of cultural and physical speciation within the 6 canonical Frank Herbert Dune books; markers of early transhumanist philosophy, which is the quest to enhance life and liberty through speciation, that is what the Dune saga is about. The themes involve strategies for:
Herbert was a philosopher, a keen observer of the human condition, but above all, he was a teacher who obviously delighted in just placing dots and letting the reader fill in the picture. The picture was 3D, layered, from simple insight to deeply reflective description of historical patterns. Nothing was given away, everything had to be reached for, and even then, as he repeatedly said, words failed; what he pointed at was wordless, like Karl Jaspers’ “ciphers” or Michael Polanyi’s “tacit knowledge.”
He wrote as a fabric, with a warp and a weft, weaving a coherent pattern over 20 years, no one section recognizable as being a part of something greater, but with recurrent themes stretched out over a remarkably long number of pages, much like the Dance of Propitiation in Heretics of Dune.
So much was basic story-telling to keep the reader’s interest in the ordinary and recognizable lives and environment of the characters, but this served the purpose of ‘junk DNA’, it was filler on one level, but helped give meaning to the cogent points embodied in the ‘prime DNA’, the real diamonds of lessons learned from history. His life work embodied his original test of what it was to be human, as chronicled in the very beginning of the first book Dune.
- indefinite longevity,
- species genetic maturation,
- cultural engineering,
- technological saltation,
- holistic tribal ecology,
- the strenuousness of extropic life,
- deep camouflage and
- becoming a living mirror of the universe.
Herbert was a philosopher, a keen observer of the human condition, but above all, he was a teacher who obviously delighted in just placing dots and letting the reader fill in the picture. The picture was 3D, layered, from simple insight to deeply reflective description of historical patterns. Nothing was given away, everything had to be reached for, and even then, as he repeatedly said, words failed; what he pointed at was wordless, like Karl Jaspers’ “ciphers” or Michael Polanyi’s “tacit knowledge.”
He wrote as a fabric, with a warp and a weft, weaving a coherent pattern over 20 years, no one section recognizable as being a part of something greater, but with recurrent themes stretched out over a remarkably long number of pages, much like the Dance of Propitiation in Heretics of Dune.
So much was basic story-telling to keep the reader’s interest in the ordinary and recognizable lives and environment of the characters, but this served the purpose of ‘junk DNA’, it was filler on one level, but helped give meaning to the cogent points embodied in the ‘prime DNA’, the real diamonds of lessons learned from history. His life work embodied his original test of what it was to be human, as chronicled in the very beginning of the first book Dune.
Dune Quotations
“Let us not rail about justice as long as we have arms and the freedom to use them.” D pg. 94
“Mankind has only one science. It’s the science of discontent.” D pg. 338
“It came to him that he was surrounded by a way of life that could only be understood by postulating an ecology of ideas and values.” D pg. 356
“Once, they’d been guided by an artificial intelligence, computer brains. The Butlerian Jihad had ended that, but it hadn’t ended the aura of aristocratic vice which enclosed such things.” DM pg. 94
“No matter how exotic human civilization becomes, no matter the developments of life and society nor the complexity of the machine/human interface, there always come interludes of lonely power when the course of humankind, the very future of humankind, depends upon the relatively simple actions of single individuals.” DM pg. 162
“The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: ‘I feed on your energy.’” DM pg. 184
“If you need something to worship, then worship life‚- all life, every last crawling bit of it! We’re all in this beauty together!” DM pg. 232
“The forbidden seepage of technological development which came from the edges of humankind’s farthest migrations nibbled at the central power.” CoD pg. 107
“A large populace held in check by a small but powerful force is quite a common situation in our universe. And we know the major conditions wherein this large populace may turn upon its keepers - One: when they find a leader. This is the most volatile threat to the powerful; they must retain control of the leaders. Two: When the populace recognizes its chains. Keep the populace blind and unquestioning. Three: When the populace perceives a hope of escape from bondage. They must never even believe that escape is possible.” CoD pg. 108
“A feint within a feint within a feint within a feint.... We all know the accepted pattern of attack on power.” CoD pg. 140
“Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class - whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.” CoD pg. 190
“Peace has only one meaning in this Imperium. It’s the maintenance of a single way of life. You are commanded to be contented. Life must be uniform on all planets as it is in the Imperial Government.” CoD pg. 270
“The trouble with peace is that it tends to punish mistakes instead of rewarding brilliance.” CoD pg. 295
“The people had the attitude of a subject population, not the attitude of free men. They were defensive, concealing, evasive. Any manifestation of authority was subject to resentment - any authority.” CoD pg. 358
“The Army fostered technology because the power of machines appeared so obvious to the shortsighted.... Still, the Army worships at the shrine of such things‚ - both fascinated and fearful.... In its guts, the Army knows it is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It unleashes technology and never again can the magic be stuffed back into the bottle.” GEoD pg. 42
“Technology breeds anarchy. It distributes these tools at random. And with them goes the provocation for violence. The ability to make and use savage destroyers falls inevitably into the hands of smaller and smaller groups until at last the group is a single individual.” GEoD pg. 42
“Unceasing warfare gives rise to its own social conditions which have been similar in all epochs. People enter a permanent state of alertness to ward off attacks. You see the absolute rule of the autocrat. All new things become dangerous frontier districts‚ - new planets, new economic areas to exploit, new ideas or new devices, visitors‚ - everything suspect. Feudalism takes firm hold, sometimes disguised as a politbureau or similar structure, but always present. Hereditary succession follows the lines of power. The blood of the powerful dominates. The vice regents of heaven or their equivalent apportion the wealth.” GEoD pg. 116
“Most civilization is based on cowardice. It’s so easy to civilize by teaching cowardice. You water down the standards which would lead to bravery. You restrain the will. You regulate the appetites. You fence the horizons. You make a law for every moment. You deny the existence of chaos. You teach the children to breathe slowly. You tame.” GEoD pg. 366
“Without anguish of the spirit, which is a wordless experience, there are no meanings anywhere.” GEoD pg. 380
“Liberty and Freedom are complex concepts. These ideals owe their very existence to past examples of oppression. And the forces that maintain such ideas will erode unless renewed by dramatic teaching or new oppressions.” HoD pg. 199
“Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvement always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?” HoD pg. 222
“You seldom learn the names of the truly wealthy and powerful. You see only their spokesmen. The political arena makes a few exceptions to this but does not reveal the full power structure.” HoD pg. 477
“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.” ChD pg. 68
“Who gets the credit? Who will be blamed if it causes problems? Will it shift the power structure, costing us jobs? Or will it make some subsidiary department more important? These are political questions. They demonstrate how motives of bureaucracy are directly opposed to the need for adapting to change. Adaptability is a prime requirement for life to survive. Creative anarchy is the path to survival in this universe.” ChD pg. 384
“There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.” ChD pg. 453
Bibliography
©2011-2021 Reilly Jones - All Rights Reserved
“Mankind has only one science. It’s the science of discontent.” D pg. 338
“It came to him that he was surrounded by a way of life that could only be understood by postulating an ecology of ideas and values.” D pg. 356
“Once, they’d been guided by an artificial intelligence, computer brains. The Butlerian Jihad had ended that, but it hadn’t ended the aura of aristocratic vice which enclosed such things.” DM pg. 94
“No matter how exotic human civilization becomes, no matter the developments of life and society nor the complexity of the machine/human interface, there always come interludes of lonely power when the course of humankind, the very future of humankind, depends upon the relatively simple actions of single individuals.” DM pg. 162
“The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: ‘I feed on your energy.’” DM pg. 184
“If you need something to worship, then worship life‚- all life, every last crawling bit of it! We’re all in this beauty together!” DM pg. 232
“The forbidden seepage of technological development which came from the edges of humankind’s farthest migrations nibbled at the central power.” CoD pg. 107
“A large populace held in check by a small but powerful force is quite a common situation in our universe. And we know the major conditions wherein this large populace may turn upon its keepers - One: when they find a leader. This is the most volatile threat to the powerful; they must retain control of the leaders. Two: When the populace recognizes its chains. Keep the populace blind and unquestioning. Three: When the populace perceives a hope of escape from bondage. They must never even believe that escape is possible.” CoD pg. 108
“A feint within a feint within a feint within a feint.... We all know the accepted pattern of attack on power.” CoD pg. 140
“Governments, if they endure, always tend increasingly toward aristocratic forms. No government in history has been known to evade this pattern. And as the aristocracy develops, government tends more and more to act exclusively in the interests of the ruling class - whether that class be hereditary royalty, oligarchs of financial empires, or entrenched bureaucracy.” CoD pg. 190
“Peace has only one meaning in this Imperium. It’s the maintenance of a single way of life. You are commanded to be contented. Life must be uniform on all planets as it is in the Imperial Government.” CoD pg. 270
“The trouble with peace is that it tends to punish mistakes instead of rewarding brilliance.” CoD pg. 295
“The people had the attitude of a subject population, not the attitude of free men. They were defensive, concealing, evasive. Any manifestation of authority was subject to resentment - any authority.” CoD pg. 358
“The Army fostered technology because the power of machines appeared so obvious to the shortsighted.... Still, the Army worships at the shrine of such things‚ - both fascinated and fearful.... In its guts, the Army knows it is the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It unleashes technology and never again can the magic be stuffed back into the bottle.” GEoD pg. 42
“Technology breeds anarchy. It distributes these tools at random. And with them goes the provocation for violence. The ability to make and use savage destroyers falls inevitably into the hands of smaller and smaller groups until at last the group is a single individual.” GEoD pg. 42
“Unceasing warfare gives rise to its own social conditions which have been similar in all epochs. People enter a permanent state of alertness to ward off attacks. You see the absolute rule of the autocrat. All new things become dangerous frontier districts‚ - new planets, new economic areas to exploit, new ideas or new devices, visitors‚ - everything suspect. Feudalism takes firm hold, sometimes disguised as a politbureau or similar structure, but always present. Hereditary succession follows the lines of power. The blood of the powerful dominates. The vice regents of heaven or their equivalent apportion the wealth.” GEoD pg. 116
“Most civilization is based on cowardice. It’s so easy to civilize by teaching cowardice. You water down the standards which would lead to bravery. You restrain the will. You regulate the appetites. You fence the horizons. You make a law for every moment. You deny the existence of chaos. You teach the children to breathe slowly. You tame.” GEoD pg. 366
“Without anguish of the spirit, which is a wordless experience, there are no meanings anywhere.” GEoD pg. 380
“Liberty and Freedom are complex concepts. These ideals owe their very existence to past examples of oppression. And the forces that maintain such ideas will erode unless renewed by dramatic teaching or new oppressions.” HoD pg. 199
“Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvement always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?” HoD pg. 222
“You seldom learn the names of the truly wealthy and powerful. You see only their spokesmen. The political arena makes a few exceptions to this but does not reveal the full power structure.” HoD pg. 477
“All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible.” ChD pg. 68
“Who gets the credit? Who will be blamed if it causes problems? Will it shift the power structure, costing us jobs? Or will it make some subsidiary department more important? These are political questions. They demonstrate how motives of bureaucracy are directly opposed to the need for adapting to change. Adaptability is a prime requirement for life to survive. Creative anarchy is the path to survival in this universe.” ChD pg. 384
“There’s no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves.” ChD pg. 453
Bibliography
- Herbert, Frank. Dune. New York: Ace Books, 1965. D
- Herbert, Frank. Dune Messiah. New York: Berkley Books, 1969. DM
- Herbert, Frank. Children of Dune. New York: Berkley Books, 1976. CoD
- Herbert, Frank. God Emperor of Dune. New York: Berkley Books, 1981. GEoD
- Herbert, Frank. Heretics of Dune. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1984. HoD
- Herbert, Frank. Chapterhouse: Dune. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1985. ChD
©2011-2021 Reilly Jones - All Rights Reserved