In the past week, I revisited Dune Part One which was released two years ago, and then continued with Dune Part Two. This has led to some new thoughts, which I would like to briefly record.

Religion, messiah, false prophet.

It is evident that Dune is a traditional story disguised in science fiction attire, with strong religious metaphors. The geography of Arrakis is strikingly similar to that of the Middle East. The clothing of the Fremen people has an Arabic style. Also includes Paul's Mahdi or messianic destiny. All of these suggest that the story of Dune bears a great resemblance to Islam/Judaism in real life.

However, the author cleverly dissects those religion. The faith that the Fremen people have unquestioningly passed down through generations is the result of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood's millennia-long plotting. The so-called messiah and saints are chosen through genetic manipulation and artificial selection.

Ironically, all parties involved in instigating this holy war use religion as a tool to achieve their own ends. The Bene Gesserit, as the founders of this religion, aim to cultivate a supreme ruler who embodies the culmination of certain bloodlines, and then to control a stable and long-lasting rule under him. The Fremen, seen as saints, are essentially a group born from oppression, embodying populism and militarism run amok. Paul, as the messiah, seeks to use the Fremen's power for revenge on one hand, and on the other, finds himself compelled to become a prophet. Caught in the whirlwind of militarism, he initiates wars, becoming the executioner he despises in his visions.

Broadly speaking, the essence of religion is a collective will moving in the same direction. Prophets yearning for a promised oasis represent religion, leaders longing for national revival represent religion, and the aspiration for a utopian society under communism is also a form of religion.

Therefore, religion is just a tool for deceiving, manipulating, and controlling people. Whether it's the clerics, the believers, or the prophets, none truly believe it. Instead, they perform for each other, become part of a mad theatrical drama, acting involuntarily and letting everything evolve into unpredictable chaos.

Feudalism, colonialism, slavery.

Another point I find very interesting is that stories like Dune, The Foundation and Star Wars all depict the distant future as seemingly regressive "feudal systems". In Dune there's even a feudal slavery system with characteristics of colonialism.

Of course, you might say that a simple and straightforward political system is the easiest for people to understand. People grow up hearing stories about princes and princesses. Feudalism can quickly establish a basic worldview without being too distasteful or perplexing to most people.

But I'd like to offer a slightly different perspective here. Why do we consider capitalism and even communism to be more advanced than feudal absolutism? According to a more general viewpoint, no system can operate indefinitely; they are merely in a cycle of establishment and collapse.

Indeed, according to the view of the author, as long as human society operates, there will be desires. Desires lead to opposition and division. No matter what the regime is called in the end, it always involves those with more power making decisions for those with less power. Heredity is ubiquitous; even if not passed down by blood, it will manifest in other forms.

Perhaps, given humanity's limited power, the stars are still too vast. Humans in the galaxy are like primitives in the rainforest. Although technology is advanced enough to break free from Earth. On the scale of the universe, human civilization is still quite primitive and humans remain a lower species that needs to consume blood and flesh. Therefore, it's not surprising that these seemingly regressive systems and regimes exist.

Technology, humanity, illusion.

Dune was written quite early, in the 1960s, right during the New Wave period. Before the New Wave movement, the world had just emerged from war, and rapid technological advancements brought about unprecedented prosperity and illusion. People were immersed in the illusions of hedonism, emptiness, drugs, and heavy metal.

It was during this period that the science fiction authors of the New Wave gradually shed the serious "scientific" shell and blindness of technological optimism. Starting to focus on how the development of industry and technology shapes the human psyche and society. More social science, psychology, and even philosophy were incorporated. Science fiction began to place greater emphasis on narrative, thoughtfulness, and experimentalism.

Perhaps many people are troubled by the unrealistic settings in the story and feel disappointed by the lack of "scientific". However, it should be understood that proposing a novel extra-terrestrial setting and making it self-consistent is easy. Making a novel extra-terrestrial setting serve as a basis for discussing the survival and development of human interstellar civilization millions of years later, under various social structures, is very difficult.

For us, living in the third decade of the 21st century, being accustomed to be exposed to various science fiction frameworks, looking back at works from 60 years ago and feeling both familiar and strange, is quite normal.

Audiovisuals, dialogue, future.

The last issue I want to mention is that, at the time of writing this article, Oppenheimer triumphed over Anatomy of a Fall and Killers of the Flower Moon to win the Academy Award. The former relies on stunning audio-visuals and real footage of atomic bomb explosions, as well as meaningful cinematography, to tell the story of Oppenheimer. The latter communicates its concepts through careful and rigorous dialogue, along with performances full of vitality and passion.

In my view, this seems like a collision of two different ways of thinking. Film is derived from drama, and drama originates from literature. According to traditional notions, dialogue and the performance of actors are the absolute core and foundation of a work.

However, with nearly a century of development in film art, movies can now rely on audio-visual language, immersive cinematography, and grandiose soundtracks to move audiences. Directors like Nolan and Villeneuve can convey a wealth of information and evoke resonance with just simple and vague narration, combined with epic shots.

Perhaps this is the future of cinema. Diversity with audiovisuals that transcend the text.

Forgive me, it is not my intention to suppress texts written with mind. It's just that I think what Nolan and Villeneuve are doing at the moment is a much clearer way forward.

Finally, very much looking forward to the release of the Dune sequel.