Monday, May 28, 2012

God Emperor of Dune – Entry #9


Now we come to the end of God Emperor of Dune.  Siona and Duncan conspire to kill Leto.  This is what Siona has been bred for but Duncan is in it to get Hwi back.  Duncan’s hate for Leto is deep and Duncan is able to separate the Worm from his Atreides roots.

As they develop their plan, Siona asks Duncan what the Fremen were like in his day.  He responds with an old Fremen saying: “You should never be in the company of anyone with whom you would not want to die” (God Emperor of Dune, p. 387).

During Leto’s approach to the trap which he does not directly sense, he has a bittersweet conversation with Hwi.  At one point, tears even come to his eyes even though water is painful to him.  I thought this commentary from him is often the prevailing perspective of humans, a perspective that stifles progress and progressive thinkers:

     “Most believe that a satisfactory future requires a return to an idealized past, a past which never in fact existed.”
(God Emperor of Dune, p. 390)

So often I hear people complain about the innovations of the day espousing the position that things were better before these innovations.  For example, I hear people complain that the younger generation somehow doesn’t know how to communicate with each other because communication is now predominantly done through electronic means.  But these innovations helped mobilize whole populations to effectively revolt against authority in a way that would have been impossible without these electronic means.  I think they are communicating just fine.

Shortly after this conversation with Hwi, Leto offers this lovely statement to Moneo:

     “There’s no reassuring ceiling over you, Moneo.  Only an open sky full of changes.  Welcome it.  Every sense you possess is an instrument for reacting to change.  Does that tell you nothing?”
(God Emperor of Dune, p. 405)

Yes!  It tells me that we (humans) are designed to adapt to change, we should welcome change!  I LOVE CHANGE!!!

In the end, I had such sympathy for Leto.  He was so tender and loving.  I did not see him as a tyrant … or at least no more of a tyrant than any parent must sometimes be to be a good parent although I must admit that punishments could be well beyond extreme.  I was mad at Siona’s callousness even while Leto was dying.  Leto, who was experiencing terrible pain and knew that Moneo and Hwi had both died in the attack, still did not spew anger at Siona.  And this is why:

     “He created a new kind of mimesis,” she [Siona] said, “a new biological imitation. He knew he had succeeded.  He could not see me in his futures.”

(God Emperor of Dune, p. 420)

Sunday, May 6, 2012

God Emperor of Dune – Entry #8


Meanwhile, back in the desert, more deep conversation between Leto and Siona is taking place.  Siona had weakened tremendously and she knew she would have to come to agreement with Leto or die.  Leto offered an interesting perspective on “agreement”:

     “The three legs of the agreement-tripod are desire, data and doubt.  Accuracy and honesty have little to do with it.”
     …
     “Desire brings the participants together.  Data sets the limits of their dialogue.  Doubt frames the questions.”
(God Emperor of Dune, p. 344)

Wow.  This puts a whole new light on agreements I make.  Considering I am a stickler for accuracy and a painfully honest person, I now see why reaching an agreement with me can sometimes be quite difficult!

Then another pearl of wisdom from Leto:

     “What do such machines really do?  They increase the number of things we can do without thinking.  Things we do without thinking – there's the real danger.  Look at how long you walked across the desert without thinking about your face mask.”
(God Emperor of Dune, p. 346)

Yes!  The machines themselves are not dangerous!  The danger is in using them without giving it a second thought, without considering any consequences.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

God Emperor of Dune – Entry #7


While Leto and Siona continue their way out of the jungle, Duncan cannot bear to be denied the forbidden fruit … Hwi.  Leto told him to stay away from her but Duncan was so taken in by her and she wanted Duncan too.

Moneo called both to his office to press upon them the importance of heeding Leto’s wishes.  I found this statement by Hwi during that conversation to resonate with me:

“My Uncle Malky always said the Lord Leto looked on prayer as attempted coercion, a form of violence against the chosen god, telling the immortal what to do: Give me a miracle, God, or I won’t believe in you!

(God Emperor of Dune, p. 338)