The 7 levels of meaning in Frank Herbert's DUNE

[yabbadabbadoo]

what a criminally underappreciated channel. I am of course a Dune fan and discovered this video as a result, but will be checking out the catalogue of previous videos. Thank you for the thought provoking content, Damien.

[Jamesbrown]

Great video and insightful analysis. For me one of the most incredible themes of the Dune series is the influence that Jung's ideas had on the concept of ancestral memories, the battle of multiple personas within the individual creating compartmentalised and conflicting actions

[CitizenScott]

Herbert saw ecology as "the science of understanding consequences." This is why every single aspect at every single level of the story is so complex. He basically hacked causality.

[a.m.holmes]

Great analysis of Dune!😊 I liked how you broke it down. Having read the original Frank Herbert books I can agree with most of your analysis, with one exception: how Arrakis as a planet interacted with the life that live on it. Many times Herbert speaks of how Dune shaped the Fremen. It is also spoken how life, the worms, shaped the planet. A balanced dance where one leads the other. Tip the scales and you have chaos. The empire had a similar balance in the CHOAM, the Landsraad, and emperor. Paul upset that balance and Leto II spent a millennium to correct.

[megamondocane]

Damien Walter you are GREAT! I'm glad to discover you. Thank you so much for the profound explanation you did here.Best wishes for you from Bucharest, Romania. Costin

[AlejandroMadrid-tngp]

I thought the TV adaptation was more than just okayy. I have read all 6 books like 7 times, maybe more. It was a great series and the actors really did a great job. And it is far beyond Star Wars. It is a great study in politics.

[valeriy]

I think another nod to Foundation was in Children of Dune when a teacher is mentioned who tries to understand Paul's prophetic ability through mathematics, as in Hari Seldon's Pyscho-history.

[Jonathan-ugyu]

Actually I think you’ll find Game of Thrones doesn’t have seven seasons.
The show ran for four of the best seasons of television ever depicted and then mysteriously stopped.

[Andre-pcot]

Just to say that Joseph Campbell wrote about the Hero’s Journey, Carl Jung first wrote about the Hero Archetype as an unconscious process we are all subjected to. This, I think, is an explanation for why it looks Frank Herbert wrote about in “hero’s journey” terms…

[drewdevlin]

and the 8th level, a warning against following the charismatic messiah

[rijkersmith]

I'm from the future. Dune was a masterpiece. Robbed at Oscars

[pynkfreud]

Yes, Herbert states clearly in a televised interview that he was "deep into" Carl Jung as he wrote. Reading Dune for the first time 55 years ago I sensed this psychological depth in Herbert's writing, and now having been a psychologist for 35 years, and deeply influenced by Jung, I can see his ideas woven into the complete fabric of the Dune world. I don't have the time to describe these many layers now, but I will say how powerful it was to encounter the Dark Feminine, as exemplified by the Bene Gesserit, which was somewhat courageous on Herbert's part--in a world that wants only a Beatific Mary, who has no Shadow.

[archemidiate]

Brilliant overview and analysis, as well as choice of venue, sir

[Hayny]

I know nothing about Dune and just wanted to find out if it was a story that I would like, and you pulled me in instantly!
I love the way you talk and how you approached the different topics in this video. So glad I found your channel

[bastabey]

your text intro is superb


The ancient Greeks divided culture into 2 halves.

The Mythos was the stories. Of Gods and monsters and heroes of old.

The Logos was the knowledge. The logic, reason and facts of the matter.

Science fiction is unique because it joins Logos with Mythos.

Science. With fiction.

The great works of science fiction…Asimov’s Foundation saga, Le Guin’s Hainish cycle, Gibson’s Sprawl trilogy, every single book by Octavia Butler, the works of Delany, Atwood, Heinlein, Banks, Stephenson…

…and a relatively short list of true science fiction greats, are great because they unify high concepts with narrative craft to create stories that both Inform and Transform us as readers.

There is none greater than Frank Herbert’s DUNE. In this video essay made as part of my course Writing the 21st Century Myth I analyse the 7 levels of meaning in DUNE to understand its enduring power as a work of science fiction.

[JamesSmith-hwtl]

Excellent analysis. Concise. High hopes for Villeneuve's adaptation.

[bushidotenshi]

What a great video, besides the content and analysis, very appreciated the way it's filmed and edited. Thank you

[joshcrow]

My universe has aligned and brought me to this channel. Your masterpiece on the allegory and meaning of Blade Runner 2049 pulled the algorithm my way and I watched that first, and now having watched this video essay on Dune, I know I'm amongst my tribe. Joined the FB group and subbed to the podcast, I will be supporting this channel. Excited to be here with you all. Outstanding work and insights, Damien. And also superb additions to the conversation from others in the comments. I hope to contribute as well in the future. Top shelf intelligent discussion and commentary are a very welcome find. Another oasis in the desert of the real.

[shanebruce]

Interesting the Buddhist and other Asian imagery and Tibetan bells in the soundtrack, whilst discussing the Catholic and Islamic influence on Frank Herbert's work. The barefoot sage image fits you man - it's very enticing....

[mandelbratwurst]

_Ruqya_ is “killing words” from the Quran that are used to kill rebellious jinn. Such an amazing translation of an everyday practice converted into fictional technology.