The newest cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune has taken the world by storm, with a sequel delving into the second half of the book already greenlit. The first part told in this film is already vast in scope and world-building, with director Denis Villeneuve crafting a unique glimpse into a whole new universe that he still only scratches the surface of. It is a vibrant vision though a focused one that makes sparing use of exposition in order to prioritize the story. Still, there are some questions that have since arisen.
One of said outstanding questions: In a world full of advanced technology and the ability to travel through space, why isn’t anyone using a computer? You’ll notice that Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides learns about the planet of Arrakis through a more lo-fi projector as opposed to a typical screen that we would be familiar with. So why the absence of technology? The answer requires a deep dive into the lore of Herbert’s universe that spans thousands of years, looking at the repercussions of actions that stem from long before Paul was even born.
Approximately 10,000 years before the events of the film, humanity did actuallysomething resembling computers. Known as “thinking machines,” they were created with the intention of improving the quality of life for those who used them. The desire for creating a technological utopia backfired and led to the Butlerian Jihad where humanity chose to destroy all the technology. The machines began to evolve into artificial intelligence, raising an existential question about whether such technology may forever alter, and even replace, humanity.
This is the literal, narrative reason for the purging of any use of the machines: People in this world felt an overreliance on such technology that inevitably changed how society functioned for the worse. A tool such as a computer is more than just something we use without being impacted by it; it has the ability to change the way we think and engage with each other. The fear about this technology wasn’t a universal one; many thought the machines could be used for good. However, the group with concerns about how people could be impacted if the technology were allowed to proliferate won out, and that led to the removal of any use of them forever.
To get into these ideological differences requires a deeper analysis and reflection on how technology has the capacity to change much about us. It can change how we think and process information, altering the very fabric of who we are. One only needs to look at the way computers have changed the way our own world functions, hurling the established order of the status quo into a new future with all the good and bad that comes with it. The push to remove this aspect of life in Dune gave rise to a completely different structure of the world.
This includes the rise of several different aspects of the story that essentially replaced what technological advances were excised from society. Stephen McKinley Henderson’s Thufir Hawat is what is known as a “mentat,” a role that was explicitly developed to be a human computer to replace the thinking machines. This is also true of the Bene Gesserit order, a mystical and mysterious group that includes Paul’s mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), which have access to memories of history that allow them to tap into the stories of the past similar in a way to a computer does.
Of course, Villeneuve could have changed the way the world functions. Adaptations frequently make changes and bring in additional elements that weren’t there before. The explanation about why there are no computers within the lore of the story could be changed and taken in a new direction had that been the director’s intention to do so. However, it may have angered fans of the book and raised some questions because the story's lack of much technology is what makes it unique and distinct from other stories of the science fiction genre. It makes the story better, more engaging, and more intriguing when characters aren’t relying on technology. There aren’t numerous sequences of characters flatly staring at a screen to discuss details. Instead, scenes are made much more dynamic and interesting when focused on the people themselves as they talk with each other to address problems.
For Dune to suddenly have computers as a key part of the universe would change its core on a plot level as well. When Paul finds himself trapped with his mother in the desert after narrowly escaping certain death, it creates genuine stakes that they may die. If the technology of computers still existed in the world, Paul could’ve pulled out a device to try to map out a course to safety or attempt to reach someone via some sort of video call. However, that wouldthe look and feel of the story. The stripped back and simple world feels more feudal in nature, almost existing as a fantasy film that disguises itself as science fiction. Characters must use their wits and knowledge to navigate the harsh landscape as opposed to relying on technology to get them out of the many predicaments thrown at them.
That is what separates Herbert’s writing from many other science fiction stories. The choice to focus on the people of the world and minimize the influence of technology makes for a story with more humble, focused intentions. In doing so, Herbert, and by extension Villeneuve, creates an interesting juxtaposition between the wonders of science fiction with the central pitfalls of the human experience. When you pull back all the flashy gadgets and gizmos, what remains is a story that deconstructs the moving parts of a kid who finds himself on a hero’s journey. It is that journey that will be further taken apart and given room to breathe as the story continues onwards.
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-Chase Hutchinson
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