“Dune” serves as a cautionary tale about political leaders and their factions. Frank Herbert, the author of the science-fiction novel “Dune” from which a new blockbuster film is adapted, found inspiration for his story from watching ecologists plant grass to control encroaching sand dunes along the Oregon shore. The unintended consequences of this action led to a longing for the beauty of the dunes and regret for the impact on native flora and fauna.
One of the characters in “Dune” is a planetary ecologist who becomes overwhelmed by the natural processes he was trying to manipulate, reflecting on the persistent principles of the universe being accident and error. Despite initial rejection by publishers, “Dune” eventually became one of the best-selling and most influential science-fiction novels, with its influence even surfacing in “Star Wars”.
2024-03-14 10:12:21
Source from www.economist.com
