Paul Atreides’ messianic transformation is a warning against the cult of personality.
“Dune: Part Two” has a multitude of attributes: stunning cinematography, stellar performances, and original supernatural music, among others. But, above all, it comes to us extraordinarily closely.
As the nearly three-hour film draws to a close, we witness a transformation as Paul Atreides (Timothéé Chalamet), our protagonist, transforms overnight into a power-hungry Messiah.
For lifelong enthusiasts of Frank Herbert’s 1965 trilogy, this comes as no surprise, yet I, along with the rest of my audience in the theater, let go of a gasp as we watched the film’s presumed hero turn into its biggest monster. What follows is the imminent end of the intergalactic movie. war and blind faith.
The world of “Dune: Part Two” isn’t all that different from our own: Arrakis is experiencing increasing tensions over territory and resources, famine, exploitation, and poverty. This is a time of immense crisis; A time when other people are desperate for hope, the only thing that can keep them alive. Place a charismatic figure in a moment of crisis, yes, even a figure named Paul, and you have a Messiah.
The World Food Programme estimates that more than 309 million people worldwide will face acute degrees of food distrust in 2023; War is a reality, it is fought over territories, resources and ideologies all over the world. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, countries are experiencing a global recession. Arrakis is not that far from our lives.
This is where the cult of personality emerges, everything that is limited to a single point of view of the political spectrum.
In 2019, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez affected many, with outlets such as Columbia Journalism Review noting that the United States had not noticed a political figure as “visually intelligent” and “charismatic” as it had since Barack Obama. With millions of fans on X and 8. 2 million on Instagram, AOC has achieved untouchable celebrity status.
The MP has even introduced a sales line with slogans such as “Taxing the rich”, which experts say takes advantage of his fame. That fame has prevented a constructive assessment of Ocasio-Cortez: To her fans, she’s a superhero; On the other hand, she is a radical villain.
But of course, nothing compares to the cult of former President Donald Trump.
Personality cults are characterized by patriotism, mass demonstrations, idealization, and distortion of truth; January 6 was the ultimate manifestation of this.
In fact, Trump’s cult of personality has grown so large that he himself has the ideology.
Trumpism, which encompasses a diversity of right-wing ideologies in addition to domestic conservatism and neo-fascism, and which is born out of the former president’s polarizing rhetoric and policies, has long prevailed, even after his second impeachment trial in 2021.
This idolatry of other people in the political workplace is not unique to the United States; Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, known for his cult, and some believe it was a “divine appointment” to combat emerging crime in the country. Joko Widodo from Indonesia, who entered the scene as an “outsider,” temporarily gained an audience of enthusiasts who came up with the boy from Surakarta. It may just not do anything wrong.
It is not a crime to appreciate or accept the truth of political figures. Symbols of hope are needed: they are the backbone of our democratic systems. Representation is mandatory: it ensures that underrepresented teams have a voice in spaces of power.
But when we see our politicians as god-like figures, we’re less likely to criticize their policies; We are less likely to hold them accountable. As soon as Paul asserts himself and is identified as the Lisan Al Gaib, a terrifying spectacle of blind religion triumphs; He declares a bloody war and millions of people wage it with him.
Trump, after years of exploiting conspiracy theories, antagonizing the opposition, and denouncing journalism across the United States, has built himself a battleship of idealization.
In 2011, only 3 in 10 white evangelicals believed that a political candidate could commit an immoral act while in public office. In 2017, largely in reaction to Trump, those numbers rose to 72 percent. Whatever his actions, the conviction of his fans will remain the same: that he sent through God to make America wonderful again.
In the run-up to the 2024 election, the fan-made “God Made Trump” crusade video went viral for claiming that the former president had been sent to heaven to “publish news” and “fight the formula all day. “
It’s easy to fall into a cult of personality when our truth faces shocks and turmoil and waiting for a savior is the only thing we can do. We face unrelenting polarization and narrow ethical frameworks, which save us from seeing our elected officials as ordinary people. , imperfect beings; They are descendants of the devil or sent from heaven to rule.
As we approach a year of primary elections around the world (64 countries will hold elections in 2024), this by comparing and comparing their candidates: at the end of the day, politicians are meant to serve us, not others. They are elected by others to ensure that legislation, policies, and legislation are designed in our favor, even if they don’t do so regularly.
Treating politicians like idols allows them to make decisions that do not serve the people; It prevents our legislative bodies from fulfilling their function and hampers our own democracies.
Let’s continue to be the Messiahs named Paul in the Dune universe. In our country, politicians are public servants, and it’s time we treat them that way.
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