/Tech2d ago

Independent researcher Andy Masley argues that complete technological bans like Dune's Butlerian Jihad result in highly regressive societies

Haydn Belfield links these fictional bans to export controls

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Andy Masley@AndyMasley#1744inTech

While I support targeted temporary Butlerian Jihads, I’d like people to notice that the Dune universe is an extremely regressive society and this is explicitly downstream of the full Butlerian Jihad

9:58 AM · Jun 8, 2026 · 2.7K Views
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Haydn Belfield@HaydnBelfield

@AndyMasley Also chairdogs and creepy and this has implications for export controls

Andy Masley@AndyMasley

While I support targeted temporary Butlerian Jihads, I’d like people to notice that the Dune universe is an extremely regressive society and this is explicitly downstream of the full Butlerian Jihad

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Cory Fitz@cory_fitz

@AndyMasley True butlerian jihad has never been tried

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quetzal_rainbow@quetzal_rainbow

@AndyMasley >this is explicitly downstream of the full Butlerian Jihad

Eh, how? I think Herbert took feudal settings just because it was cool at the time. If there is no intelligent machines and industrial society, laborers get infinite leverage

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quetzal_rainbow@quetzal_rainbow

@AndyMasley Realistic kinda-feudal setting would look like British-German Empire with unlimited victory of social democracy

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