Ahira's Hangar

Okay,without getting too far into detail about our pasts,presents,or future,what do you think the Spice drug would be here in this world? For clarity,what drug available to us here on Earth would compare to Melange? I've often wondered what would be comparable to it? Thoughts from anyone????............. <i></i>

I don't think that there is anything truly comparable.

I mean sure, we could compare the "visions" that the Atreides, through years of careful breeding and massive spice overdoses were prone to to hallucinogenics like acid or shrooms, but that wasn't the spice per se.

Indeed, spice itself was eaten by as many people throughout the universe as could afford it, not for psychadelic reasons, but for its geriatric properties...it prolonged life.

Even the Fremen, who lived in a spice-saturated environment, don't get their jollies from spice...the only exception is the spice-orgy, which is really not spice at all, but the melange essence distilled from the Maker.

As for the spice-orgies, perhaps the closest equivalent may be ecstacy. *shrug*

--A ____________________________________

A sense of the sardonic preserves a man from believing in his own pretensions. -The Sayings Of Maud'Dib<i></i>

I am not aware of anything medically that could work like the Spice as far as lengthening life (and presumably keeping you in good and healthy shape!)

I am sure that the major pharmaceutical companies would love to find such a substance though - it would be pure gold for them!

If we ever do find such a thing, I am certain it will not be until more basic research is done on the human genetic code, finding out more about why our cells age, etc.

It would quite possibly be a product of stem cell research or other very high tech biological or genetic research.

As for the visions, I do not know much about drugs that can induce such things? I have studied American Indians a bit, as I am part Cherokee, and they used such things as peyote, mushrooms, and very strong tobacco (rectally for the tobacco) to get visions. Supposedly very strong visions could come from the plant called sacred datura, which is also a strong poison! Most of the tribes I have read about combined that sort of thing with going without food for a couple of days, which probably added to the effects of the "drug"? ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
<i></i>

Even food and sleep deprivation can induce hallucinations, without anything else added.

And yes, tobacco was originally a psychoactive too.

Say, duchess, have you ever read Soul Catcher by Herbert? The story of an Amerindian in modern times who goes on his vision quest and kidnaps a young white boy...great great little book. Technically a juvenile book, but as I've often said, that has no bearing on its quality.

The psychadelic experience has been a part of the human consciousness for millenia.

--A

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A sense of the sardonic preserves a man from believing in his own pretensions. -The Sayings Of Maud'Dib<i></i>

Oil is the drug! Just look at how black Cheney's pupils are! *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>

Or Bush's for that matter........... <i></i>

Hahaha

You don't die without it though...and there's a thought I hadn't had.

There are a couple of drugs in this world that you can get so addicted to that withdrawal could be fatal...

--A ____________________________________

A sense of the sardonic preserves a man from believing in his own pretensions. -The Sayings Of Maud'Dib<i></i>

From what I recall, Dune was written, in one way, as a metaphor the the dependancy on oil. Oil is the Spice. Oil comes predominately from the middle east, as spice comes (only) from Arrakis. Both are desert areas, which pose special problems to resource extraction. Civilisation as we know it cannot function without either. Also, a small group (CHOAM in the novels, OPEC in real life) has a stranglehold on it. 'He who controls the Oil controls the Earth' is a pretty apt saying.

And in this vein, the book is a cautionary tale for what could happen if a leader (say, Osama bin Laden) were able to unite the people of such a place and take complete control over said resource, threatening to destroy it if demands were not met.

Haha, and there's another aspect of it that I'd never considered either. Good point indeed EL.

--A