Dune, Fundie Baby Voice, and Antebellum Era Slavery
Vocal manipulation uses sound to influence you
I had a reel go viral this week. Viral means “a social media post exponentially grows in popularity, being viewed, shared, liked, or commented on by thousands or even millions of social media users in a very short period.” — Buffer.com
As of this writing, one of my posts on the childlike “Fundie baby voice” is at 4.5 million views and still climbing. It’s been up less than 48 hours and attracted nearly 10k new followers. That kind of growth happens when TikTok puts a post on the “for you” recommendation page and it’s often reflective of keyword content with overlap. In this case, “the voice” of Christian Fundamentalism mashed up with “the voice” of the Bene Gesseret in the movie franchise, Dune, and “the fundie baby voice” used by Katie Britt.
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When I first realized my reel was attracting Dune fans, I laughed. My Dad and I have joked about lines from Dune since I was a kid. (For he IS the Cuisinart’s Hatrack!) Commenters offered insight into author Frank Herbert’s homophobia and religious trauma, and I realized the mashup makes sense. Vocal modification is manipulation—of the speaker and the intended audience. If Herbert experienced both, it’s not a stretch to think he’d express it through his art. I saw the second installment of the new version on Saturday, squirming uncomfortably to realize that by rooting for the Fremen, I’m rooting for the fundamentalists in the story.
Commenters also added a list of other places they’ve heard the voice: Paris Hilton, Ree Drummond, Gypsie Rose Blanchard, customer service calls, southern belles.
That got me thinking about slavery.
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