Thinky thought about Avatar

It has occurred to me that more than Dances with Smurfs, Avatar can be described as Dune in a lush tropical jungle setting (it even has the psychedelic mindexpanding effects build-in in the planet itself) - especially because the problems involved when your planet is the only one supplying the stuff that allows the space-faring empire to remain a coherent space-faring empire must be remarkably similar. It doesn't matter how nasty the wildlife is or how hostile the natives are or how generally unpleasant life is - in the end, the spice must flow.