Reflections on Class Discussion 2/19

Here is the lovely chart Kaitlin did for use in class typed up, regarding if Paul is the Messiah:
Pro

• Existing things are being fulfilled
• Messiahs can be compatible with intention to fulfill
• pg 477 "that person has been produced"
• Fremen acknowledge him as "the" messiah
• triggered a religious crusade, or better yet, the occasion for it
• killed in the name of good
• depends on the culture + social norms
• the messiah defines the cultural norm -> Paul changes traditions
• controls power and is followable - people need this
• not die, maintain peak
• "the" Founding Father - GW
• Lost Weber: Messiah as a Vocation
• Claim -> Acknowledgment -> Followers -> Makes stuff possible

Con

• Admitted he's just a seed -> pg 199
• He knew the role and used it to manipulate religion
• could be "a" but not "the" messiah
• could we have a "bad" messiah
• Paul has killed
• He will eventually die, messiahs come back
• if you die, you're a martyr

Here are things from the Weber discussion that I picked up:

• Weber might have wanted to destroy all sense of idealism/pragmatism
• This is how it is, for better or worse
• Use the necessary means
• Karl Rove is a good example of what Weber was getting to
• Bashing idealist view, not condoning real politik
• Ethics of conviction are dangerous
• Worse thing to do is do something and then have retaliation
• Theory is not practice, practice is not theory
  

As for my reflections on the class, I felt stronger about the idea that the book was written from the standpoint that Paul is the messiah. Dune leaves much out about who Paul is, other than the messiah everyone has been waiting for. Just like the saying history goes to the victor. Other than that I don't feel like anything else needs to be added.