Dune Club Session 1 Qs

Thanks Doug, I think you’re correct that the general populace is muddying the waters of prescience -I just have no idea how this it’s occurring

This question is about YouTube and not Dune, so feel free to either not answer it or use it to break up the other questions: Is the YouTube membership to a channel thing they are rolling out MEANT to kill Patreon? I would assume most people can't do both. As a patron loyal to the content and not a company I give few shits and would be down for either, but I'm not sure both is sustainable--to fund or honestly even to manage another stream/ money-go-to-thing in my life. You've always been brave enough to give your honest opinions about YouTube, so can you give us your honest opinions about Patreon and which one you would ditch if it gets down to it? It doesn't have to be your final say, just where your head is at right now.

Morgan Reynolds

I'll post fewer than 15 times next Dune Club session. I'll dial it back. I promise. I was just so excited! :)

Why Paul didn't "seen" that Irulan is given a contraceptive to Chani?

Reminds me of the part of Avengers Infinity War where Doctor Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to look into all of the possible futures, seeing only one where the Avengers prevail. Then he makes the obvious choice/sacrifice to give Thanos the Time Stone. Paul's prescience seems similar to this, and it seems that when you really can see the future with accuracy the first thing you are robbed of is choice.

Literally posting this AS the stream progresses, so I understand if you don't get to it. My only question in reading this relates to the conspiracy in the first part. Why is that of all the conspirators we are given the point of view of the Face Dancer? Of each of the conspirators, his POV is the only one we have the narrator's assurance for regarding his motivation. I see a good reason for us to wonder about Irulan, and in fact we know Irulan at least doesn't begin committed because of the reasons you name. I think it's odd that Edrick and the Reverend Mother's points of view are considered not important or obvious (in that order). Maybe it's just in me to expect the unexpected though. Like I wouldn't assume anything about anyone's motivations there.

Couldn't think of a question. Hi.

Jess J

I don’t really have a question, more a comment: I love the tactile feel of the Dune Club stickers you used for the box packaging!

Niko Ketsilis

I am interested in why the face dancers have their code of honor, to always leave a backdoor? For someone so dedicated, to still give your "prey" a chance, it struck me as curious. Funny also, how it gives Paul a bit of freedom to choose, while he himself knows he has none.

Van the Cheesen

Another Australian! Happy Monday Morning!

Magnus D. Magnus

Do you think Paul is justified in everything that he's done? Or did he ever have a choice?

I like how Paul had a moment of self-doubt when he's in his bedroom with Chani. It shows that he's still human. Reminded me of Adrien Veit in Watchmen when he expressed self-doubt to Doc Manhattan at the end. What do you think?

I think she wants to wait to talk about the Tarot till later but isn't it that even ordinary people with their normal abilities could affect prescience in "bulk" if enough of them dabble in prediction.

We hear now that the presence of prescients can block vision of the future from other prescients. When Paul wonders "why this particular future was not shown to him" while talking to Princess Irulan, is it because of this effect? In other words she is "shielded" because of Edric and her involvement with him, and so Paul couldn't see the conversation as a possible future. Edric understands this effect, but does Paul? In the past he has also experienced events he didn't foresee as has his mother (in the first book). Could this be the cause in those cases? Do you think Frank Herbert planned this before he wrote "Dune Messiah" and just never mentioned it in "Dune", keeping it "up his sleeve" so to speak? Or did he develop the idea after "Dune" was written?

Hi Danika, sending you lots of love and support from Australia. What is the importance and role of the Dune Tarot? Why would it’s popularity obscure Paul’s oracular vision? Even Mohiam uses it but I’m not sure of Frank Herbert’s intention or its purpose in the narrative.