About visions

Today, my group was having a discussion about visions. Having a vision helps to focus the efforts of everyone in the group towards a common goal. It helps to keep people committed to achieving something. Believing in a vision keeps people together.

But it also reminded me of the Dune series by Frank Herbert. In the story, Paul Atreides, and subsequently his son Leto II, had seen a vision. Because they symbolised that vision, they were treated as a prophet (Paul) and a god (Leto), and enjoyed great power given by virtue of their positions. Yet what happens when the idea of the vision (ie, the concept that a vision exists) becomes more important that achieving the vision? What happens when having a vision becomes a hindrance to achieving that vision? Or, even worse, what happens when having a vision is actually a danger to achieving the vision?