The Art of War by: Sun Tzu Review Part 7a: Maneuvering
Hello everyone, finally I have free time to write this article. I was way too tired to write this after my dance yesterday, and I had a party to attend tonight, but I left early to hold my commitment in tact. I hate to split these parts into sub parts, but I feel that no one would read a review with 37 sections which takes me 6hours to write. As much as I would love to waste 6 hours, I like having a life. Here is Part 7a: Maneuvering. (Please Note that I typed everything myself, and did NOT copy any online sources, however this is based on the Giles 1910 translation which is in the Public Domain.)
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Art of war original text
cmp2020 commentary
Maneuvering
1. Sun Tzu said: In war the general receives his commands from the sovereign.
Everyone has a boss. (Real world example: The student follows the teacher who follows the principal who follows the superintendent who follows the school board who follows the state government who follows the national government who follows the people's demands).
2. Having collected an army and concentrated his forces, he must blend and harmonize the different elements thereof before pitching his camp.
After raising support, one must remain loyal to himself as well as his supporters. These two should coexist. (Real world example: You don't take a job for a company who's philosophies you don't support, but then again, you don't live in poverty, you should make sure that you have a job that mostly coexists with your beliefs).
3. After that, comes tactical maneuvering, than which there is nothing more difficult. The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.
Make sure the actions you take turn what you don't want into what you want. (Real world example: Even if a company holds deficit, every action it takes is still to try to make profit).
4. Thus, to take a long and circuitous route, after enticing the enemy out of the way, and through starting after him, to contrive to reach the goal before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation.
After gaining an advantage on your competitor, stay ahead, and win. (Real world example: In a wrestling match, the goal is obviously to pin your opponent. However, some little guys who are you know, able to, will bring their opponent down with a shot to score two points, and let them back up and do it again and again until they reach 15 points to win).
5. Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous.
Make sure your decisions are capable of working, and just fantasies because you don't have the resources to achieve them. (Real world example: Saying you will write 13 reviews, easier said than done, take my word on that one).
6. If you set a fully equipped army into march in order to snatch an advantage, the chances are that you will be too late. On the other hand, to detach a flying column for the purpose involves the sacrifice of its baggage and stores.
If you take time to chase opportunity, chances are someone who is faster than you will already have grabbed the same opportunity. (Real world example: If you are given the option to record music professionally, you need to work hard to write and produce as much music as possible, so people become familiar with your name and work ethic).
7. Thus, if you order your men to roll up their buff-coats, and make forced marches without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a stretch, doing a hundred li in order to wrest an advantage, the leaders of all your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy.
However, the same goes if you work too hard to take advantage of an opportunity. If you overload on getting work done, you won't succeed anymore. (Real world example: Elton John is still producing music after 50 years, and at this point it doesn't sound crisp and precise to me. He has produced so much, that not many bother listening anymore, while Billy Joel retired into classical music in the 90's, because he felt he had said all that he had felt he needed to).
8. The stronger men will be in front, the jaded ones will fall behind, and on this plan only one-tenth of your army will reach its destination.
To discriminate your resources by value, causes minimum success. Discriminate based on circumstance. (Real world example: You have the choice between a piece of meat, or winning a million dollars on an island where only you reside as you have been ship wrecked. The million dollars is definitely holds more value elsewhere, but in these circumstances it is useless).
9. If you march fifty li in order to out maneuver the enemy, you will lose the leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal.
10. If you march thirty li with the same objective, two-thirds of our army will arrive.
If you work to hard, just to win, but not to gain profit. You will gain deficit. (Real world example: A stock investor does not try to "out-invest" other investors, but rather gain profit for himself).
11. We may take it then that an army without its baggage-train is lost; without provisions it is lost; without bases of supply it is lost.
Without your fundamental skills and abilities, you have no means to take opportunity. (Real world example: The opportunity to perform a piano concerto at Carnegie hall is useless to a visual artist).
12. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.
Don't trust people until you understand their strengths and weaknesses, and skills and abilities. (Real world example: A millionaire needs to be careful who he surrounds himself with, if he is not careful, his money could be stolen).
13. We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country - its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps.
Do not engage in solving a problem unless you are familiar with the problem. (Real world example: Don't try to stop an armed robbery if you have no experience as a cop).
14. We shall be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides.
You cannot use advantages unless you are familiar with your circumstances. (Real world example: You go to write a book, but you don't realize that you are unable to be creative).
15. In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. Move only if there is a real advantage to be gained.
Always work to gain advantage, nothing more or less.
16. Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by circumstances.
Make decisions based on circumstance.
17. Let our rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.
Make decisions quick, and keep your advantages to yourself. (Real world example: A defense lawyer must decide what to say in response to a prosecuter based on what they argue).
18. In raiding and plundering be like fire, in immovability like a mountain.
When you have an option to beat your competitor, show no mercy. When you have the option to defend, be strong. (Real world example: A business man buys out his competition to make profit, and does everything physically possible to keep from being bought by his competitor).
Part 6a: Weak Points and Strong
Part 6b: Weak Points and Strong
Thanks for reading this! I am sorry I didn't post the weekly 7 tonight. I will be posting that and the weekly Christmas song tomorrow. As always, let me know what you thought, and leave feedback. I don't know when I will be posting the next review, this week is concert mania for me. See you next time!
keep up the good work
Thanks!