John Minford, #SunTzu 9: 50
(49) "In war, numbers are not the issue.
(50) “It is a question of not attacking too aggressively. Concentrate your strength, assess your army, and win the confidence of your men: that is enough."
Let's list out our steps:
1) Don't attack too aggressively
2) Concentrate your strength
3) Assess your enemy
4) Win the confidence of your men
5) That is enough
1) Don't attack too aggressively
While I stand behind Master Sun's guidance, on this point, I suspect @realDonaldTrump does not, and we should discuss that. For 100 years our politicians have gone along to get along. They've sold us out. They've never been willing to fight.
Truth is, Trump CANNOT attack the swamp too aggressively for us, his followers. We're simply sickened by them, and more, by those we elected who sold us out before. His aggressive attacks are music to our ears and tonic to our souls. We thank him.
We, on the other hand, are NOT Trump. We must NOT attack too aggressively. That's a profound point. Trump gets this too. The term is proportion, or proportionality. ONLY attack to the slight degree MORE than your opponent does, just barely sufficient to win.
Victory is all that counts. Overkill doesn't get you any more victory. Don't be too aggressive. It's beautiful advice. It speaks to the conservation of effort and resources. It's gorgeous.
As to 2) Concentrate your strength, we've worked on that extensively already.
3) Assess your enemy is, along with assess yourself, one of the most droning, driving themes of our entire endeavor. Does your enemy have The Way, Heaven, Earth, Command, and Discipline on his side? Then do NOT fight! You MUST be able to assess your enemy.
4) Win the confidence of your men. If they know you've assessed the enemy, and that you have the winning strategy, they will be most certainly give you their confidence. If they know you'll NOT risk their lives without a strategy, they'll risk their own lives for you.
5) That is enough. We've discussed business, and sales, many times. Have you ever heard of a sales manager walking up to a salesman and say, that's enough, you should head on out now. Go see your family. You've done enough. How about a drill sergeant? Enough? What's that?
Contemplate the power of knowing when enough really and actually is enough. If you win the confidence of your men, having assessed your enemy and concentrated your strength, then you don't need to attack too aggressively. You will have done enough.
As I promised we would, yesterday, let's now turn to Giles work on this passage. I'll quote him now, extensively:
"40. If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient; it only means that no direct attack can be made.
What we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, keep a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.”
The commentator Chang Yu explains: “When the numbers are even, and no favorable opening presents itself, although we may not be strong enough to deliver a sustained attack, we can find additional recruits amongst our sutlers and camp-followers...
"...and then, concentrating our forces and keeping a close watch on the enemy, contrive to snatch the victory."
The key to always remember is that victory is in hand, when the general's mind follows the laws of Master Sun's guidance.
Let's apply to you.
1) Are you able to identify when you're being too aggressive? Can you come up with better strategies, less aggressive one?
2) Do you know how to select a focus and drive in upon it relentlessly, concentrating your force?
3) Can you objectively look and see your enemy's strengths and weaknesses? No more important mandate exists, other than to know your own strengths and weaknesses. Have you tried?
4) Do you know how to win confidence, trust? If you're too aggressive, you can't. If you fail to concentrate your force on a serious objective, you can't. If you can't see your enemy's strengths and weaknesses, nor your own, you can't. Think about how much is involved.
5) Do you know when enough is enough? Do you know when you have NOT invested enough, where the line is, so you can determine when you have invested enough? If you can claim this knowledge, then the confidence you inspire will be the greatest of your rewards.
In the war for America's future, in the battle to win election 2020, we need leaders who can live up to Master Sun's high standards. Ask yourself, are you ready? Will you pay the price? If so, then America has real hope.
278 verses completed, 178 to go. To return to previous sections in our #WarForAmerica2020 and #SunTzuForMAGA series, don't forget to head over to @WarForAmerica21. You'll find the digital table of contents for this series, there. Please retweet each entry you enjoy.
Commentaires