Introduction Flashcards
What does society say about combativeness & aggression?
It says that they lead to isolation and unpopularity
What does society say is better than combativeness and aggression?
Harmony and cooperation
What causes us to become less combative and aggressive in the world?
Our fear of isolation is triggered by society’s assertion that combativeness and aggression lead to isolation and unpopularity.
What are the 3 possible ways to deal with aggressive impulses?
- Repress
- Deny
- Channel
What is the best way to deal with aggressive impulses?
Channel them
Are conflicts inevitable?
Yes
What are the 3 things you should NOT do when faced with inevitable conflict?
- Try to avoid all conflict
- Get emotional and lash out
- Turn sly and manipulative
What are the 3 things you SHOULD do when faced with inevitable conflict?
- Think ahead toward your long-term goals
- Know how to control and channel your emotions
- Decide which fights to avoid and which are inevitable
What are the four pillars of fighting style that you should adhere to if you’re forced to fight?
- Indirection
- Subtle Manoeuvre
- Hard-to-trace manipulations
- Maintain a peaceful exterior
Why not go all out and wage aggressive war?
Too many hidden costs, even if you win
What are the hidden costs of all-out aggressive war?
- Exhaustion
- Self-destruction
What is Sun Tzu’s idea of ideal victory?
Winning without bloodshed
What is the logic behind Sun Tzu’s idea of ideal victory?
Winning without bloodshed means victory at much lower cost. This means your empire can thrive for longer periods of time.
What are the four pillars of Sun Tzu’s ideal victory?
- Psychological weaknesses
- Precarious positions
- Frustration
- Mental Breakdown
Tell me about Sun Tzu’s thoughts with respect to psychological weaknesses
He preaches to play on the opponent’s psychological weaknesses
Win without bloodshed :: Precarious Positions
Manoeuvre the opponent into precarious positions
Win without bloodshed :: Frustration
Induce feelings of frustration & confusion
Win without bloodshed :: Mental breakdown
Get the other side to break down mentally before surrendering physically
What do you achieve by expressing your thoughts, feelings and wants?
Warm, fuzzy feeling
If you really want something, what should you do?
Strategise, NOT express your feelings and desires.
If you really desire something, what is the bare minimum necessity?
You MUST be READY and ABLE to fight for it.
If you desire something, what is the exact wrong thing to do?
Express your feelings and desires, and expect it to happen.
Before the game starts, you say “I want to win.” The opponent scoffs. Why?
Of COURSE you WANT to win. EVERYONE wants to win. But CAN you? Are you CAPABLE? Are you WILLING to do what is necessary?
If you never master strategy, what is life full of?
Confusion and defeat
If you master strategy, what does life become?
Peaceful and productive.
Why does life become peaceful when you master strategy?
Because you master the way to win without violence
What are the fundamental ideals for transforming yourself into a strategic warrior?
- Look at things as they are, not as your emotions colour them
- Judge people by their actions
- Depend on your own arms
- Worship Athena, not Ares
- Elevate yourself above the battlefield
- Spiritualise your warfare
How does fear affect you in battle?
You overestimate the enemy and end up acting too defensively
What should you do when you notice that you’re experiencing fear on the battlefield?
You should realise that you’re going to exaggerate the dangers you face
What happens when you become angry and impatient on the battlefield?
You take rash actions and cut off your options
What should you do when you notice yourself becoming angry and impatient on the battlefield?
Consciously take NO action
How does overconfidence after success affect you on the battlefield?
It makes you go too far
What should you do to avoid going too far on the battlefield?
Be extra wary of overconfidence in the face of success
What does love and affection do to you in the battlefield?
It blinds you to treacherous manoeuvres of your “loved ones”
What do you do in the face of a loss in battle?
Don’t dress it up. You’ve lost. It’s simple. Don’t wallow in it.
When you lose, who is responsible for your loss?
Me. Not the enemy.
An enemy used unfair means to gain victory. How do you assess the battle after you’ve lost?
You evaluate what YOU did wrong. It’s YOUR responsibility. NOT the enemy’s for being misleading or unfair.
What do you look at when you’re trying to judge people?
- The results of their actions
- The deeds that can be seen and measured
- The manoeuvres they’ve used to gain power
What do you NOT look at when trying to judge people?
What they SAY about their intentions
What do you look at when looking back at defeat?
- Your own bad strategies
- Identify things you could’ve done differently
What do you NOT look at when looking back at defeat?
The “fairness quotient” of the opponent’s moves (how “unfairly” they played)
In your life, what are you responsible for?
The good AND the bad
Which part of others’ actions is strategic manoeuvre?
EVERYTHING
What are the two types of things you can rely on for success?
- Material force
- Your Intelligence
What contributes to material force in strategic warfare?
- Wealth
- Resources
- Allies
- Latest Tech
“You’re an intelligent general” - what does this mean in terms of strategic warfare?
You have good strategic knowledge
Which aspect of your resources can an enemy not neutralise in battle?
Strategic knowledge
Which aspect of your resources can an enemy neutralise in battle?
- Wealth
- Resources
- Allies
- Tech
What does Ares stand for?
- Violence
- Brutality
- Waste of Resources
What does Athena stand for?
- Craftiness
- Rationality
- Pragmatism
All blended with a warrior mentality
If you are a “follower of Ares” what happens to you in war?
You are easily misled because of your tendency to be violent
If you are a “follower of Athena” what advantage do you have over a “follower of Ares?”
You can turn the violence and aggression of Ares against themselves. You make their brutality the cause of their downfall.
What is the big picture difference between tactics and strategy?
Tactics are reactive while strategy is proactive
Temporally, what is the characteristic representation of tactical warfare?
When you’re locked in the present, enmeshed in current conflicts, locked in reactive mode, thinking “how can I get what I want in this current battle right now?” you can only think of tactics.
Temporally, what is the characteristic representation of strategic warfare?
You’re focused on your long-term objectives. You are able to easily decide when to engage and when to walk away. You craft an entire campaign.
Which is the greatest battle of all?
The battle with yourself.
What is the wrong way to deal with life’s combat and conflict?
To avoid it
What is the right way to deal with life’s combat and conflict?
To invite it. To want it. To welcome it.
What are the possible advantages of inviting conflict into your life?
Conflict is an opportunity to -
- Prove yourself
- Better your skills
- Gain courage, confidence and experience
What is the wrong way to deal with challenges in life?
To run away from them
What is the wrong way to think about war?
To be afraid of it
What is the wrong way to think about your doubts and fears?
To repress and ignore them
What is the right way to think of your doubts and fears?
To face them and do battle with them
What is the wrong way to deal with your weaknesses?
To ignore them
What is the right way to deal with your weaknesses?
Proactively find and destroy them.
Without war, human beings stagnate in comfort and affluence and lose the capacity for great thoughts and feelings, they become cynical and subside into barbarism.
Dostoevsky.
What is the feedback loop of a strategic life?
- Knowledge
- Proactive plans
- Action
- Reflection
- Repeat
In this world, where the game is played with loaded dice, a man must have a temper of iron, with armour proof to the blows of fate, and weapons to make his way against men. Life is one long battle; we have to fight at every step. and Voltaire very rightly says that if we succeed, it is at the point of the sword, and that we die with the weapon in our hand.
Arthur Schopenhauer, Counsels and Maxims, 1851
