Reading The Art Of War May Help Your Lovelife/Anti-War W/O

I believe we can fly back through time 2500 years for wisdom in The Art of War that many of our leaders are sadly, horribly lacking today. This review was first written a few years ago, but not exactly placed in the right place (the translator wasn’t mentioned in the details), so I’m reposting with some extra commentary for the Anti-War Write-off, hosted by jay1051971.

At first glance this ancient classic may not seem very anti-war until you start reading. Sun Tzu’s philosophy as an army general is to explore every other option to avoid violence, including diplomacy, confusing tactics, psychology and thoughtful deception if needed. Sometimes a short, stunning war is needed if the enemy persists in provoking one, but as a Taoist who is at heart a lover of peace, Tzu’s goal is to mend the relationship.

The book I read, the 1996 translation of the 2500 year-old, Chinese book by Sun Tzu is by Stefan Rudnicki, one of the latest of a long line of translations that was never meant for us civilians to read, but only those in command of the army and heads of state. I have only seen one other translation from 1963 by General Samuel B. Griffith and in comparing the two, I find Rudnicki’s translation to be much easier to read for he uses transitional words throughout like thus, therefore, hence, then and now.

Griffith, on the other hand, translates it by numbering each paragraph, which for me makes the book read more like compiled notes jotted down for greater study, Indeed there are also footnotes along with the extensive introduction and historical background preceding the thirteen-chapter text, followed by even more commentary, several appendixes, a bibliography of Western and Chinese books and maps! Therefore, I greatly appreciated that Rudnicki only has a much-shortened introduction, which told me enough of the background to keep my interest, and brief quotes or commentaries after each chapter from various ancient and modern generals. He made this classic flow like a book written for the common reader (not a student of warfare) like me.

So why should you read this?


Being more of a lover than a fighter, I started reading The Art of War not knowing anything about tactics and dispositions needed to outwit and capture the enemy. I learned that there is an art to it just like with anything else you want to do well. Sun Tzu prefers a war of strategy that prevents destruction and death, but lest you think he is soft, he will summarily behead a disobedient soldier. This has been criticized as contradictory with his Taoist principles, but here is how he explains it, beginning the book with stating that the Tao, or as Rudnicki puts it, the Force, “causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.”

I think that whether you are in the military, a head of state or student of the art of war, you will find his advice very interesting and perhaps helpful in your own little relationship struggles. The next time you find yourself fighting with your significant other or perhaps your employer, consider the state of tension between you and that will tell you how to proceed. In the terminology of war, this is the type of ground you stand on. There are nine varieties of ground, as translated by Griffith, or nine situations as Rudnicki translates it.

Dispersive ground – too close to home, easily distracted
Facile ground – hostile territory keeps you too far away
Contentious ground – equal advantages to both parties
Open ground – freedom of movement, danger of attack
Ground of Intersecting Highways – gives access to most opportunities
Serious ground – hostile territory has been penetrated!
Difficult ground – lots of obstacles in your way
Hemmed-in ground – narrow entry, hard to get in and out
Desperate ground – the only way out is to fight …or make love :-)

The point is that you can learn some new terminology in the battle of the sexes, which can be fun. Sun Tzu also advises us what to do in these situations, such as “when invading hostile territory, the general principle is: penetrating deeply brings cohesion; penetrating but a short way means dispersion.” Hehe. Enough said. You can read the whole book substituting soldier tactics for a lover’s maneuvers. Although I don’t approve of treating love as a battleground or using deception on a lover to harm, if you do it rarely as the only way to prevent damage, whether emotional or physical, I think that would meet Sun Tzu’s and my approval.

Final Thoughts


If more wars were conducted with the detailed, thoughtful understanding of war that Sun Tzu exhibits, our wars, if they escalated into confrontations, would be over quickly with much less cost of lives and capital. I highly recommend Rudnicki’s translation for anyone like me wanting to know how war can be an art, but doesn’t need to study it for historic significance or to plan a war. Griffith’s thicker translation from 1963 is better, obviously, for people without a sense of humor...or a lover. You decide which works for you!

Remember this above all, to paraphrase Tzu, that “success in love is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to our lover’s purpose.”

Did we try accommodating ourselves to Iraq, the UN or any other nation? If so, how hard did we try?


Contents

I. Laying Plans
II. Waging War
III. Attack By Strategem
IV. Tactical Dispositions
V. Energy
VI. Weak Points And Strong
VII. Maneuvering
VIII. Variation of Tactics
VIV. The Army on The March
X. Terrain
XI. The Nine Battlegrounds
XII. The Attack By Fire
XIII. The Use of Spies


List of Anti-War W/O Participants

Lambchops
beckytcy
dedemw
ingysdayoff
jay1051971
jordan_tar
lemon_lime
matthewn
sfarmer76
briandalsmom
Foxy_Shy
and me!