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John Minford, Sun Tzu 1-2: "There are Five Fundamentals for this deliberation, for the making of comparisons and the assessing of conditions: The Way, Heaven, Earth, Command, Discipline."
In the coming five days, Sun Tzu will give us his ancient definitions, and they're amazing. There is a problem to note, though, a problem of reading. Do you - and confess it now if you don't! - have the mental agility, the mental time machine to go back in time?
Think about it. Sun Tzu died - they guess - in the year 496 BC. If that's accurate, it is 2,515 years ago. It is ancient China. His work was written in a language long lost that has to be recreated by guesswork. This is NOT easy stuff!
I've been studying his work since 1987, but didn't get serious until somewhere in the early '90s. And, having read more than 30 different translations, I have to tip my hat to Minford. His work is simply perfect. Please, take my word for it.
All that covered, how do we approach this list of fundamentals?
1) The Way
2) Heaven
3) Earth
4) Command
5) Discipline
1) The Way
2) Heaven
3) Earth
4) Command
5) Discipline
And the answer is...wait for it...
ANY WAY YOU WISH!
One of the great mistakes we make reading ancient texts is to imagine that they knew more than we do, or that the book is more important than what it empowers us to think, to choose, to do.
ANY WAY YOU WISH!
One of the great mistakes we make reading ancient texts is to imagine that they knew more than we do, or that the book is more important than what it empowers us to think, to choose, to do.
Just think about your own definitions, what is YOUR way? What is THE way? Etcetera. In each of the five fundamentals, simply ask yourself, what is Heaven to me? What is Earth to me? When I hear the word "Command," what does it make me think about? What is discipline?
I've been going off, recently, about Alinsky. I believe he led his followers to greater discipline than we have attained on our side. I believe their command is superior to ours. Until Trump, they were stronger upon the Earth than we were. They successfully perverted The Way.
You can see how this simple analysis helps understand their vast power over the past decades. And here's my call to action. Write up your own plan for how America wins in 2020. What is The Way you believe in?
2) What is Heaven's will for your endeavor?
3) Where, upon the Earth, will you wage battle for victory?
4) What aspect of Command can you affect or employ?
5) What is YOUR Discipline?
3) Where, upon the Earth, will you wage battle for victory?
4) What aspect of Command can you affect or employ?
5) What is YOUR Discipline?
Make it personal. You count. If there's anything Sun Tzu teaches us it is that just one general can change the course of history. I don't know if he'd agree with me, but I say, just one person who never wore a uniform can too.
What do you say?
What do you say?
