Thread by @ThyConsigliori

John Minford, #SunTzu 8: 15, "The wise leader in his deliberations always blends consideration of gain and harm."

We arrive upon yet another phenomenal Yin/Yang continuum. Gain and harm. There are five verses to come which each explain one part of the map for us, all focusing on gain and harm. So, obviously, we need not worry about mastering it today.

Following the coming five verses on gain and harm, we have a verse reiterating the key principle that proper defense precedes attack. And then, we conclude our current chapter with a study of the ultimate five forms of harm, the reasons defeat occurs whenever it does.

On a technical note, I have to state that my hypothesis seems to generate more and more benefit. My hypothesis that Master Sun did live, was a singular author, and wrote this book whole, purposefully. I know I can't prove it. But the more I employ it, the more I benefit. Agreed?

Please remember I always give points to students who read ahead. In coming verses we'll learn all about how to tempt the enemy with false gain, protect ourselves against just such temptations, consider harm seriously, and tempt our enemies irresistibly into real harm.

So let's cut ahead ourselves, right now, and build a little map:

1) Real Gain = Impregnable Defense, or, Unstoppable Offense
2) False Gain = Deceptive Temptation To Win Easy
3) Real Harm = The Result Of False Gain
4) False Harm To Self = How We Tempt The Enemy

Now let's take a philosophical step back. I've heard that the hardest thing for the human mind to tackle is holding two opposing thoughts at the same time. Please contemplate that. Does my gain = your loss? That's only one thought. Can we both gain? That's two thoughts.

I like the gain you're offering me. That's one thought. Wait, what if the gain you offer is false, and you're tricking me? That's two thoughts. It gets harder. What is a gain you'll find irresistible, an offer you can't refuse? That's one thought.

How will I convert your predictable response into harm to you and gain to me? That's two thoughts. Do you see how we're following Master Sun's guidance? He commands us to always blend our considerations of harm and gain in all our deliberations. That always requires two thoughts.

Again, it's actually four:

1) My real gain - my goal.
2) My false gain - your trick on me.
3) Your false gain - my trick on you.
4) Your true gain - why you're tricking me.

Now push yourself. This is called analysis. Master Sun calls it Temple Time. You got to the temple, and you analyze gains and harms in the four categories above. You do the same with strengths and weaknesses. Let's map those out...

1) Your Strength
2) My Strength
3) Your Weakness
4) My Weakness

I hope it's obvious that those should actually be plural, ala strengths and weaknesses. But, if you've never employed your mind's analytical might, then just one of each is where you begin.

Push yourself more. Hidden within Master Sun's command is the following mandate:

Respect Thine Enemy.

You MUST be able to imagine what he sees, through his eyes, and how he as the ability to tempt you by false gain. Think about how much brain power that takes.

There is a simple technical term for this form of thinking. It is called "perspective shift." It's an old commandment, before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. Maybe that's three thoughts. Me. Him. How he sees me. Three.

And again. Him. Me. How I see him. We double again. Where I see him accurately. Where I see him falsely. There's another technical term for that. Projection. When he tricks me, he is tapping into my desire for easy gain, which I project onto the situation foolishly.

We go again last time for today. Six points:

1) Him
2) Me
3) How he sees me

Double that with the following two:

1) How he sees accurately
2) How he sees falsely

We need wise leaders. #100kMAGALeaders. We need them able to spend time in the temple following every bit of Master Sun's counsel. To do so, you'll have to blend harm and gain in all your deliberations.

214 verses completed, 208 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.