John Ralston Saul:
"Beyond politics, many would assume that prudent behaviour meant in a sense conservative behaviour. But that would be to misunderstand the meaning of common sense. The very essence of good military strategy - which often means radical behaviour - has always been built around prudence. Two and a half millennia ago Sun Tzu set out the basic rules. His incisive summary was further summarized by Mao Tse-tung into a sixteen character jingle which provided the general instructions for defeating Chiang Kai-shek:
1. When the enemy advances, we retreat!
2. When the enemy halts, we harass!
3. When the enemy seeks to avoid battle, we attack!
4. When the enemy retreats, we pursue!
The Viet Minh and Viet Cong in turn took this perfect evocation of common sense as their method for defeating two of the most rationally organised armies in history - firts the French and then the American."
p46 On Equilibrium, 2001.
For those (two) of you who are interested in the outcomes of my
investigation into the Youngs Siding white ant signs, here is an update.
No it wasn't ...
Posts
4 comments:
Mmm, tactics. I will have to get Sun Tsu again
yes, do.
slowing things down sounds to be a good one. blocking. being annoying.
It's the consistancy of being annoying that brings me down - the exhaustion theory. Think of the doggedness of those tiny birds that get rid of the hawk, though! they've got it all going on.
yes, but in a diverse and scattered group, you can take it in turns being annoying, so no one person gets exhausted.
also, i think it might be useful to wonder at the tactics employed by them, what they might be up to. are they trying to wear you out? if so, then scatter, disappear.
"when the enemy advances, we retreat!"
Post a Comment