Summary of Todays lesson. Art of War. Chapter 8. Adaptations The eighth chapter of The Art of War is devoted to adaptation, already seen to be one of the cornerstones of the warriors art. Sun Tzu says, If generals do not know how to adapt advantageously, even if they know the lay of the land they cannot take advantage of it. The I Ching says, Persist too intensely at what is currently beyond your depth, and your fidelity to that course will bring misfortune, no gain Adaptability naturally depends on readiness, another persistent theme of The Art of War. The I Ching says, If you take on too much without a solid foundation, you will eventually be drained, leaving you with bad luck. Readiness does not just mean material preparedness; without a suitable mental state, sheer physical power is not enough to guarantee victory. Here, Sun Tzu defines the psychological dimensions of the victorious leader indirectly, by enumerating five dangers: To be too willing to die. Too eager to live, Too quick to anger, Too puritanical. Too sentimental. Any one of these excesses, he affirms, create vulnerabilities that can easily be exploited by a canny opponents. The I Ching says, When on the fringes of a situation, be calm, steady and avoid giving in to impulse, then you wont go wrong.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 08:14:00 +0000