Strategy – Survive with Will – Thoughtful Analysis & Perceptions

How to Handle Raw Data from Sources

Will Hemingway — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 05:00:05 +0000

Executive Summary:

The raw data gathering process can be very arduous and time-consuming. Confidential sources are invaluable in the process. They can shear 50% of the time off of the data gathering load.

Never expose sources; if you do, you have to defend their integrity. You should process and verify the raw data independently.

Never forget:

Sources are unreliable
Sources are not professional data gatherers
Sources provide 80% normative data and 20% empirical data
The best sources are as bad or worse than your target
Sources almost always have a hidden agenda
Sources obfuscate their culpability
Sources exaggerate

The ONLY WAY TO USE A SOURCE is to take everything, and I mean everything that they offer. Then squeeze more, go granular. Thank them, sing their praises to them, and move away. Take copious notes. Immediately after, categorize and record all of the critical points of raw data; who, what, where, why, when. Do it while the moment is fresh in your mind. Make notes from your recollection of their inflection, when, about what. Note the exact wording of their normative statements of “fact.” Parse out the empirical data.

Supportive Detail:

Example: “I know Joe did it, I don’t know why, but he did. He is a bad guy. He got that supervisor job instead of Lenny because he is a snake. I saw him going out the door in the rear corner of the building. It is hidden behind the large racks, in a poorly lit area. When I was in that area to help find a sign that flew away, I saw several crushed boxes of those new micro camcorders that we lost a few weeks ago. I was so mad, I never liked Joe he is really arrogant and always hanging out and flirting with that girl in the shipping area. I saw a few of those camcorders in a pile on the opposite end of the warehouse the other day near the trucker’s lounge, and those stock guys are so lazy…… “

In the example, there is a plethora of raw data. It is mostly normative.

Normative Data (Subjective/Not Supported by Tangible Proof)

Joe did it
Joe is a bad guy – Source is “mad” at Joe and never liked him
The source is not happy that Joe is the supervisor
Lenny may have an ax to grind with Joe over job advancement
The source may have familial ties to Lenny
Source says that the stock guys are lazy

Empirical Data (Objective, Verifiable, Reproducible)

Source says Joe went out obscured rear door
Joe hangs out and flirts with a girl in the shipping area
Source says she saw a few of the missing camcorders in a pile near the trucker’s lounge

The empirical data is still raw, untested, unverified. The next step is to verify the raw data. That can be done by reviewing video surveillance, interviewing other personnel working in the same area, etc. Once the data is verified by more than one other independent source, it becomes more useful. It may be looked upon as base knowledge for use later in understanding more complex activities and decision making.

While the normative data may help you divine out motivations and connections between actors, it has no useful value in factual data. It is unscientific, subjective, and most commonly corrupted by emotional “feelings.”

The source’s data may provide varying levels of usefulness. Each additional data point can move you closer to the truth by turning your attention to things that you would not necessarily have known about or considered. As a skilled gatherer, you must hone your skills to parse the normative from the empirical. You must rapidly test and validate the empirical data, and discard any that fails the test.

Executive Conclusion:

Every day you intake loads of raw data in the form of news stories, twitter, Facebook, etc. feeds. You must strive to apply the approach of ignoring the source. Instead, make copious notes of the data points provided. Then identify, based upon the words chosen and the context, whether the data is normative or subjective. The more that you practice the skill, the more efficient and accurate that you will become. In no time, you will become much better at developing more reliable, validated assessments of complex matters.

I warn you though, as you master the skill, you will find that it will change how you look at the world, the people who you have known for years, and even those closest to you. It will pull back the veil on the world, which has always been right in front of you that you never knew existed. It can be quite shocking and end what you thought were friendships. I would simply say, you will be so much better off being able to protect yourself from the misdirection and obfuscation. I will also give you a new powerful tool to help you make better decisions and avoid those things that “just always happen to you.”

Motivation, Manipulation, Coercion, and Enticement

Will Hemingway — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 03:56:21 +0000

Lessons in life and business that may be learned from servers, waitresses, bartender/maids, exotic dancers, and hookers. Not necessarily in that order.

*** This article is not intended to be inappropriate. Will’s Universal Maxims # 2 makes the important point that you can learn from anyone. In fact, some of the greatest lessons come from the least likely sources. ***

Lesson # 1

Secure payment upfront. Anyone who has ever made a verbal agreement with someone for payment to cover work or goods has learned that without either advanced payment or binding contract you WILL LOSE.

Hookers know to demand payment upfront. They provide a service to clients. The client, for countless reasons, resorts to buying their pleasures. Negotiating the transaction for the provision of sexual interaction is, as in all negotiations, a battle of supply and demand, value, and cost. Paying upfront, in an agreed and clearly negotiated manner strips the process of the typical social strong arming and manipulation typical to the social version of the 21^st century. The purveyor of the pleasures, an expert, perfected by melding innate skills, experience, and result driven learning refines their efficiency and performance. They set or negotiate their prices, the services to be rendered, guaranteed results, and time limits. Coming to same result between two potential partners in a social setting has become very complicated, costly, and often frustrating. The threat that the client will refuse payment is high. While counter intuitive, the problem is quite common. The situation is like a buffet, they make you pay upon entry. They know that after you have eaten the food, if you refuse to pay, there is no way to recover what they ate. When someone wants something, it is "at the moment". The perceived value is tied to the urgency of the moment and want (desire). The better the result, the less likely the client will pay because the urgency will have subsided. The purveyor, understanding the temporal nature of "wants", demands payment in full upfront.

Lesson # 2

Make your client feel special, treat them with respect, and exceed their expectations. Exotic dancers, if they are successful make more money in a single weekend than many people earn in a month, often more than three months. They learn that a careful balance of "friendly", "special" attentiveness, feigning "interest", the air of availability, visual allure, and fulfilling the client’s needs, while providing the minimum necessary to provide the maximum results, all in a timely and friendly manner, are the key to success. Every business and service purveyor should learn from this. Your income, stability, and job security depend upon those that you serve not only being satisfied but desiring to return, again, and again. Never over provide. A client, restaurateur and chef always said, "a good chef provides an exceptional meal, but always, just enough to leave them a little hungry, wanting more." Make them feel like they are the most important one in the room, exceed their expectations, and they will come back for more. Leaders can do the same, feed those who are with you, keep them happy, fulfilled, learning, growing, and they will follow you to the ends of the earth.

Lessons # 3

Put your client first, build a relationship, pay attention to their needs, not yours, remember special details about them upon repeat business. Shed your ego, you will receive more praise for stroking other's egos than pushing your own. Servers (waiters / waitresses) often behave like exotic dancers. Servers are working in within much tighter time constraints than exotic dancers though. The best of them strike a careful balance of "friendly interest", feigning "special" attentiveness, personalized treatment, and visual allure. The ability to remember intimate details of likes, dislikes, quirks, and habits builds a lasting "relationship" with the client. Delivered with skill and a "believable performance" creates "regulars" and increases the server's tip income. The same is true in the interaction between leaders and their subordinates. I have included a pair of quotes from President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower below where he voices similar rules.

Conclusion:

*** Warning *** Take note of these manipulative behaviors and guard yourself from them. Avoid the destructive behaviors that such manipulation precipitates. The same applies to personal and business relationships too. Caveat emptor, do not be naïve gird yourself from these methods. During every war and even in peace time, government personnel have fallen prey to such manipulation compromising national security and the security of the unit. A recent example was the “Marine officers are drugged, robbed after Bogotá pub crawl and could face charges.”

Leaders, business people, and anyone who interacts with humans should pay attention to these truisms. There are powerful lessons to be learned from their behaviors, refined skills of social persuasion, and ability to be courteous to the most difficult, flip them, make them happy, and feel special. It costs only time, but the value is often incalculable. Note I am not promoting the idea that you manipulate and lead on others. But there are many lessons about how simply being courteous and friendly, caring, and attentive will make your life and those you deal with better. All for zero cost to you but a little time paying dividends of happiness to all involved.

Men frequent bars because they are lonely, horny, or just want the company of a woman who they like, and / or are attracted to, not always one in the same. Unfortunately, they are often roped in and fleeced by a female bar maid or waitress who, realizes what earns her good tips, and simplifies her job by developing “regulars.” Many a man’s heart along with his bank account has been broken by a waitress (server), bar maid, or exotic dancer. The lucky ones simply enjoy feeling special for a moment, satisfied to remember the feeling or experience it for the first time. Women do also, but to a much lower percentage because while some men are pigs and inappropriate, woman hold the keys to the kingdom even for the lowest in the pecking order.

Leaders would be well served to adopt the aforementioned rules. If you are a good leader, with a just cause, you may begin applying these rules as going through the motions. But, in short order you will absorb them and actually “mean” the behaviors. That invokes two of President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s rules for leaders and life (in his words):

Rule # 1 - A pat on the back is all you need

"Reflecting on his leadership style, Eisenhower remarked, “I adopted a policy of circulating through the whole force to the full limit imposed by my physical considerations. I did my best to meet everyone from the general to private with a smile, a pat on the back and definite interest in his problems.” Eisenhower boosted morale not with inspirational speeches, but with simple, honest, straightforward conversations. Instead of handing out trophies, he gave his soldiers encouraging pats on the back. It was a humble, direct way of reaching out, and it made him a favorite of the troops.

Leaders don’t need to light fireworks to reward hard work and dedication. Honest, meaningful conversation and the occasional pat on the back are sometimes enough to keep people motivated and energized."

Rule # 2 - Be cheerful

"Eisenhower made it his business to be a positive, cheery, and upbeat. He knew optimism, like pessimism, was contagious. By remaining positive and trying to “reflect the cheerful certainty of victory” he believed he could boost individual and company morale. Leaders shouldn’t glower, whine, complain, or pout. They must demonstrate that they are excited about the larger organizational mission and work to cultivate a sense of optimism. Dour behavior from on high has the potential to incite organizational malaise that can spread like wildfire. Be like Ike and make sure your mannerisms and speech reflect a positive attitude."

Perspectives in Leadership and Group / Cohesion Survival

Will Hemingway — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 06:48:28 +0000

Social Cohesion by the Numbers – Dunbar’s and the Allen Curve

Executive Summary:

The building blocks of a powerful and successful cohesive societal unit are a combination of the theorems below:

Dunbar's number
The Allen Curve
Émile Durkheim's The Division of Labor in Society - Mechanical and Organic Society - The Mechanical Society is the best for the people, Organic Society protects the government/society
Ferdinand Tönnies two conceptual models for types of human association: Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft
Lenski's theories of sociological evolution
The Hawthorne 1924 studies (extremely important insight)
Peace Among Primates, read the section regarding natural born killers
Pitirim Aleksandrovich Sorokin sounded the alarm about the trends of modern materialism

Even if you do not wish to lead,
you must understand the theorems
listed above if you wish to survive.

Dunbar’s rule states that when societies/groups exceed 148 members bad things begin to emerge in the social interactions. Violence, sexual perversions, deceit, theft, and much more tear apart the sub-148-member group’s previously peaceful tranquility.

Dunbar’s Number plays an important part in the crafting of cohesive social unit. Understanding the significance of the causality and effect of Dunbar’s number is the very important. The postulated cognitive limit to the number of people with whom a person can maintain stable social relationships is enlightening.

We see the validation of the Dunbar Number every time that we look at a large urban area. Cities cram many people into very dense units. Crime, violence, and more is evident just as in the studies. Yet in the plans put forth by many planners, including the UN, they plan to jam 80% of the world’s population into 20% of the land.

Ignorance to Dunbar’s number and the other correlated theorems will not change the outcome. 200,000 years of historical data prove that Dunbar’s number is a good starting point. The 80/20 plan will yield only one possible outcome, the need for more policing, government regulation, oversight, and controls. The crime, violence, and antisocial behaviors associated with such high-density populations is intense. I am writing an article on my idea of "Mesh Network Societies", stay tuned.

Despite the ubiquitous use of technology, Dunbar’s Number is bolstered by the Allen Curve which demonstrates a massive drop in communication between group members as the distance between them increases. Conversely, if they spend time in the presence of a person they are likely to keep in contact via other means when they are apart, short term.

There are many lessons to be learned for leaders. If you are not a leader, knowing the signs of good leadership and the earmarks of a solid cohesive unit will help you to choose wisely with whom you align yourself for the best survival results.

Surveys of village and tribe sizes validate that nearly all Neolithic farming villages, Hutterite settlements, and even professional armies in Roman antiquity limited themselves to 150 as the basic unit size. This was not a coincidence.

The Allen Curve, developed by an MIT Professor Thomas J. Allen, is a graphical demonstration of how the level, quality, and frequency of communication decreases exponentially between people as the distance between them increases.

The Allen Curve supports the Dunbar Number.

Allen’s book (co-written with G. Henn) entitled “The Organization and Architecture of Innovation: Managing the Flow of Technology” they revisited the Allen Curve years later in 2006 and found the following:

"For example, rather than finding that the probability of telephone communication increases with distance, as face-to-face probability decays, our data show a decay in the use of all communication media with distance (following a "near-field" rise)." [p. 58]
"We do not keep separate sets of people, some of whom we communicate with by one medium and some by another. The more often we see someone face-to-face, the more likely it is that we will also telephone that person or communicate by another medium." [p. 58]

For extra credit reading, check out Peace Among Primates, written by Robert M Sapolsky Ph.D. at Stanford University. Specifically focus on the section regarding natural born killers. (There is a well written article on the book, click here to read). In the article entitled “Why are people brutal?” I explain some of the other factors that are enhanced or out rightly provoked by exceeding the Dunbar Number.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to forming a cohesive unit or society. Humans are complex creatures with countless underlying propensities, strengths, and deficiencies. No single theorem stands alone. Together they may serve as arrows in your quiver. As a planning strategy, these time-tested and well vetted theorems can help us to understand and develop better and more cohesive teams. They are tools applicable in every form of human interaction from clubs and clans, to military units and societies.

As stated in the body of this article, the theories and rules below may act as building blocks in the formation of a powerful and successful cohesive unit / society:

Dunbar's number
The Allen Curve
Émile Durkheim's The Division of Labor in Society - Mechanical and Organic Society
Ferdinand Tönnies two conceptual models for types of human association: Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft.
Lenski's theories of sociological evolution
The Hawthorne 1924 studies (extremely important insight)
Peace Among Primates, read the section regarding natural born killers
Pitirim Aleksandrovich Sorokin sounded the alarm about the trends of modern materialism

How Visual and Audible Inputs Alter Perception

Will Hemingway — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 07:39:59 +0000

In hopes of expanding your understanding of how visual and verbal inputs completely alter your perspectives and reality I have chosen one of my favorite quirky movies to help elucidate the premise. Observe the power of perception. The tale speaks to what I believe is an important lesson in life, one of my signature phrases: “Perception is reality. Reality is perception.”

The movie The Grand Budapest Hotel based on the book, “The Society of the Crossed Keys” is a colorful tale following the adventures of Gustave H, an influential concierge at

You see? There are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed, that's what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant way

The Grand Budapest Hotel; a European hotel. The story is bookended between the first and second world wars. The “lowly” lobby boy, a key character, becomes Gustav H’s (the prime character) most trusted friend. Throughout the story and adventures Gustav H adheres to a very rigid and “civilized” code of honor. The belief that no matter how lowly you are in your station in life, you are elevated through the act of being a “gentleman’ and civilized.

The loyalty between various “Established Hotel” concierge’ around the world sets the tone for the way that civilized behavior is developed as a means of language, compromise, established loyalty, and the perception of being something greater than oneself. To many of the hotel’s patrons the Concierge and bell boys are “lowly servants.” The movie vividly depicts how through living their code, their loyalty, and pride in action they create an entirely alternative world that the patrons rarely see. They are far more respectable and respectful than most of the patrons. They are privy to the quirks, vices, and failings of the patrons. All the while they are discrete, dignified, and respectful. That is the power of belief and principles. As principles to paint perception, they can change the entire “reality.”

Gustav H the main character in the movie takes you through a series of clearly Machiavellian situations where his behaviors assault the senses of a “moral person”. (See Article on Machiavelli.) Yet at the same time he does so with dignity, the utmost in service to his patrons, and stern adherence to the principles of his duties, discretion, and loyalty.

I have seen many times, especially in Eastern Europe where the “belief” in the superior nature or stature of an edifice or person was enough to elevate that edifice or person to a place of influence and respect. All of that, in spite of no good reason or explanation of why it should deserve such status. ‘Belief” is a driving force, a collective belief or perception can send men to the gallows and women to the stake. It causes people to take their own life when they feel that they can go no further.

Rationalization is borne from perception; preexisting biases can skew your perception. Your view and other external factors may also alter your perception erroneously. The skewed perception may then support the rationalization of “bad” actions.

"To be frank, I think his world had vanished long before he ever entered it – but, I will say: he certainly sustained the illusion with a marvelous grace!" (Grand Budapest Hotel)

Gustave H’s entire image and social construct is predicated upon a reality that existed only in his mind. That said he “created” the same construct for his guests by the sheer force of his will and perception. The quote on the right is a great example of how Gustav created the world that he desired.

Once I spent seven straight hours on surveillance. I kept copious, detailed notes about the subject. When he moved, I moved. Near the end of the day the light was fading and I removed my sunglasses. Shock!!! I suddenly realized that none of the colors that I recorded were even remotely accurate. I had to rewrite 10 pages of notes to fix the perceptual error. Lesson learned.

Why is someone evil? Stupid? Wonderful? Etc.? Is it your belief because you have experienced it first hand, on repeated occasions? Is it because your friend, who never met them either, or the news repeater told you on the TV? (modern TV news personalities repeat from a written script, they don't report) Would you put that person to death? With that level of proof? Would you want to be found guilty that way?

Once you are able to recognize how your perception can be skewed, you should realize that the only solution to the conundrum is to employ many people, with many perceptions. Doing so will allow you, working in concert to form a more objective point of view tamping down the preexisting biases and frame of reference. By employing such an approach, you are able to more reliably identify and assess complex and simple things rapidly, objectively, and accurately. Mastering this concept will uniquely position you in a place that can protect and help you as well as others who you can teach. Always remember as Ronald Regan repeatedly told Michael Gorbachev the Russian proverb, "Доверяй, но проверяй" {Doveryai, no proveryai} (trust, but verify). This you too should practice. Always remain aware that perception is reality, and reality is based primarily upon your perception. You should resultantly be more flexible with your thought processes and teach yourself to gather maximum data in order to assure rapid progression from one perception to another. That skill, well-practiced, will significantly enhance your intellectual and physical performance in the “real world”.

In closing, I present below a great video that I found after writing this article which utilizes the movie Grand Budapest Hotel to elucidate my point through careful visual analysis. I hope that you enjoy and that this article has “stimulated your little grey cells”.

The movie is truly a glorious comedy laced with light and dark humor, love, loyalty, and wonderment of a day and life long past. Below is one of my favorite dark humor scenes with Willem Dafoe playing the nearly mute strongman.

Survival Is Rarely Pretty or Peaceful – Ask Nicolo Machiavelli

Will Hemingway — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 22:55:39 +0000

Machiavelli realized that, when carefully studying history, the good guy almost always finishes last.

There is something to be said for the principle of fighting for your survival. Religious and political voices counsel us every day how to be submissive and, for the most part, docile. Most first-world societies have been brainwashed their people, push a relentless torrent mandating acts of altruism, self-loathing, and guilt. The overlords have “bred” Aggression out of us. Such social engineering has been used throughout man’s history under the guise of civility and peace. The goal, of course, is to assure the dominance of a government or group over others.

If you think that you understand strategic social interactions, politics, or survival, then you better know Machiavelli.

The first thing that every survival minded person must do is learn how to override that training. If you genuinely wish to survive any significant conflict or social upheaval, then you need to understand Machiavelli's principles. A Nicolo Machiavelli primer is provided below, along with his two seminal works.

Executive Summary:

Anyone who wishes to protect their nation, way of life, liberty, and freedom should acquaint themselves with the Machiavellian principles. I suggest that you begin with “The Prince.” (see the PDF below)

His principles (in the supporting materials below) will offend the sensibilities of some who are highly religious. I recommend that you force yourself past it. The perceptions and well-rooted historical basis upon which they were formed are easily validated by millennia.

Machiavelli served as a diplomat in Italy's Florentine Republic for fourteen years. Upon the return of the exiled Medic family and the fall of the Republic, Machiavelli studied Roman history. Licking his wounds at the collapse of the Republic, he wrote his most notable treatise, The Prince. In the Prince, he outlined the harsh realities of what it requires to maintain and assure the longevity of a monarchy or a government.

Machiavelli is known as the "Father of Modern Political Theory". The Prince illuminated the necessity of ruling by deceit, fear, and in some cases, force. Pope Clement VIII condemned the premise. Interestingly, the Catholic Church had been practicing nearly identical methods to protect, grow, and maintain their control over their nation-state colonies around the world, all done for the “greater good” (God’s will).

Machiavelli was well-read and quite worldly for his time. In 1521 he penned an interesting treatise "On the Art of War." The Prince and Click here to download "On the Art of War."

Supporting Materials:

Machiavelli:

May 3, 1469 - Jun 21, 1527, Florence, (Italy) Republic of Florence
Diplomat, Politician, Historian, Philosopher, Humanist, Writer
"Father of Modern Political Theory"

Machiavelli’s Principles:

Separate Politics/Government from Religion
- Machiavelli challenged the core underlying everyone's religious convictions. He challenged the logic and historical evidence of spiritual and moral convictions at the heart of “man”.
There are no friends in politics
The “effectual truth”
- .Allies in politics, whether at home or abroad, are not friends
Whoever imagines allies are friends ensures his ruin rather than his preservation
The virtues taught in our secular and religious schools are incompatible with the virtues one must practice safeguarding those same institutions.
The power of the lion and the cleverness of the fox: These are the qualities a leader must harness to preserve the republic.
Leaders must, at times inspire fear not only in their foes but even in their allies — and even in their own ministers.
The proper aim of a leader is to maintain his state
P.olitics is an environment where
- Acting virtuously often leads to the ruin of a state.
- Pursuing what appears to be vice results in security and well-being.
Leaders must understand that the ability to make difficult decisions carefully weighing the best of bad choices is what is required to achieve the most good.

“I pour myself out as fully as I can in meditation on the subject, discussing what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept, why they are lost:” Nicolo Machiavelli

Machiavelli set social precepts on their collective ears. He broke the standard of the time; separating Politics/Government from Religion. The response to Machiavelli’s words was condemnation and outrage. He never urged evil for evil’s sake. He realized that, when carefully studying history, the good guy almost always finishes last.

The Prince and Click here to download "On the Art of War".

machiavelli_prince

Natural (and unnatural) Selection

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Threats from Above – Space Junk Falling to the Earth Near You

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Survival, Altruism, and Self Interest

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Panama

2013-08-11 Will Hemingway Comments Off on Panama
Posse Comitatus

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Articles of Confederation

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Civil Protest and Reasoned Civil Discourse

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United States Constitution

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Why are people brutal?

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Survival Team

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Posse Comitatus

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Liberty, Freedom, and Sovereignty

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Balancing Freedom & Governance

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When Has Government Gone Too Far?

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Magna Carta

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How Visual and Audible Inputs Alter Perception

2017-12-30 Will Hemingway 1
Threats from Above – Space Junk Falling to the Earth Near You

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Magna Carta

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Gibbons v Ogden – SCOTUS

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Civil Protest and Reasoned Civil Discourse

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Yellow Journalism

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Orwell’s 1984

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The Life Cycle of a Republic

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Population Management

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Prepper Friends

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Reactive Response Forfeits Liberty and Freedoms

Will Hemingway — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 18:57:33 +0000

Reactive behaviors are dangerous. Proactive actions are strong. Proactive actions are the essence of planning, analytical analysis, and review of historical data. Proactive actions are based upon careful deliberations and well-designed preparations and procedures. Reactive actions are spur of the moment. By their nature, they lack clarity of thought, lack deliberation, and are fraught with shortsighted reasoning. We should take a quick look at this issue and how we see its results intentionally thrust upon us in the real world.

Benjamin Franklin’s quote, widely butchered and amended, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety”, would seem to be more appropriate to this topic than most would realize. That quote is commonly applied to arguments regarding the surveillance state and excessive governance/protection. In fact, most people are not aware that Franklin was referring to monetary seizures through taxation. Of course, taxation is an affront to freedom, and threatens liberty if you fail to comply. The solution to the people’s lack of desire to comply is gained through the application of the Hegelian Dialectic. Rahm Emmanuel popularized, or vilified, the concept with his

Hegelian Dialectic

Problem – Reaction – Solution Paradigm

The government creates or exploits a problem then attributes blame to others.
The populace reacts by asking the government for protection and help to solve the problem.
The government offers the solution that was planned by them long before the crisis occurred.

Outcome: Rights and liberties are exchanged for the illusion of protection and help.

Bruce Yandle (The Freeman) put it well in a recent article:

“… When it comes to crisis management, opportunistic politicians such an [Rahm] Emanuel never miss a chance to convert crises into political pork for special interests.

Rahm’s Rule is a useful accessory to a body of theory that seeks to explain the political economy of regulation. The rule tells us that major crises can provide cover for distributing benefits to targeted special interest groups. The greater the magnitude of a given crisis and the shorter the interval for forming legislation to deal with it, the larger the spread of pork that can be packed into the final legislation. Rahm’s Rule is a guarantee that efforts to resolve a deadline-based crisis will go on to the very last minute."

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Sun Tzu The Art of War Intro

Will Hemingway — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 13:08:55 +0000

The Art of War – Sun Tzu

Introduction

The basic history of Sun Tzu’s text: The quotations that occur in early authors go to show that the “13 chapters” of which Ssu-ma Ch`ien speaks were essentially the same as those now extant. We have his word for i t that they were widely circulated in his day, and can only regret that he refrained from discussing them on that account. Sun Hsing-yen says in his preface: — During the Ch`in and Han dynasties Sun Tzu’s ART OF WAR was in general use amongst military y commanders, but they seem to have treated it as a work of mysterious import, and were unwilling to expound it for the benefit of posterity. Thus it came about that Wei Wu was the first to write a commentary on it. As we have already seen, there is no reasonable ground to suppose that Ts`ao Kung tampered with the text. But the text itself is often so obscure, and the number of editions which appeared from that time onward so great, especially during the T`ang and Sung dynasties, that it would be surprising if numerous corruptions had not managed to creep in. Towards the middle of the Sung period, by which time all the chief commentaries on Sun Tzu were in existence, a certain Chi T`ien-pao published a work in 15 C HUAN entitled “Sun Tzu with the collected commentaries of ten writers.” There was another text, with variant readings put forward by Chu Fu of Ta-hsing, which also had supporters among the scholars of that period; but in the Ming editions, Sun Hsing-yen tells us, these readings were for some reason or other no longer put into circulation.

Thus, until the end of the 18th century, the text in sole possession of the field was one derived from Chi T`ien-pao’s edition, although no actual copy of that important work was known to have survived. That, therefore, is the text of Sun Tzu which appears in the War section of the great Imperial encyclopedia printed in 1726, the KU CHIN T`U SHU CHI CH`ENG. Another copy at my disposal of what is practically the same text, with slight variations, is that contained in the “Eleven philosophers of the Cho u and Ch`in dynasties” [1758].

And the Chinese printed in Capt. Calthrop’s first edition is evidently a similar version which has filtered through Japanese channels. So things remained until Sun Hsing-yen [1752-1818], a distinguished antiquarian and classical scholar, who claimed to be an actual descendant of Sun Wu, [36] accidentally discovered a copy of Chi T`ien-pao’s long-lost work, when on a visit to the library of the Hua-yin temple. [37] Appended to it was the I SHUO of Cheng Yu-Hsien, mentioned in the T`UNG CHIH, and also believed to have perished.

This is what Sun Hsing-yen designates as the “original edition (or text)”-a rather misleading name, for it cannot by any means claim to set before us the text of Sun Tzu in its pristine purity. Chi T`ien-pao was a careless compiler, and appears to have been content to reproduce the somewhat debased version current in his day, without troubling to collate it with the earliest editions then available. Fortunately, two versions of Sun Tzu, even older than the newly discovered work, were still extant, one buried in the T`UNG TIEN, Tu Yu’s great treatise on the Constitution, the other similarly enshrined in the T`AI P`ING YU LAN encyclopedia.

In both the complete text is to be found, though split up into fragments, intermixed with other matter, and scattered piecemeal over a number of different sections. Considering that the YU LAN takes us back to the year 983, and the T`UNG TIEN about 200 y ears further still, to the middle of the T`ang dynasty, the value of these early transcripts of Sun Tzu can hardly be overestimated. Yet the idea of utilizing them does not seem to have occurred to anyone until Sun Hsing-yen, acting under Government inst ructions, undertook a thorough recension of the text.

This is his own account: — Because of the numerous mistakes in the text of Sun Tzu which his editors had handed down, the Government ordered that the ancient edition [of Chi T`ien-pao] should be used, and that the text should be revised and corrected throughout. It happened that Wu Nien-hu, the Governor Pi Kua, and Hsi, a graduate of the second degree, had all devoted themselves to this study, probably surpassing me therein. Accordingly, I have had the whole work cut on blocks as a textbook for military men.

The three individuals here referred to had evidently been occupied on the text of Sun Tzu prior to Sun Hsing-yen’s commission, but we are left in doubt as to the work they really accomplished. At any rate, the new edition, when ultimately produced, app eared in the names of Sun Hsing-yen and only one coedition Wu Jen-shi. They took the “original edition” as their basis, and by careful comparison with older versions, as well as the extant commentaries and other sources of information such as the I SHUO , succeeded in restoring a very large number of doubtful passages, and turned out, on the whole, what must be accepted as the closes approximation we are ever likely to get to Sun Tzu’s original work. This is what will hereafter be denominated the “standard text.”

The copy which I have used belongs to a reissue dated 1877. it is in 6 PEN, forming part of a well-printed set of 23 early philosophical works in 83 PEN. [38] It opens with a preface by Sun Hsing-yen (largely quoted in this introduction), vindicating t he traditional view of Sun Tzu’s life and performances, and summing up in remarkably concise fashion the evidence in its favor. This is followed by Ts`ao Kung’s preface to his edition, and the biography of Sun Tzu from the SHIH CHI, both translated above. Then come, firstly, Cheng Yu-hsien’s I SHUO, [39] with author’s preface, and next, a short miscellany of historical and bibliographical information entitled SUN TZU HSU LU, compiled by Pi I-hsun. As regards the body of the work, each separate sentence is followed by a note on the text, if required, and then by the various commentaries appertaining to it, arranged in chronological order. These we shall now proceed to discuss briefly, one by one.

The Commentators:

Sun Tzu can boast an exceptionally long distinguished roll of commentators, which would do honor to any classic. Ou-yang Hsiu remarks on this fact, though he wrote before the tale was complete, and rather ingeniously explains it by saying that the artifices of war, being inexhaustible, must therefore be susceptible of treatment in a great variety of ways. TS`AO TS`AO or Ts`ao Kung, afterwards known as Wei Wu Ti [A.D. 155-220]. There is hardly any room for doubt that the earliest commentary on Sun Tzu actually came from the pen of this extraordinary man, whose biography in the SAN KUO CHIH reads li ke a romance. One of the greatest military geniuses that the world has seen, and Napoleonic in the scale of his operations, he was especially famed for the marvelous rapidity of his marches, which has found expression in the line “Talk of Ts`ao Ts`ao, an d Ts`ao Ts`ao will appear.”

Ou-yang Hsiu says of him that he was a great captain who “measured his strength against Tung Cho, Lu Pu and the two Yuan, father and son, and vanquished them all; hereupon he divided the Empire of Han with Wu and Shu, and made himself king. It is recorded that whenever a council of war was held by Wei on the eve of a far-reaching campaign, he had all his calculations ready; those generals who made use of them did not lose one battle in ten; those who ran counter to them in any particular saw their armies incontinently beaten and put to flight.” Ts`ao Kung’s notes on Sun Tzu, Models of austere brevity, are so thoroughly characteristic of the stern commander known to history, that it is hard indeed to conceive of them as the work of a mere LITTERATEUR . Sometimes, indeed, owing to extreme compression, they are scarcely intelligible and stand no less in need of a commentary than the text itself. [40]

MENG SHIH. The commentary which has come down to us under this name is comparatively meager, and nothing about the author is known. Even his personal name has not been recorded. Chi T`ien-pao’s edition places him after Chia Lin, and Ch`ao Kung-wu also assigns him to the T`ang dynasty, [41] but this is a mistake. In Sun Hsing-yen’s preface, he appears as Meng Shih of the Liang dynasty [502-557]. Others would identify him with Meng K`ang of the 3rd century. He is named in one work as the last of the “Five Commentators,” the others being Wei Wu Ti, Tu Mu, Ch`en Hao and Chia Lin.

LI CH`UAN of the 8th century was a well-known writer on military tactics. One of his works has been in constant use down to the present day. The T`UNG CHIH mentions “Lives of famous generals from the Chou to the T`ang dynasty” as written by him. [42] According to Ch`ao Kung-wu and the T`IEN-I-KO catalogue, he followed a variant of the text of Sun Tzu which differs considerably from those now extant. His notes are mostly short and to the point, and he frequently illustrates his remarks by anecdotes from Chinese history.

TU YU (died 812) did not publish a separate commentary on Sun Tzu, his notes being taken from the T`UNG TIEN, the encyclopedic treatise on the Constitution which was his lifework. They are largely repetitions of Ts`ao Kung and Meng Shih, beside s which it is believed that he drew on the ancient commentaries of Wang Ling and others. Owing to the peculiar arrangement of T`UNG TIEN, he has to explain each passage on its merits, apart from the context, and sometimes his own explanation does not agree with that of Ts`ao Kung, whom he always quotes first. Though not strictly to be reckoned as one of the “Ten Commentators,” he was added to their number by Chi T`ien-pao, being wrongly placed after his grandson Tu Mu.

TU MU (803-852) is perhaps the best known as a poet — a bright star even in the glorious galaxy of the T`ang period. We learn from Ch`ao Kung-wu that although he had no practical experience of war, he was extremely fond of discussing the subject , and was moreover well read in the military history of the CH`UN CH`IU and CHAN KUO eras. His notes, therefore, are well worth attention. They are very copious, and replete with historical parallels. The gist of Sun Tzu’s work is thus summarized by him: “Practice benevolence and justice, but on the other hand make full use of artifice and measures of expediency.” He further declared that all the military triumphs and disasters of the thousand years which had elapsed since Sun Tzu’s death would, upon examination, be found to uphold and corroborate, in every particular, the maxims contained in his book. Tu Mu’s somewhat spiteful charge against Ts`ao Kung has already been considered elsewhere.

CH`EN HAO appears to have been a contemporary of Tu Mu. Ch`ao Kung-wu says that he was impelled to write a new commentary on Sun Tzu because Ts`ao Kung’s on the one hand was too obscure and subtle, and that of Tu Mu on the other too long-winded an d diffuse. Ou-yang Hsiu, writing in the middle of the 11th century, calls Ts`ao Kung, Tu Mu and Ch`en Hao the three chief commentators on Sun Tzu, and observes that Ch`en Hao is continually attacking Tu Mu’s shortcomings. His commentary, though not lacking in merit, must rank below those of his predecessors.

CHIA LIN is known to have lived under the T`ang dynasty, for his commentary on Sun Tzu is mentioned in the T`ang Shu and was afterwards republished by Chi Hsieh of the same dynasty together with those of Meng Shih and Tu Yu. It is of somewhat scanty texture, and in point of quality, too, perhaps the least valuable of the eleven.

MEI YAO-CH`EN (1002-1060), commonly known by his “style” as Mei Sheng-yu, was, like Tu Mu, a poet of distinction. His commentary was published with a laudatory preface by the great Ou-yang Hsiu, from which we may cull the following: — Later scholars have misread Sun Tzu, distorting his words and trying to make them square with their own one-sided views. Thus, though commentators have not been lacking, only a few have proved equal to the task. My friend Sheng-yu has not fallen into th is mistake. In attempting to provide a critical commentary for Sun Tzu’s work, he does not lose sight of he fact that these sayings were intended for states engaged in internecine warfare; that the author is not concerned with the military conditions prevailing under the sovereigns of the three ancient dynasties, [43] nor with the nine punitive measures prescribed to the Minister of War. [44]

Again, Sun Wu loved brevity of diction, but his meaning is always deep. Whether the subject be marching an army, or handling soldiers, or estimating the enemy, or controlling the forces of victory, it is always systematically treated; the sayings are bound together in strict logical sequence, though this has been obscured by commentators who have probably failed to grasp their meaning. In his own commentary, Mei Sheng-yu has brushed aside all the obstinate prejudices of these critics, and has tried to bring out the true meaning of Sun Tzu himself. In this way, the clouds of confusion have been dispersed and the sayings made clear. I am convinced that the present work deserves to be handed down side by side with the three great commentaries; and for a great deal that they find in the sayings, coming generations will have constant reason to thank my friend Sheng-yu. Making some allowance for the exuberance of friendship, I am inclined to endorse this favorable judgment, and would certainly place him above Ch`en Hao in order of merit.

WANG HIS, also of the Sung dynasty, is decidedly original in some of his interpretations, but much less judicious than Mei Yao-ch`en, and on the whole not a very trustworthy guide. He is fond of comparing his own commentary with that of Ts`ao Kung, but the comparison is not often flattering to him. We learn from Ch`ao Kung-wu that Wang Hsi revised the ancient text of Sun Tzu, filling up lacunae and correcting mistakes. [45]

HO YEN-HIS of the Sung dynasty. The personal name of this commentator is given as above by Cheng Ch`iao in the TUNG CHIH, written about the middle of the twelfth century, but he appears simply as Ho Shih in the YU HAI, and Ma Tuan-lin quotes Ch` ao Kung-wu as saying that his personal name is unknown. There seems to be no reason to doubt Cheng Ch`iao’s statement, otherwise I should have been inclined to hazard a guess and identify him with one Ho Ch`u-fei, the author of a short treatise on war, who lived in the latter part of the 11th century. Ho Shih’s commentary, in the words of the T`IEN-I-KO catalogue, “contains helpful additions” here and there, but is chiefly remarkable for the copious extracts taken, in adapted form, from the dynastic histories and other sources.

CHANG YU. The list closes with a commentator of no great originality perhaps, but gifted with admirable powers of lucid exposition. His commentator is based on that of Ts`ao Kung, whose terse sentences he contrives to expand and develop in master ly fashion. Without Chang Yu, it is safe to say that much of Ts`ao Kung’s commentary would have remained cloaked in its pristine obscurity and therefore valueless. His work is not mentioned in the Sung history, the T`UNG K`AO, or the YU HAI, but it find s a niche in the T`UNG CHIH, which also names him as the author of the “Lives of Famous Generals.” [46]

It is rather remarkable that the last-named four should all have flourished within so short a space of time. Ch`ao Kung-wu accounts for it by saying: “During the early years of the Sung dynasty the Empire enjoyed a long spell of peace, and men ceased to practice the art of war. but when [Chao] Yuan-hao’s rebellion came [1038-42] and the frontier generals were defeated time after time, the Court made strenuous inquiry for men skilled in war, and military topics became the vogue amongst all the high officials. Hence it is that the commentators of Sun Tzu in our dynasty belong mainly to that period. [47]

Besides these eleven commentators, there are several others whose work has not come down to us. The SUI SHU mentions four, namely Wang Ling (often quoted by Tu Yu as Wang Tzu); Chang Tzu-shang; Chia Hsu of Wei; [48] and Shen Yu of Wu. The T`ANG SHU add s Sun Hao, and the T`UNG CHIH Hsiao Chi, while the T`U SHU mentions a Ming commentator, Huang Jun-yu. It is possible that some of these may have been merely collectors and editors of other commentaries, like Chi T`ien-pao and Chi Hsieh, mentioned above.

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