Now Playing: Anarchy club
Topic: the art of war
The Second Chapter of the Art of War does not actually concern the waging of war. Ironically, or appropriately, the second chapter is concerned about the preparations for war. The name is what is most ironic.
This chapter is filled with statements which only appear self explanatory after a defeat. I have attempted to translate the phrases into something a little clearer for the average student. I do this mainly because the book is meant to be kept secret and tends to be even more vague than I usually expect from a philosophy text. Therefore I have meditated upon the statements and my own training to come up with these conceptual translations.
Chapter II - Waging war.
1. There is a minimum level of preparation, below which you cannot wage war. This preparation must be made before battle. You cannot train during combat. The sword must be in your hand and the armor on your body before a battle ensues. It seams silly to say this. I can only say, "how many of you have gotten into a fight and realized you were outclassed?" How many "black belts" or "masters" get into a simple fight with an "untrained" person and get their ass kicked. I simply say that they weren't really black belts or masters. They should be. They have the training and had the time. They also have the belief that the training in their school was correct and people outside their school did not compare. They also believe that because they work out with people, who they are impressed by, they are somehow better than people whom they aren't impressed by. People, every day and of every style, fail to understand this simple concept.
2. Preparation takes time, effort, and a consistant plan. Also self evident until you see the number of certificates from weekend seminars which you can see hanging on the wall of any school. You cannot learn something new in a weekend. You cannot learn to beat someone with years of training in a weekend. If you are lucky, you may get an experience similar to wing chun. By this I mean that you are threatened by someone better than you, you have access to a master to can give you a crash course which will take advantage of your opponent's specific mental and physical weaknesses, you have time to do such training, and you are willing to build the skill which you are taught. For those of you who are not a pretty little girl who is going to fight a man who wants to have sex with you, you are going to have to work very hard and train for a long time.
The consistant plan is the most important. With the plan time and effort can be varied as necessary to fit with the environment, such as a job. Without the plan, there is never enough time and effort is wasted.
3. Victory, the achievement of a goal, is the purpose of War. All effort must be focused on developing skills and capacities which are useful in combat. When those first skills are achieved, they must be refined while new skills are developed. There is too much possibility in combat to depend on a few weeks or months of training. weaknesses must be assessed and ruthlessly removed so that strength will take it's place. This must take place physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is important to note that combat, by it's very nature, can create a situation which makes victory impossible. As such, war should be as short as possible and decisive.
4. You cannot fight forever. A long fight leads to injury and fatigue which leads to inefficient technique. You cannot win with inefficient technique.
5. Fatigue is a weakness. Even winning a battle leaves you fatigued and this will be taken advantage of by the next opponent.
6. Speed can hide a lack of skill but, a slow attack will merely expand weaknesses.
7. A long fight benefits nobody.
8. Those unable to understand weakness cannot employ strength.
9. Skill in waging war means winning with what you have. This is basic efficiency. Why try are out-power a more powerful opponent? Do Not use Force against Force. Every body has heard of this statement. Most have read it in the tao te ching, some have heard it from instructors, and others on television. It means a specific force. Do not use power against power, speed against speed, range against range, size against size or anything which may be equal. You must use what you have against whatever the opponent doesn't have. You must know what you can do better. You must have technique.
10. If you need anything which you do not already have, you must take it from the enemy. This has the added benefit of depriving the enemy of something they need to kill you.
11. The reason troops slay the enemy is out of rage. If there was no rage, they would stop when the opponent is defeated. This might leave them so injured that they die anyway. They might simply dissarm the opponent and leave.
12. They take booty from the enemy because they desire wealth. They take trophies for honor and recognition. Basically they take because they want.
13. It is important to achieve Victory and become stronger. Take their weapons and make them your own. Treat your defeated enemies well so they become your friends.
These are all important considerations in any preparation for combat. Preparations are simply training. And training is just as focused as anything else. Do not train for the ring and pretend the street will be the same. Just as many people who can kill in the street look nearly incompetant with gloves on. You can do what you train for, but you must train for it without lies.
