When dark inertia increases, obscurity and inactivity, negligence and delusion, arise. When lucidity prevails, the self whose body dies enters the untainted worlds of those who know reality. When he dies in passion, he is born among lovers of action; so when he dies in dark inertia, he is born in wombs of folly. The fruit of good conduct is pure and untainted, they say, but suffering is the fruit of passion, ignorance the fruit of dark inertia. From lucidity knowledge is born; from passion comes greed; from dark ineria comes negligence, delusion, and ignorance. Men who are lucid go upward; men of passion stay in between; men of dark inertia, caught in vile ways, sink low. THE BHAGAVAD GITA – KRISHNA COUNSEL IN TIME OF WAR.
The rise of Strategy has gone hand in hand with the bureaucratization of organizations, professionalization of function and growth of social sciences. The strategy strives for a more comprehensible and predictable world, tailored effectively to the circumstances of the moment. All the moves are informed and judged.
Strategy
- Getting more out of a situation than the starting balance of power would suggest
- Art of creating power – “Duel” is a bad metaphor
- Multi-dimensional realms – Psychological, words, bargaining, deeds, persuasion, threats, pressure and physical effects
- Central political art – The challenge is to convince natural supporters that the necessary concessions have been worthwhile or prudent
- Moves – require complex negotiations
- Combine with others often constitute the most astute strategic
- Prevent opponents from doing the same
- Resolving conflicts – Building shared interests
- Forging a winning coalition with the next available partner
Strategic Deception became a strong biblical theme through the bible. God’s objectives are clear – leading victims into traps – under the erroneous impression that they are the masters of their destinies. Cunning was accepted as a natural method for an underdog who must use wits to succeed.
The trickster appeared defiant, employing “wit, wile and deception”. Assuming that no victories were final and neat, the tricks rebounded and no success was stable.
Create Threatening Presence
- Deterrence strategy – Defeating you is costly and self-destructive
- Seem unpredictable and irrational – crazy opponents are terrifying
- Ready to take enemies with you – destroy reputation in the process
- Doing something suggesting a slightly suicidal streak – As if you felt you had nothing to lose
- The next move could be anything – Fighting you is not attractive
- Acting emotionally signals weakness
The key to success lies in the opponent’s response. Both Goliath and Pharoh failed to appreciate the traps they were entering – Only Pharoh had the opportunity to consider what he was up against and adjust his strategy.
At this the grey-eyed goddess Athena smiled and gave him a caress, her looks being changed now, so she seemed a woman, tall and beautiful and no doubt skilled at weaving splendid things. She answered briskly: “Whoever gets around you [Odyseus] must be sharp and guileful as a snake; even a god might bow to you in ways of dissimulation. You! you Chameleon! Bottomless bag of tricks! Here in your own country would you not give your stratagems a rest or stop spellbinding for an instant?… Two of a kind, we are , contrivers, both. Of all men now alive you are the best in plots and storytelling. My own fame is for wisdom among the gods – deceptions, too. THE ODYSSEY, HOMER.