The Art of War

[mnaz]

The art of war is breathing.
Breathe, and you breathe art.
The art of war is not to defeat
all of those past ghosts of war,
but to settle down beside them,
ask what the hell they had done.

[saw]

civil war = soldier's heart
World War I = shell shocked
World War II = battle fatigue, combat stress reaction, battle neurosis
Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan = PTSD
Same Old Shit

[mnaz]

That's pretty much it. I'm a weak idiot. Hopeless. I just can't buy into the "Art of War." War is not "artful." Sorry Sun Tzu.

[mtmynd]

~-cecilism-~

war is never won
until
reduced to one






A few quotes by Sun Tsu, a very wise man who understood war rather than feared it or worse, ignored it.
His quotes are what gave "The Art of War" a very long life.

“Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.”
― Sun Tzu

“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
― Sun Tzu

“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu

“All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.”
― Sun tzu,

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”
― Sun Tzu

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity”
― Sun Tzu

“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .”
― Sun Tzu

“The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”
― Sun Tzu

[mnaz]

Sage for his time, no doubt. The stakes (and weapons) are much bigger now. The self-perpetuating, self-washing religion of it too. And the "battles" are much more asymmetric (though yes, I suppose genocidal tendencies have always been part of the human energy matrix)...

But yes, you (he) make(s) some good points-- points that could actually (ironically?) be used to argue against the "legitimacy" of many if not all large-scale, state-sponsored/manufactured "modern" mechanized wars, now that you mention it. So there is that. (Define "modern" as you wish, but keep it in the last couple of centuries or so.)

The whole concept is in dire need of updating, if not complete disposal.

Maybe I shouldn't write about this topic. Leave it to the adults. It just pisses me off too much.

This is not a "bad" poem. Really, it's not even a "poem" at all. I don't know what the hell it is. There might be a poem hiding somewhere in this gibberish, but I'm not sure if I'll ever find out ...

[mtmynd]

#1 - The whole concept is in dire need of updating, if not complete disposal.

#2 - Maybe I shouldn't write about this topic. Leave it to the adults. It just pisses me off too much.

#3 - This is not a "bad" poem. Really, it's not even a "poem" at all. I don't know what the hell it is. There might be a poem hiding somewhere in this gibberish, but I'm not sure if I'll ever find out ...

__________

Reply to #1 : "Billions and billions of $$$$$ is made worldwide for "tools of human destruction and death" with not end in sight. Would I like/love to see a final end to war? Hell yes! Who in the right mind wouldn't like to see that day? But we must be honest with the facts and war everyday, somewhere, there is a war. Size that down to a family squabble that eventually end in a death(s) of family members. I view that as proof enough war is endless in our humanity... a loose gene perhaps, and inherent activity that has always been... whatever it is that drives us to war also drives us to find Peace. That is "our" salvation... a few moments of balance before there is violence turning to war."

Reply to #2 : "I would heartily recommend, amigo, to not get so wrapped up in that single word, "WAR"" more than it really is (as discussed not only hear but various conversations we've had for years)

Reply to #3 - "You wrote a good poem! Don't second guess these replies. Strong poems often get comments good "and" not so good. It's the way of humanity. With your poem, those who read it may very well have their own conversations in their privacy. "

[mnaz]

Thanks Cec. I hate war. I hate being at war with war. I hate hate too. I'm obviously one confused, contradicted human, and I hate confusion and contradiction too! I blame The Mind for all of this; it gets too worked up over nothing in the end, but I also kind of hate blaming things too, which gave legs to war in the first place.

Peace, the Army of One. Something like that.

[theirishsea]

Your observation is right---suffering and destruction. war if it is an art is not a gift to humanity---far from it.

[mtmynd]

war if it is an art is not a gift to humanity---far from it.

The art of any war is staying alive. Not getting caught running a close second.

The game of Chess is an art of war, metaphorically speaking. That and any game or sport is about winning the battle.

But of course this topic boils down to the most destructive wars that maim and kill thousands if not millions worldwide. Perhaps it is nature's way of weeding out humanity's march to conquer the earth..??