Thursday, August 30, 2012

Sages and Warfare


A Sage is defined as being wise through reflection and experience or characterized by wisdom, prudence, and good judgment.
That being stated one of my favorite books in the entire world is Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.”  The Art of War is believed to be written by Sun Tzu, a Chinese general and philosopher.  Scholars disagree as to the actual time that he existed and when the book was written but it was definitely written in the BC period approximately over 2,250 years ago.  In its thirteen chapters it explains most elegantly the many facets and complexities of warfare.  The beautiful thing about the book is that its principles are just as relative today as they were when the book was written.  These principles can be effectively used in almost every type of conflict or business situation and why the book is required reading at Harvard Business College and West Point, the Army’s Military Academy.
Today I will touch ever so lightly on one of the primary points of the book, The Art of War.
Let me preface the point of my post with a couple of facts.
I am an author, who at this time has written four Science Fiction action adventure novels, two are published and two are at the editors and to be released soon.  Currently I am writing my fifth novel, the third and final installment of the Alexander Hawk Series.  I enjoy writing for many reasons, but one of the reasons is that you can create alternative fictional worlds and situations.  In these worlds you can bypass politics, racism, religions, and focus on deeper base issues that affect our human condition.
In spite of the wisdom of the principles explained in the Art of War, wars are not waged in this manner by man on earth because it is too profitable for the primary parties involved.  I know this doesn’t make sense initially but until the profitability of warfare can be taken out of the equation it will not change.  Just as with many of the atrocities which happen every day on our civilized planet until the profitability of the situations can be removed these will continue to happen over and over again.
One final preface to my point about the wisdom of ages being ignored is that in the case of undermanned and under financed rebels actually fighting for a cause such as freedom or relief from persecution from another entity, they may not have the resources to wage war in any higher form than actually fighting.
In Sun Tzu’s book he describes the levels or forms of warfare.  The lowest form is what we are accustomed to seeing in the news every day.  Actual fighting between troops slugging it out on the ground killing each other, or forms thereof described as guerilla warfare where you strike and hide.  With the sophisticated and expensive weapons available around the world today it generally doesn’t produce an equal match up for open battle field conflicts like the wars of the past.  Terrorist attacks, booby traps, and guerilla tactics are most common means today of combat with other military forces acting as police in a reactionary fashion to the attacks as they happen.
According to Sun Tzu:
All warfare is based off deception.
Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
Translated this means the highest form of combat is to defeat your enemy without firing a shot.  No loss of life, no destruction of property and no money being made off the conflict from the sale of weapons, property stolen, or any of the myriad of ways to profit off the defeating and killing of your enemy.
I have mentioned in previous posts about my years of thinking about what a race of beings would be like that never developed the flight or fight response.  A society that lived at peace with its members and communication and cooperation were the means used to solve every dispute.
In my second novel “No Rules Of Engagement” I tell of the solution of this society when they meet their polar opposite, a military dictatorship that exists to feed its war machine.  To complicate matters I have it to where the peaceful aliens cannot communicate with the militaristic aliens.  In a fictional setting such as my Alexander Hawk series I can take away the political and financial aspects of warfare and examine and play with more philosophical concepts of warfare such as fighting a war using the highest form of warfare.
Don’t worry there is plenty of fighting in the first and second book to keep it fun and interesting.  By the way the second book, the sequel to “No Rules Of Engagement” is at the editors now and will be released in the near future.  Stay tuned to my posts for release dates and specials.
My Editor is still working on re-editing (third time), this book, because apparently it still has issues with proper English and some formatting problems, but were working on it.  I am providing links to the book for Amazon and Smashwords but fair warning until I announce the Re-Release of this book, it still has issues!
For Amazon Kindle Use
For all other formats including Nook and Kindle goto Smashwords.com

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