Nothing is Neutral

I am often amused when people say things such as this person is biased or this person is stating just the facts. People often do not realize that while their is an objective truth, all truth is subject to subjective interpretation. One of my favorite scenes in Ruroni Kenshin was when Kaoru, a kendo instructor, was talking about the self developing benefits of learning how to fight with a sword. One person mocked her saying that a sword only has one purpose, to kill one’s enemies. Kenshin, a wandering Samurai, would later chime in and state that while it is true that a sword is solely meant for killing, he preferred Karou’s idealist view over the truth.

This scene shows us that all things are saturated in subjective interpretations. In a Christian context, this reveals how the world is fallen and blessed at the same time. Let’s take food. Food is essential and tastes good when made well. However, the fallen part of food is gluttony, bad health, and disease. Now one might think that because one eats healthy and moderately they are free from the fallen nature of the world based on their decisions. However, with the healthy lifestyle comes pride, an unhealthy attachment to life, and in some cases an extreme psychological compulsion that becomes all consuming. 

What can be seen in this discussion is that within all human actions, the seeds of blessedness and fallen nature is present. Bombs can be used to clear away old building to make better building, but they can also be used to kill thousands in an instant. Explosives were made with both intentions in mind simultaneously. All actions contain both elements. As one saint put it, Satan’s net covers the whole world in all that is in it. One must fight back with the only thing that can help guard against this net, humility. Humility is the key in realizing that one is sinful and that the fallen world is ever present in all things. One can use a sword for physical and spiritual benefit, but remember, that the sword is a tool for killing as well. Humbly realize that one learns to kill and you may hold back from ever using it to do so. 

On Power

After reading the The 40 Laws of Power, I feel most people misunderstand what power really is. Power to some means getting what you want. The author of the mentioned book provides a number of circumstances where he defines power along those lines and that a person can break any rules to get the power and rule. However, this is a mistaken view and the book provides several examples in specific situations but does not provide the general rules that accompany power.

First, power must be understood not so much as getting what one wants, but establishing the rules which govern the world around oneself. When someone wants to break those rules, this is when conflict ensues. Now, it might be that one wants to sacrifice what they want for power. Imagine you get into an argument with your friend and your friend is right. Is it not better to sacrifice your view to your friend’s if it means you will be better for it? True power is understanding that the ends and means must be inline with each other. To understand this one must understand the various views of the ends which are employed in power.

Ends are divided into 3 parts: tactics, strategy, and grand strategy. Tactics are the tools to handle specific situations, whether it is planning on how to increase production or win an advantageous position in battle or rhetoric. Tactics are the most superficial aspect of power and are often to heavily focused upon. As a teacher, I am often dismayed that grades and test scores play a more important role than content. A good score in a meaningless subject is far worse than an average or even poor score in a content filled with meaning and purpose. The book mentioned is filled with the tactics of power with none of the higher levels of power that make it worth having to begin with.

The next level is strategy. This is the more bird eyes view of power. Strategy is the way one overcomes the conflict that is presented before them. It is the why and the tactics are the how. To understand strategy is to understand the goal one is trying to accomplish. America had brilliant tactics during the war in Vietnam. In fact, America never lost a battle. How did America loose the war? It is because they did not understand why they were fighting. They had no strategy. Usually many brilliant tacticians loose because they do not have a clearly defined goal or their goal is not in accordance with reality. In schools we often teach students that if they get all the right answers, they will pass the test. Life, however, does not work that way. One could do everything right, but if the person does not have a clearly defined goal, then all their right answers will result in solving the wrong problem. It will be like trying to solve a math equation by writing a good narrative. The narrative might be right in every way, but that is not what is being asked of the person.

The last level is grand strategy. Grand strategy is what works hand-in-hand with strategy. Grand strategy is preparing for the next conflict and how to best deal with it or avoid it altogether. Let’s say I present you with an emergency like your car will breakdown tomorrow. What is your plan? A grand strategist will use one of two means of solving the problem. One they will have money saved up, they will call into work and let their boss know they have a problem, they may call an Uber while their car is in the shop etc. Lots of planning, but there is one better strategy. Take it to the mechanic now and prevent the problem later. Both ways are the way grand strategy works. Both are essential in maintaining power and control over one’s life.

Of course there is one more element of power is to understand one’s own powerlessness. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to admit where your are weak. You may be able to do something about it. You may not. However, knowing this means you can be a more accomplished strategist. As the wise general Sun Tzu once said, “Know your enemy and Know yourself and you will win 100 of 100 battles.” Good strategists know when to avoid a fight they cannot win or simply what to do in situations where they will loose. Stoic philosophers have long pondered the nature of defeat and how to gain from it in other ways. Good generals know when a fight is lost and learn how to fight another day. America gained its Independence by knowing that fighting the much more powerful British army head on will be suicide.