Some Pre/Post Election Advice from Sun Tzu

I pray that we never need to put Sun Tzu’s advice to the test – but as the saying goes: “Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it."

Some Pre/Post Election Advice from Sun Tzu

As the elections on November 4th draw ever nearer I would like to share some words of advice from Sun Tzu’s (circa 544–496 BC) classic ‘The Art of War’.

Given the apathetic/indoctrinated/dumbed-down nature of a large segment of the American electorate these days, I do not take a decisive conservative (read that as “less government”) victory as being a given. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ofgaa1_lk8I



My attitude is one of “we’ll see what we see.”  In other words, I am not holding my breath waiting for a conservative tsunami of epic proportions to occur on Election Day.  I would, of course, be delighted should such an event occur, but I am not counting on it by any means.

Should Republicans fail to take the Senate, then I would say that civil war breaking out down the road will move from the realm of possibility, to probability.  Such being the case, I thought that sharing some my favorite bits of Sun Tzu’s sage advice would perhaps be appreciated by readers – you never know when it might come in handy.

Astute readers will perhaps note that several, if not all, of the below aphorisms have been (are being) used against “we the people.”  I pray that we never need to put Sun Tzu’s advice to the test – but as the saying goes: “Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.”

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.

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.

What is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.  There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.  [Other considerations such as tactics, strategy, logistics, etc. must of course be taken into account, but nonetheless I feel that Sun Tzu’s advice here is of prime importance].

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.

The ultimate in disposing one’s troops is to be without ascertainable shape. Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans against you.

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him; when well fed, to starve him; when at rest, to make him move. Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.

A leader leads by example not by force.

If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame.

Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy’s unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has taken no precautions.

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.

Sun Tzu “The Art of War”

By Jim ONeill

Note By FREEDOM OR ANARCHY,Campaign of Conscience. 


liberty is not a follower's game

The point is, the fight for liberty is not a follower's game. It is a fight that begins with individuals taking individual measures first and foremost, and if anything, inspiring others through their actions, not demanding fealty for themselves, or their pet strategies.

What can be done to instill independence and legitimate leadership in Americans once again? The conundrum is that such values cannot be instilled; they can only be encouraged. Each individual must make the decision on his or her own to stop looking for the world to fix itself, or them. Each individual must take the first step toward the long journey of becoming a self-reliant and self-owned human being. When faced with this conundrum, I can do nothing but make suggestions:

Find a useful skill, something that you love, and master it completely. Try to become the foremost expert on just one thing — not to impress others, but to challenge yourself. When people assert the incredible effort required mastering a skill, they grow their sense of self-worth instead of measuring their worth by the guidelines of hollow academia or the collective.

Never look for traditional leaders. Always look for teachers. A real teacher is someone who seeks to make each individual his own leader through knowledge and empowerment. A real teacher has no desire to rule others, only to help others so that they do not feel the need to be ruled.

Independence comes from self-leadership. As long as you are reliant on the system or its participating oligarchs to decide your future for you, you will never be anything more than a follower, even if the system has given you a “place at the table” and a title to make you feel special.  As long as you are vying for approval from the system or the collective, you will never be free.  When you can stand in front of a hostile crowd of people and give your viewpoint without fear of how they may respond, then you are on your way to self-leadership.

 If you see a problem in the world, stop asking permission to fix it! Stop waiting for the establishment to police itself. Stop concerning yourself with the actions of others and take your own actions, however small they might be. Revolutions are sparked in the minds of individuals and 
implemented by the hands of the courageous few. There will be no mass awakening and there will be no grand march to glory, so stop holding your breath. If there is an unrelenting evil in the world, then you must fight it if you expect anything to change. If you are the only person who recognizes it, then you may have to fight it alone.  The potential for success or failure is irrelevant. It is the fight that matters.

If you are going to lead others, lead by example. Hopefully you have realized by now that true leadership has NOTHING to do with people actually following you.  Much more important is the ability to show people how to achieve something more by building something of your own. There are also far too many Americans who seek to falsely elevate themselves by attacking the achievements of others from the anonymous comfort of their computers, rather than doing anything constructive on their own merit. There was a time when Americans were respected as people of action, rather than talk. When you do talk, do so from a position of strength. Talk as someone who has actually done something worth talking about.

If you are going to join, do so with the intent to learn, and to teach. All organization must be voluntary if it is to succeed in the long term, and voluntary organization thrives when participants contribute their knowledge and skill sets without sacrificing their individual self determination.  The group does not outweigh the individual, because without the contributions of the individual, the group is meaningless.

Make a list of your dependencies. Do you have the skills to survive without a job? Without money? Without on-grid utilities? Without consistent aid from others? Can you live without modern comforts if you had to? Do you have the fortitude to endure great hardship? Have you ever endured great hardship, or have you avoided it your whole life? The more self-sufficient you are, the less you will need to look to the system or other people to make your decisions for you. You will become fearless, and fearless people cannot be ruled.


I believe independence terrifies some people because it requires a human being to challenge the unknown and take responsibility for the consequences if he fails. Followers trade in their mental and spiritual freedom to governments, oligarchs and gatekeepers so that they never have to face these difficulties. Sometimes, they are simply lazy. Sometimes, they lack confidence in their own abilities. Sometimes, they are just cowards. In any case, the result is the same: a life of relative ease riding the tides in a vast school of self-serving minnows, but always prey to the ever circling sharks. I say don’t be a minnow; man-up, and build something of your own.