The Art of War, Week #5 [Period 3, Monday]

[atreideslioness]

Ghanima was keeping a careful watch on her students as they arrived today, making sure no one was still suffering from the lingering effects of last Thursday.

"Good morning. Today, we work with chapter four, often known as 'Tactical Dispositions'," she said, smiling at them as she hopped off her desk and walked over to the chalkboard. "Sun Tzu said: 'The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.'"



She picked the chalk up and began to write. "First, he claimed that 'to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.' This is excellent advice, as it reminds us that the enemy is never perfect, and that everyone, ourselves included, has a weakness. 'Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.'"

"'Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive,'" she recited, writing quickly. "'Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.'"

"So, how do we reconcile these differences?" she asked, looking at them. "How can you create a plan of attack for anything, not just combat, using Tzu's ideas? Wooing a romantic partner by using almost defensive-only tactics seems doomed to failure, as does using that mindset during a business transaction. We know from our earlier lesson that a prologued engagement benefits no one in the long run, why do you then think Tzu advocates waiting here?" Ghanima set down her chalk and turned around to face them fully. "I'd like you to get in small groups of two or three and discuss this, and try to come up with a non-combat situation where this would be a viable, and indeed desirable, strategy."


"Begin."

[OOC: OCD is up, have fun!]

Comments

Sign-In #5

[atreideslioness]

Defensively!

Re: Sign-In #5

[im-afrog.livejournal.com]

Adam Park

Re: Sign-In #5

[intraspective]

Yamanaka Ino

During the Lecture

[atreideslioness]

Ya'll know the drill by now. Whatever you're doing, just try not to get caught.

Re: During the Lecture

[intraspective]

Ino had to admit that she really adored this class. As such, she was taking notes and paying avid attention to the lecture.

Re: During the Lecture

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella took notes, though they were scattered. She wasn't sure she entirely followed the concepts, but they were interesting to think about.

Re: During the Lecture

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was of course taking notes.

Re: During the Lecture

[stupid-toasters.livejournal.com]

Lee took a few notes here and there but mostly just listened.

Re: During the Lecture

[wannabehunter]

Jo took careful notes, with little scribbles of protective runes in the margins.

Re: During the Lecture

[weetuskenraider]

Tahiri was diligently, if with some lingering reluctance, taking notes. She still kind of wanted to say this was all just philosophical differences, and couldn't they just go out and do the job?

Somehow she didn't think that answer would go over well with Professor Atreides at all, though, so she kept it to herself.

Re: During the Lecture

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was both taking notes and thinking as she spoke, trying to weigh the different lessons so far against this one.

...he was so glad he'd taken this class.

Re: During the Lecture

[momslilassassin]

Ben was really starting to wonder if Jacen had found a copy of this book while away for his five year trip. This sounded a lot like what he'd just done with the chief of state.

Re: During the Lecture

[solo_sword]

Jaina might have felt a little pleased with herself during this lecture. She sort of thought she had this one down.

Re: During the Lecture

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

Agnes took careful notes, and began chewing on her pen in thought.

Small Group Work

[atreideslioness]

"Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive." Do you agree? Why or why not? Is this incompatible with Tzu's earlier assertion that good fighters put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat? What sort of non-combat situation could you see this fourth p'ien being useful for?

Re: Small Group Work

[intraspective]

Ino nibbled thoughtfully on the cap of her pen as she waited for someone (or someones) to join her.

Re: Small Group Work

[momslilassassin]

"This makes a lot of sense," Ben said thoughtfully. "You can only really affect you, after all. You can control your mistakes--you just have to wait for someone else to make one first."

Re: Small Group Work

[ella-obeys.livejournal.com]

Ella reread the chapter in her text as she waited for a partner.

Re: Small Group Work

[finding-x-dream.livejournal.com]

"I'm not sure they're really all that contradictory?" Agnes mused, as she sat down next to Ella. "They're more complimentary, I think."

Re: Small Group Work

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir was deep in thought as he waited to see if anyone wanted to work with him.

Re: Small Group Work

[wantstodirect]

"Hey," Tony said. "Want to work together?"

Talk to the TA

[atreideslioness]

If he's there.

Re: Talk to the TA

[raspberryturk]

Reno was totally there. No. Really.

He was still a little bit giddy after that whole.... girl thing, was all.

Talk to Ghanima

[atreideslioness]

She's always around before and after class.

OOC

[atreideslioness]

I've got statistical reports being demanded a week early, so SP is love. If you need me for anything, poke me in gchat or AIM.

Or poke me anyway, to keep my brain from bleeding out my ears. Freakin' Monday.