Diplomacy, Relationships & Tactics: the Art of War [Monday, Period 1]

[atreideslioness]

 When the students came in this week, there was a passage from the eighth p'ien written on the chalk board.

 

There are roads which must not be followed,

armies which must be not attacked, towns which must

be besieged, positions which must not be contested,

commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

 

"Sometimes, we must allow the distasteful thing to happen to make way for a greater victory." Ghanima was leaning against the wall, watching them from behind her glowing eyes. "Sacrifices must be made. This is most easily seen in war; sacking an innocent town for supplies, or killing civilians to prevent your position from being discovered."

 

"However, it doesn't just apply to physical combat." She pushed off the wall to pace between the rows of desks, looking at each of them. "What do you do when your boss, or 'sovereign' tells you to lie about something that happened at work? Or if reporting a crime implicates someone dear to you? Today, we discuss those choices, and how we know which battles must be fought, and which ones we must let pass us by. Sometimes it is a matter of personal conscience, while other times it is the good of one against well-being of the many."

Comments

Re: Class Discussion #2

[in_sidon_we_trust]

He did, he just didn't like to think about it, nor did he honestly have that much personal experience with such a thing. Sidon frowned, huffing slightly as he forced himself to at least consider such a possibility instead of just outright denying that his friends would do such horrible things.

"It would be a chance we'd have to take, though, wouldn't it?" he said, arms folded in front of him. "I would much rather give them the benefit of the doubt. And should they turn out to be untrustworthy, well..." He faltered, honestly struggling to imagine such a situation...why, they would have had to be have been overtaken by the Calamity, in which case it was hardly their fault! "We did what we could, and we did the right thing to help. Should they back out and not help us in return, then we will strive on without them. Should we falter, then that leaves them vulnerable again, and they will realize the err of their selfish ways when our enemy turns back to them in the long run. It is in our best interests to all work together; what a shame if our supposed friends are blind to these truths..."

And now he was sad.

Re: Class Discussion #2

[justice_undone]

"Yes," Breq said. "It would be very sad."

He might be naive, but in that Sidon was right.