Originally published on 6 April, 2020 by Ian SinclairAn ancient military maxim, famously quoted by Sunzi, states that victory depends on knowing your enemy and knowing yourself. I am constantly reminding students that you don’t get to know anyone by hating them. Of course, seeing as Sunzi is translated from ancient Chinese, it might just as well have stated that one must know THAT your enemy IS yourself. <blockquote> "We have seen the enemy, and it is us." - Commodore Oliver Perry (c. 1812)</blockquote>Humans have a nasty habit of seeing enemies where there are none, and making more enemies in the process. We also need to remind ourselves that we don’t get to know anyone by hating them. Political leaders will often pick a fight with a neighbour in order to distract their own people from their own scandals, and from the fact that the leader is an enemy of the people. Individuals will often pick a fight with their neighbours in order to distract themselves from their own shortcomings. It is as if we are running for re-election in a community of one, and are afraid that we will lose power when we find out how unqualified we are to run our own lives. We need to realize that it is the conflict itself that disqualifies us.Sometimes, leaders forget that the world shares a common enemy, and they try to make themselves look strong by waging war against their best friends. In so doing they threaten their country’s own best interests.I am reminded of this short film. <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://vimeo.com/119572906">Balance (1989), by Lauenstein &amp; Lauenstein</a>. It demonstrates the inevitable result of treating your friends like enemies.It is important, especially in times of crisis, to have leaders who can see the big picture, and who understand the value of integrative bargaining.While some demagogues fight over the pie, better leaders and wiser businesses are working together to find ways for everyone to get more pie.Suppose a country decided to hog all the medical supplies for themselves and to stop allowing the supplies to go to other countries. They would be forgetting that the other countries are also fighting the same enemy. Not only that, some of those other countries supply the materials that the selfish country needs for making those same medical supplies. In such a case, the virus would win, and all countries would lose. Not only that, the selfish country would come out of it weaker, with fewer friends, and fewer of the resources needed for recovery.It is just a hypothetical example, fortunately, I wish.As individuals, we sometimes need to come clean with ourselves, throw ourselves at our own mercy, and reach out to our allies for the support we need.

It is said that victory in battle depends on knowing your enemy and knowing yourself. Or to quote Commodore Oliver Perry, "We have seen the enemy, and it is us."

Know your Enemy. Know your Friends.

Read articles, tips, and resources to help you learn, grow, and succeed. Explore our latest posts covering education, community, and personal growth

Blog – Insights, Tips & Resources for Learning and Growth

Explore articles, tips, and insights to help you succeed in learning, community building, and personal development.

Blog – Learn, Grow & Get Inspired

English

Playfair Display

Roboto

Dashboard

Memberships

Courses

Video Library

Digital Products

Order History

Subscription

Profile

Coaching Programs

Bundle Courses

Communities

Groups

Physical Products

Live Products

Audio Library

Events

Appointments

Premium Pages

Certificates

Badges

Coin History

Organization Orders

Affiliate Dashboard

Settings

Billing

taichi

Primary Menu

System Defaults

Primary color

Primary color hover

Heading text color

Body text color

Banner text color

Primary button text color

Primary button text hover color

Secondary button background color

Secondary button background hover color

Secondary button text color

Secondary button text hover color

Navbar item background color

Navbar item text color

Navbar item text hover color

Know your Enemy. Know your Friends.

Know your Enemy. Know your Friends.

Related Posts

The Warrior-King and the Fisherman-Saint.

Levers, Love, and the Biomechanics of Systemic Racism