When considered through the perspective of shifting loyalties and personal insecurities, one sometimes has trouble sorting enemies from friends. This uncertainty stems from insufficient adherence to the martial way.
When considered in a martial sense, it is simple to identify one's opponent. An opponent is anyone who limits choices. When a fighter attempts to strike, clinch, or submit, they are limiting one's options by forcing a block. When a business partner undercuts a price, they limit options by forcing a price readjustment. When taking a college course from a professor with an unfair grading rubric, they are limiting one's choice of how to spend free time and whether graduation will proceed in a timely manner. Opponents block the fulfillment of one's interests and demand to be neutralized, either through attack or escape.
Friends increase options. When a close confidante asks one to reconsider their choices, even if his advice is unwelcome, he acts as a friend. When training to improve at some activity, improvements in performance will yield greater options, despite any resentment over having to train.
Many people engage in the useless task of considering whether an opponent's attacks are intentional. This practice distracts from the martial way. Suppose a family member is sleepwalking, picks up a kitchen knife, and attempts to stab someone. If that opponent is stabbing someone with a knife, intention and family relation are unimportant. They may be unaware they are attacking anyone. All that matters is neutralizing the threat through lethal or nonlethal means, as determined by one's martial skill. Considering why that family member insists on stabbing anyone is a diversion from the more important tasks of choosing one's death and neutralizing the conflict.
This has special relevance in organizational settings, where political alliances will have friends acting as opponents and vice versa. In these situations merely consider who limits, and who increases one's options. This will direct attention towards resolving conflict and away from the political intrigue which uselessly distracts organizations from their objectives.
Considering the old adage to keep enemies closer than friends, this advice has no relevance to the martial way. Remove enemies from one's presence, neutralize their efforts to do harm, and destroy them if they persist. Life is too short to spend mired in conflict from damaging associations with opponents. Consort with friends; discourage or destroy enemies. That is all.
No comments:
Post a Comment