Cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.

Fascinating, especially since war philosophy is so beyond out of my wheelhouse, but I loved how succinct and applicable this was
I also appreciated how much nature was discussed - the balance of elements and lack of constant conditions…
”measurement owes its existence to earth”

This book really changed my life!

Great Facts! It was refreshing to learn the true meaning of resistance

Amazing - this was written around 600 BCE - more than 2600 years ago, and yet it is still remarkably relevant. I am certainly not interested in war and its strategy nor even in the functioning of organizations but yet this intrigued me. I wonder how much of it could serve as a metaphor for other aspects of life. "There are roads not to take. Armies not to attack."

the transcriptions were confusing. i didn't like the footnotes

Many people make the mistake of going into competition without understanding their opponents, and worse, sometimes without knowing themselves. Whenever in a conflict, you must know your own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of your opponent. Sun Tzu’s advice is true in many situations in life.

Awesome. A must read. Can improve everything in your life if implemented.

2.5 stars

Really good short powerful read on war tactics.

Seminal work not just on warfare but any competitive endeavour. Sun Tzu's classic treatise is less a field manual and more of a work of philosophy applied to the military context. The principles contained in "The Art of War" have proven timeless, useful across a number of contexts including business and sport.

The Art of War is to be consumed in an analytical, conceptual manner rather than as one would with a typical fiction novel. The Art of War is also designed to be carried and referred back to, rather than skimmed once and never touched again. Although the language is rather archaic (depending on translated edition used) each principle can be applied by analogous reasoning to modern situations.

Pros:

- Valuable work across time and space, applicable to any competitive situation between individuals and groups regardless of context.
- Eastern, rather than a Western, approach to philosophy. Surprisingly, the work has become even more popular in the West than the East. Fills gaps in Western thought including collective action, deception, subversion and harmony at all levels of command.
- Covers the importance of warfare as an extension of political action, serving as a timely reminder that violence is not an option to be taken lightly due to significant economic cost.

Cons:

- Archaic language requires a well-translated edition and some pause/independent research to understand the work.
- Difficult to apply a number of lessons from "The Art of War" to Western problems due to cultural differences, such as the need for transparency and decentralized command structures.
- The work lacks techniques to deal with negotiation and diplomacy inside and outside any group, simply focusing on winning the immediate fight. Interesting oversight, given the emphasis on political motivations and economic costs associated with war.

Rating: 10/10

ben nu mentaal voorbereid op oorlog lol