Is The Art of War Relevant?
by Harry Shi
Often the stresses and hardships of today's world can be unequivocally frustrating, pressuring and seemingly impossible to overcome. These feelings of hinderance and isolation have been felt since the dawn of human civilisation. Everyone has been there in one way or another. I have certainly been there, and it is tough. Luckily though, a wise man who existed in the 5th century BC from China known as Sun Tzu wrote a book about war strategies. But how could I solve my problems with war strategies?
Sun Tzu was a philosopher, military advisor for the emperor and soon to be war general. He wrote “The Art of War”, a military strategy instruction for war generals to better organise their army, plan their attack, solve problems and reap their rewards. At first sight it may be unintuitive to link a book regarding ancient war stratagem to modern day problems, but in a sense, "The Art of War” conveys the primal philosophical principle that can help us better govern and improve our lives.
You may have heard of the quote, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”. In its entirety, this quote is a quintessential sentence in the book. It shows us that a masterful, efficient way to deal with one’s problems is to not deal with them at all! Though not true in all cases, it embodies the key idea that you approach problems pragmatically and not imprudently. This shows an example where his words apply to our lives.
Another quote that really inspired me was, “Plan for what is difficult while it is easy.” I interpreted this quote as preparedness is the greatest weapon to uncertainty. In other words, being ready for everything before the deadline will make your life much easier. I have applied this to my life and as a result, I have become more organised and confident in everything I do. Through this I can confirm that strategies to war can be directly applied to our daily lives.
Personally, “The Art of War” helped me realize the endless and untapped strategies that could help me become a better student, more physically healthy and socially active. Particularly, the translated analysis (included in the version the SIC supports) dives deep into every line which can also help accentuate and link your understanding of Sun Tzu’s wise words to your life. Although slightly irrelevant to our time, Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is a life-changing and inspiring book that will help you take action in your life. Get it NOW at the ACG Parnell SIC.
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