The 36 Stratagems pairs very well with The Art of War, where the 36 Stratagems drops the Confucian reverence for virtues and State worship instead leaning into a sort of dark and cunning Taoist approach. Though of course Taoism is present in the wiser bits of Sun Tzu’s work.

John Boyd did wonders with Sun Tzu’s work. We’ll tease out these notes ourselves some day, but in the meantime if you name search Sun Tzu in this anthology you will not be disappointed.

And of course a good secondary source on John Boyd including his work with Sun Tzu is the Speed and Decisions chapter of Deceiving the Sky.

After some deliberation due to its intro that adds an additional lesson without getting into the weeds as well as it’s accessibility and succinctness we’re going to recommend this version over others.

One sample of wisdom from The Art of War that’s very important to those engaged in even low intensity asymmetric warfare, “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.“

Our goal with this project is similar to the goal stated by folk singer Pete Seeger; to scatter some seeds around as we walk in hopes that some might grow.

To us macro-level analysis is important for avoiding dead-ends. Though of a specific moment and branching out of analysis of struggle in a specific location, this makes the case for this very well.

“China and America are merely two of the major portions of a single global economy riven with contradictions.”

https://chuangcn.org/2020/01/the-divided-god/

BECOME THE TERRITORY

practice practice practice, but keep it quality over quantity

There’s a lot of other people covering specific gear. We try and cover things others are neglecting, but here’s a good radio rundown.

An interesting analysis of the potential of riots and their relation to the ‘black radical tradition.’

https://illwilleditions.com/missed-insurrections/

also

Between Black Fugitivity and Revolutionary Intercommunalism: The Structured Vehicle of the Black Panther Party

Thursday, February 18, 5:30pm — 7:00pm EST

https://urbandemos.nyu.edu/event/between-black-fugitivity-and-revolutionary-intercommunalism-the-structured-vehicle-of-the-black-panther-party/

Nothing is really new about this though.

There’s a popular notion that if you spend time working out you must be dumb, if you are really smart and read a lot of books you must be a wimp, and so on. This assertion is incorrect. Of course spending time doing one thing limits time doing another, but putting consistent hours into a diversity of growth areas isn’t an impossible feat.

There are plenty of philosophical people who are also good with their hands. There’s plenty of learnèd people who are also in fighting trim. There are also plenty of people who neglect certain areas. The question is rarely picking between areas of focus but rather figuring out what your body/mind can do, what you want to do with that potential, and how you can accomplish what you want to do.

Sometimes there’s only a how. Sometimes the desired method is pure tactics. There’s no stagnant destination, only gestures. You may not know where you’re going, but you know how to get there. Who knows what you’ll find on the road.

Socially mediated counter insurgency in Minneapolis.

https://minnesotareformer.com/2021/02/26/amid-massive-security-presence-minneapolis-is-turning-to-grassroots-to-keep-the-peace/

(but also emergent strategy is a thing)

"Life During Wartime: Resisting Counterinsurgency"

#books #counterinsurgency