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Sun Tzu and Big Table Envy
I come from a rather large Italian family. On my mother’s side alone, I am one of 28 first cousins. When I was a kid, family gatherings were crammed into a relation’s house and often spilled out onto their yard. One generation later, our family gatherings are now held in a rented hall or park. To an outsider, it must appear as utter chaos — I know it does to my wife, the only child of only children. But let me assure you, one thing has remained absolutely constant throughout all these years: neither I, nor any of my siblings or cousins, have ever moved from the Kids’ Table to the Big Table — and I am now 51 years old. Of course, I now understand that family tables are separated by generation. But as a kid, believe me, what I understood was Big Table envy.
The Big Table was where all of the cool and important stuff was going on. And to have a seat at the Big Table signified that you were also cool and important. And what kid wouldn’t want that: to be in on what the adults were discussing, to be included? And surely my opinions were needed: each was epic and bound to dazzle them all. But of course, every youthful assumption that I had was utter nonsense: there was almost never anything cool or important going on at the Big Table. And even if there was, then I certainly didn’t have the information or the experience required to participate intelligently. But, such is youth and such is Big Table envy.
As I matured, I read many things that would prove beneficial to me. I read Rand and realized that instead of obsessing over another’s table, that I should revel in my own. I read Hayek and realized that it wasn’t possible for me to know the in-depth circumstances discussed at another’s table. And I read Sun Tzu and realized that some issues discussed at another’s table can’t, won’t, and shouldn’t be shared.
Recently however, I’ve realized a further benefit to having read Sun Tzu: not only have I come to better understand Big Table envy, but now also, believe it or not, President Donald Trump.
It turns out that President Trump is an advocate of The Art of War. He has recommended the book to those seeking success. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the supposed chaos surrounding the President becomes clear with an understanding of Sun Tzu. And with that clarity, it then also becomes clear that the President considers himself to be at war.
And he wouldn’t be wrong. From Fake News hit pieces, to Opposition Pundit snark, to Democrat dark innuendo and cynical foot dragging, to Deep State sabotage, the forces arrayed against the President are considerable, and some are deeply troubling. And it appears that the way that the President is handling each of these attacks is by the book, Sun Tzu’s book.
As an example, let’s examine Thursday’s raucous and rancorous press conference through the rubric of The Art of War.
On Monday, National Security Advisor Flynn tendered his resignation. On Wednesday, President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. In the press conference which followed that meeting, President Trump stoked the indignation of the Fake News media by dodging their predictable gotchas on the resignation of Flynn. Instead, he continued his recent practice of only taking questions from non-hostile outlets. “Pretend inferiority and encourage [your enemy’s] arrogance,” Estimates 23.
On Thursday, President Trump responded to the Fake News media’s predictable outrage, met with the press corps, and then proceeded to drop his hammer on them, mercilessly and repeatedly. “Offer an enemy a bait to lure him; feign disorder and strike him,” Estimates 20.
Yet, in the middle of this assault, President Trump pointed toward a path for the Fake News media to begin to redeem themselves. “To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape,” Manoeuvre 31.
Look, I want to see an honest press. … the public doesn’t believe you people anymore. … But if you were straight, I would be your biggest booster. I would be your biggest fan in the world, including bad stories about me.
It was masterful. I was on my feet cheering. And I’m certain that a good portion of America was with me. I’m also just as certain that a portion was sneering, and not just the wind-up apparatchiks in the Fake News media, but the legions of Opposition Pundits who still stubbornly insist that President Trump is a buffoon and that he can only be saved by admitting them, and their epic opinions, to their well-deserved place at the Big Table.
But let me tell you something about Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. It is one thing to read it. It is another thing to understand its implications. And it is quite another thing, an exceedingly rare thing, to be able to successfully execute its strategies. And if you don’t know Sun Tzu well enough to consistently and successfully execute it, then you don’t belong anywhere near President Trump’s Big Table.
Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Oxford University Press, 1963, Translated by Samuel B. Griffith.
Published in General
Good analogy and great post.
You are into this way deeper than I am but what you say appears to be what I’m seeing. I really enjoyed that presser as well, I caught pieces live and then watched the video in its entirety.
We need to get John McCain on this same page, as well. In his talk at the Munich Security Meeting McCain gave what I think was a good talk, mentioning favorably VP Pence, Mattis, and Kelly, but not mentioning President Trump, while essentially speaking positively that the USA will still play our part in defending the West and its sovereign nations, our allies. I know his style conflicts with the President but they are both loyal and patriotic Americans. McCain needs to up his commitment and get with the program simply because his recalcitrance aids our domestic enemies. Russia is not our only foe.
Sun Tzu is very much about how to avoid conflict and thus not pay a price for winning a war. I don’t think that part will ever be played out.
And I bet your family reunions have some of the best cooking on the planet!
Can you say more about what you mean here. It is my thought that this is exactly President Trump’s thinking and is why there is conflict between him and McCain and other neocons.
Marvelous!
Thanks for the insights into Sun Tzu and the Big Table.
I’ll bet your tables, whether Big or Kids are full of good food, good wine, and good cigars. I’d love to sit there with you and enjoy.
Cheers.
I’ve already willed my seat at the big table to one of my nephews.
“When do I get to sit at the big table?”
“When somebody dies. You can have my spot.”
Sun Tzu is not about war, necessarily. He is about any conflict. I have often used his principles in legal battles, marketing campaigns, and business negotiations.
Strike where the enemy is not.
Decline battle except on the field of your choosing.
Understand the enemy. Make it difficult for your enemy to understand you.
What makes it so versatile is that it’s almost entirely metaphor. Choosing the ground to fight on or the dynamic of momentum can apply to anything.
Like many (most?) of the more insightful posts on this site, I doubt that this post will generate many comments. You should consider it a badge of honor.
Thank you, Al.
Thanks for reading, Bob.
Thanks for reading, Hang On.
Thank you, Scott.
Thanks fore reading, JM.
Indeed. I could have gone on, but I wanted to keep the piece relatively short. Trump loves that the Opposition Pundits continue to characterize him as an inept buffoon who is over his head.
Thanks for reading, iWe.
Thank you, Black Prince.
And the tactical principle that Sun Tzu and King David shared:
Always fight with the sun at your back.
Beautiful, Rick. I grew up away from all my family, so there was no Big Table or Little Table. Sigh. But your metaphor is excellent! Thanks.
Thank you, Susan.
Excellent post!
Thank you, Mike.
Great analysis, Rick. Trump is way smarter than many give him credit for. So much winning! Cheers!
I think you are absolutely spot on Rick. Like all great insights it’s obvious once you know it.
I also think that Trump understands completely that the left are working entirely from the Alinsky’s, Rules for Radicals, playbook.
Unbelievably the rest of the GOP is STILL falling for all those tired paradigms, and they are pathetically disapproving of Trump when he rolls right over them.
Thank you, Trinity.
Indeed.
Thank you, doulalady.
Again, indeed.
Nice post, interesting insight in to Trump and his Sun Tzu strategies.
As far as the kids table, I refused to move up to the adult table when I came of age. I always found the kids table much more fun. Still sitting there today even though I’m one of the oldest family members now.
< devil’s advocate mode = on >
So, every time Trump does something that looks like weakness, he’s really just feigning weakness?
That’s pretty convenient.
< devil’s advocate mode = off >
Interesting.
Would there be any correlation in the philosophy of The Art of War and The Art of the Deal?
Fine point. But it seems to me that McCain cares more about looking good than doing good. Trump is the opposite. He cares about getting things done, and doesn’t care if someone says he looks bad while he’s doing it. These two men will never understand each other.
Thank you, PHenry.