Situational Dispositions

Among commanders, some are brave and unafraid of death; some are impatient and eager for quick success; some are greedy and fond of advantage; some are kind-hearted and cannot bear to be harsh; some are clever but inwardly cowardly; and some are full of schemes but hesitant and slow. Therefore, against the brave and death-despising, one can provoke them into losing control; against the impatient and quick-seeking, one can tie them down with prolonged action; against the greedy and profit-loving, one can lure them with benefit; against the kind-hearted and soft, one can exhaust them with complicated affairs and ceaseless busyness; against the clever but timid, one can force them into a desperate corner; and against the strategic but slow, one can launch a surprise attack so that they have no time to react. Modern Application:This chapter does not deal with how to make oneself stronger; it deals with a colder cognitive shift: those traits in an opponent that look like strengths are often at the same time precise points of leverage. Bravery that takes death lightly is......