• captainlezbian@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    5 hours ago

    We joke about Sun Tzu’s advice being obvious, but it’s the advice that an emotionally driven narcissistic nepo baby needs, because that’s who historically has been in charge of militaries. Anyone who understands people knows that cornered people don’t surrender unless the risk benefit feels worth it, but people who don’t understand other people’s mindsets and are focused on glory/conquest are going to think that you can bomb a regime into peaceful surrender and that they’ll gladly give up their leaders. No, you make moderates into combatants like that.

    Iran was having mass protests for liberalization. We could have been the heroes offering an out to the leaders and helping establish a liberal republic giving favorable deals. Make Iran into an ally for less money than war. But no, that’s not a dick measuring contest that shows how tough they are and so now a bunch of children will die and Iran will continue to hate us for good reason.

    • frongt@lemmy.zip
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      4 hours ago

      The Art of War was literally written for fuckass nobles with zero common sense.

      • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        3 hours ago

        Do you have any better ideas on who to make generals? /s

        But yeah, facials nobles, bloodthirsty morons, dick measuring dipshits, and anyone who thinks the fact that they have power means they’re good at things are the exact audiences of the book. That’s also why it blew American businesspeople’s minds.