Sun Tzu's The Art of War

[SFG75]

I first read this book about two years ago. I have to say that I am terribly impressed with it and the advice that is given. As I enjoy business leadership & management books, I can tell you that more than a few books have been written about leadership based on Sun Tzu's theories. You can also watch an awesome history channel special on youtube about the art of war here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5jLYgc4nBs) I highly recommend it.

So, what do you think of the book? Is it still relevant today? Is it an ethical way to deal with others?

[Cunninglinguist]

I first read this book about two years ago. I have to say that I am terribly impressed with it and the advice that is given. As I enjoy business leadership & management books, I can tell you that more than a few books have been written about leadership based on Sun Tzu's theories. You can also watch an awesome history channel special on youtube about the art of war here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5jLYgc4nBs) I highly recommend it.

So, what do you think of the book? Is it still relevant today? Is it an ethical way to deal with others?

I read it about a year ago, and I think I've watched the same history channel documentary. I have to say that the documentary is OK, but one would be better off just reading the book. It is far too general and interpretive; it tried to sum the book up in a couple rather ambiguous points and it did not quote much, if anything, from the book, from what I recall.

I think the tactical methodology propounded in The Art of War can be applied in some cases, but definitely not all. If you approached a relationship with a significant other in such a fashion, I doubt it'd be very successful, simply because a successful relationship isn't one where one party prospers over another. Probably in most types of competitions, I would hedge my bets, the tactical methods ought to be employed. However, I think we should always be attentively asking whether or not the competition itself is the best, or necessary way, or if there is some other way to achieve our goals. Sun Tzu would agree. In any case, Abe Lincoln once said, "the best way to defeat an enemy is by making him your friend."

It is my opinion that many businesses don't faithfully follow The Art of War, since businesses themselves and the competitions between them are artificial conventions, quite unnecessary for the well-being of humanity. Tzu said, "all war is based on deception," but when you deceive yourself, you have already lost.

If you follow it to every last detail, I do think that The Art of War can be an ethical guide to dealing with others. Yet people tend to automatically assume that they can apply the tactics propounded to every situation, missing the points Sun Tzu makes about strategy, which would suggest that it's best to use war and these tactics of war as a means of last resort.

[Sancho]

Well, they still teach Sun Tzu at the National War College, which doesn’t necessarily mean he’s still relevant, but it does put a vote in the ‘yay’ column. Also they teach Niccolo Machiavelli and Carl Von Clausewitz. But as for using Sun Tzu as a management tool, business-leadership model, or an ethical guide – Uh, I don't know, man.