I bet Durham and team know Sun Tzu! kek
The Art of Deception
The goal of any conflict is to control your opponent and overcome them. Controlling their beliefs about your abilities helps you understand their assumptions and plan a strategy accordingly. As a well-known translation of Sun Tzu puts it, “all warfare is based on deception.”
Orthodox vs. Unorthodox Action
Part of your plan to appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are week, involves orthodox and unorthodox action. In battle, fighting is unremarkable. It is straightforward in action. But victory is attained through the remarkable. Unremarkable and remarkable actions are also referred to as orthodox and unorthodox actions, respectively.
Both orthodox and unorthodox actions are taken during conflict. Ensuring victory means having a command of both orthodox and unorthodox actions.
Orthodox actions are straightforward techniques—tried and true behaviors and formations.
• For example, fighting on the front lines or attacking a valuable territory are orthodox actions.
Unorthodox actions are surprise attacks and other maneuvers outside the typical boundaries of battle.
• For example, ambushes and deception are unorthodox tactics.
Orthodox and unorthodox tactics should be blended to work in harmony. Like the endless combination of colors derived from the five primary colors, there are multiple variations encompassed within the primary actions of orthodox and unorthodox behaviors.
• Orthodox behavior is always direct, and unorthodox behavior is always a surprise.
• But the manifestation of each is endless in its possibilities.
Manipulate what your enemy views as orthodox and unorthodox behaviors. By feigning orthodox behavior, you set your opponent up for attack through unorthodox action. Appear weak when you are strong. For instance, disorganization emerges from organization, fear emerges from bravery, and vulnerability emerges from strength.
• If you want to appear unorganized, you must first be organized.
• If you want to appear cowardly, you must come from a place of courage.
• If you want to appear weak, you must start from a foundation of strength.
• These deceptions will mislead your enemy.
Deception is a great way to gain information about your opponent. Appear weak when you are strong. If they think you are weak and they attack, you know the level of their aggression and greed.
Any time you can confuse or deceive the opponent by appearing weak when you are strong, you force them to adapt. In these adaptations, you can discern their patterns of movement, strength of force, and tendencies to react.
• This information becomes useful in determining how to strategize against them.
• You will know in which situations they will fight and which they will run.
• You can determine when lives will be threatened and when lives can be saved.
• You can find out where the gaps in their strength are, otherwise known as vulnerabilities.
• With this information, you can strategize when attacking is beneficial and when defending is more beneficial.
Remember, appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak to deceive your opponent.
https://www.shortform.com/blog/appear-weak-when-you-are-strong/