Technology
Technology's persistent and long-term growth can be interpreted in light of each stratagem:
1. Fool the Emperor to Cross the Sea:
Good: Innovative technologies can be employed to foster genuine education and unbiased news dissemination.
Bad: Manipulative regimes might use AI and advanced VR to create propaganda, deceiving citizens about the true state of affairs.
2. Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao:
Good: Advanced communication networks can aid in helping marginalized communities connect with broader society.
Bad: These networks might be exploited by authoritarian governments to keep tabs on and repress minority groups.
3. Kill with a Borrowed Sword:
Good: Open-source software can foster collaboration and shared progress.
Bad: Governments could incentivize internal community divisions, using technology to exacerbate infighting.
4. Await the Exhausted Enemy at Your Ease:
Good: The rapid pace of technological advancement can serve as a global equalizer.
Bad: Continuous surveillance and pressure could wear down dissidents until they no longer resist.
5. Loot a Burning House:
Good: AI and quantum computing can be used for disaster prediction and aid.
Bad: Authoritarian regimes could exploit global crises to consolidate power.
6. Clamor in the East, Attack in the West:
Good: Transparent blockchain systems can keep institutions accountable.
Bad: While showing progress in one area, silent repressions might be happening elsewhere.
7. Create Something from Nothing:
Good: Technologies can create opportunities and solutions to age-old problems.
Bad: Governments might fabricate online threats to justify increased surveillance.
8. Openly Repair the Walkway, Secretly March to Chencang:
Good: Progressive advancements in technology can be celebrated.
Bad: Behind the façade of innovation, there could be a covert erosion of rights.
9. Observe the Fire on the Opposite Shore:
Good: Monitoring global advancements can lead to shared growth.
Bad: Governments might allow external conflicts to divert attention from domestic issues.
10. Hide Your Dagger Behind a Smile:
Good: Friendly AI can be designed to understand and support users.
Bad: Behind benevolent tech initiatives, there could be hidden agendas.
The idea is to see how each stratagem can be interpreted from both an optimistic and a cautionary lens in the context of technological growth. As history has shown, the same tool can be wielded for both benevolent and malevolent purposes, dependent on the hand that holds it. As Ulysses S. Grant once said, "The right of revolution is an inherent one", and thus, it's essential to ensure the technology revolution serves all, not just the few.
11. Sacrifice the Plum Tree in Place of the Peach:
Good: Prioritize critical technological advancements while sidelining less important ones for the greater good.
Bad: Superficially give up minor technological controls to mislead the public while strengthening hidden authoritarian measures.
12. Seize the Opportunity to Lead a Sheep Away:
Good: Capitalize on tech advancements to foster societal growth and opportunities.
Bad: Exploit minor events or crises as a reason to clamp down on digital freedoms and increase surveillance.
13. Beat the Grass to Startle the Snake:
Good: Run simulated technological threats to identify system vulnerabilities and patch them.
Bad: Use sudden policy changes or clampdowns to gauge public reaction and identify dissidents.
14. Borrow a Corpse to Raise the Spirit:
Good: Reinvigorate old technologies by integrating them with modern innovations.
Bad: Resurrect outdated nationalist or divisive narratives, using modern platforms to spread them wider.
15. Lure the Tiger Down the Mountain:
Good: Attract investments and talent with promises of freedom, then provide them.
Bad: Offer economic incentives to bring in businesses and talent, only to later restrict their freedoms.
16. To Catch Something, First Let It Go:
Good: Allow for open innovation with the trust that it will benefit society as a whole.
Bad: Provide an illusion of freedom or leniency, only to later clamp down harder once resistance has been lowered.
17. Toss Out a Brick to Attract Jade:
Good: Introduce preliminary technologies as a basis for attracting more sophisticated innovations.
Bad: Offer limited freedoms or concessions as bait to identify and later target progressive elements.
18. To Catch the Bandits, First Capture Their Leader:
Good: Align with thought leaders to drive positive tech adoption and innovation.
Bad: Target and co-opt or silence influential figures to subdue larger groups.
19. Steal the Firewood from Under the Pot:
Good: Adopt foundational tech from other domains to bolster one's own innovations.
Bad: Gradually erode the public's ability to self-sustain, forcing increased reliance on state-controlled tech resources.
20. Trouble the Water to Catch the Fish:
Good: Disrupt outdated tech sectors to introduce fresh, more effective solutions.
Bad: Deliberately create confusion or misinformation, making the public more dependent on official narratives.
The overarching theme is that the same stratagems can be applied positively or negatively within the technological domain. Ulysses S. Grant's wisdom reminds us to always strive for the former, ensuring that technology uplifts humanity rather than oppresses it.
21. Shed Your Skin Like the Golden Cicada:
Good: Pivot from old technologies to embrace new, revolutionary ones for societal benefit.
Bad: Craft emergency protocols or shadow networks to retain power even when primary systems face challenges.
22. Shut the Door to Catch the Thief:
Good: After building an open platform, implement protective measures to safeguard against threats.
Bad: Once a sufficient level of control is achieved, isolate populations, amplify surveillance, and suppress dissent.
23. Befriend a Distant Enemy to Attack One Nearby:
Good: Adopt and integrate global technological best practices to strengthen domestic innovation.
Bad: Use foreign technological norms to undermine local values or partnerships, consolidating central power.
24. Borrow the Road to Conquer Guo:
Good: Leverage foreign tech infrastructure for domestic growth, fostering global collaboration.
Bad: Import external tech resources, then exert control or repurpose them against the populace.
25. Replace the Beams with Rotten Timbers:
Good: Gradually replace outdated tech systems with modern, efficient counterparts.
Bad: Infiltrate institutions from within, weakening them with corruption and ensuring they serve the regime.
26. Point at The Mulberry but Curse the Locust Tree:
Good: Focus on minor tech flaws to draw attention to major, transformative solutions.
Bad: Publicly punish small acts of dissent as a deterrent against larger rebellious acts.
27. Feign Madness but Keep Your Balance:
Good: Adopt disruptive technologies in a controlled manner, ensuring stability while driving innovation.
Bad: Project erratic policies or unpredictable behaviors to keep adversaries defensive and off-balance.
28. Lure Your Enemy onto the Roof, Take Away the Ladder:
Good: Elevate society using technology, then ensure a strong foundation for sustained growth.
Bad: Offer temporary freedoms or perks, then abruptly remove them, trapping people in a controlled setting.
29. Tie Silk Blossoms to the Dead Tree:
Good: Revitalize lagging sectors with infusions of innovation, creating a semblance of growth.
Bad: Mask systemic issues or decay with selective showcases of prosperity or success.
30. Exchange the Role of Guest for that of Host:
Good: Adopt and adapt global technological innovations, becoming a leader in the domain.
Bad: Slowly dominate various sectors, subtly transitioning from participant to authoritative controller.
31. The Strategy of Beautiful Women:
Good: Attract talent and collaborators with appealing tech incentives and opportunities.
Bad: Seduce or compromise key figures in opposition, neutralizing potential threats.
32. The Strategy of Open City Gates:
Good: Foster an open economy to drive wealth and innovation.
Bad: Temporarily open gates for economic growth, then reassert control, dictating terms and restricting freedoms.
33. The Strategy of Sowing Discord:
Good: Encourage diverse tech ideas, fostering a healthy competitive environment.
Bad: Amplify internal divisions or disputes, ensuring people turn to the ruling power for stability.
34. The Strategy of Injuring Yourself:
Good: Demonstrate the flaws or vulnerabilities in a system to drive improvements and upgrades.
Bad: Stage crises or threats, using them as pretexts to demand loyalty or sacrifices from the populace.
35. The Tactic of Combining Tactics:
Good: Leverage a mix of technologies and strategies for holistic growth and improvement.
Bad: Use an unpredictable mix of repression, misinformation, and incentives to keep populations subdued and compliant.
36. If All Else Fails, Retreat:
Good: Recognize when a tech strategy isn't working and pivot to more effective solutions.
Bad: Make superficial concessions during times of heightened dissent, only to double down on authoritarian measures once the storm subsides.
As with the previous stratagems, these interpretations serve as a reminder that technology can be a tool for both emancipation and oppression. It is up to society, guided by wise leadership, to decide its path.