We haven’t given adequate coverage to the virtues of seeking mastery over humans, nor to the failure cases when you neglect doing so. The Byzantine General Belisarius was one of the greatest commanders in history, but neglecting politics, he was tried in Constantinople on trumped-up corruption charges and deposed. A similar fate happened to Scipio Africanus, who defeated Hannibal on the battlefield for Rome, before likewise having trumped-up charges brought against him by a skilled orator in the Roman Senate.
Really, the full arc of this particular conflict could be a book of its own – and perhaps we’ll delve into it again more thoroughly at some point – but I think that the majority of Western culture these days, and the majority of Western thought, and the majority of what is prestigious these days focuses far more on mastery over others first and foremost, and largely neglects mastery over self and mastery over the environment.
Well! This is worth thinking on. Some guidance –
Mastery over self can be cultivated through self-reflection, studying people who have lead highly effective lives, doing incremental training to develop virtues in oneself like Franklin, undergoing rigorous training such as Zen Buddhists undergo, training in martial arts (either traditional, like karate, or modern like marksmanship), athletic training, journaling, actively seeking to identify and mitigate flaws in one’s natural demeanor, and becoming tougher and more solid over time.
A lack of mastery of self is damaging at all times, but least damaging during stable peacetimes. A society with a long run of prosperity and peacefulness will trend towards people seeking mastery over others through influence, persuasion, rhetoric, argumentation, marketing, and suchlike.
Even those items are not so bad to train in, and have value. The damaging aspects of seeking mastery over others is by doing foolish things to try to appear better; Moltke said that “without war the world would sink into a swamp of materialism” – but that’s not necessarily true… hmm, I was about to write that Socrates never served as a soldier as a counterexample, but upon checking, it turns out that Socrates did serve as a soldier during the Pelopennesian War and fought in multiple battles bravely.
Hmm! Well, Franklin wasn’t a soldier; it’s very possible to cultivate a mastery of self outside of the context of war, but some sort of conflict or struggle is probably needed and beneficial.
Mastery over the environment can be cultivated in any field requiring mathematics, the natural sciences, and applied sciences like farming, engineering, and construction. The economic value of many of these disciplines have fallen over time, but computer science and programming show much of these lines of nature, as well as doing a fundamentals-first and deep investigations of value-investing based finance. I’ve also found many of the most insightful people to be those who engage in side projects in construction – Kai Zau, my close friend and colleague, bought and renovated a house last year; a former army officer friend of mine who now works at the Pentagon is always doing small construction projects such as building a koi pond for fish in his backyard, which requires a mix of irrigation, construction, managing the materials, and creating a healthy biological environment for the fish to live and thrive.
This was, in truth, an area that I neglected for too long. But it’s dangerous to only operate in the realm of ideas – the day of reckoning can be postponed for a long time if one only has grand ideas, whereas shoddy construction is exposed much faster. I do not believe it would be an exaggeration to say that Benjamin Franklin’s patient work fiddling with the intricacies and materials of 1700’s printing contributed to a more successful American Constitution; certainly, his work in firefighting and electrical experiments also sharpened his mind, led him to see where initial inclinations might be incorrect or need refinement, and otherwise gave his “grand ideas” a much more stable grounding.
Influence and mastery over other humans is perhaps best cultivated in service and perhaps worst cultivated in luxuries. Organizing a construction crew or a relief effort has environmental components to it that “fight back” – there is clear work to be done to master nature and help others.
It is, of course, easier to attempt to buy prestige and respect through possessions and empty honors, but what use is it to be respected by others if you cannot master yourself and you cannot master the environment around you?
It’s a house of cards; it’s a “Cult of the Supreme Being”; it’s a path to a metaphorical guillotine.
I don’t want to put this path down too much, because anything done excellently and consistently enough means you’ll draw other people to you, and then the elements of cooperation and coordination and cohesion come into play; neglecting an understanding of other people and how to influence and persuade and lead is certainly also a foolish thing.
But, you know, the conflict will rage on this area for all time – during peace and stability, influence and power over other humans typically becomes the fastest way to gain wealth, prestige, and things in life.
But on what ground is it built?
A mastery of self is perhaps the hardest thing to cultivate, but the most enduring and worthwhile.
A mastery of environment leads you to check all grand ideas and force them to conform with the laws of nature.
A mastery of others, in absence of these, might be a dangerous thing indeed.
***
FAREWELL, DUBIOUS BATTLE; NEVER STRAY FROM THE WAY
It’s been my great pleasure to explore these series with you; Dubious Battle was one of the most challenging series I’ve taken on to date. I hope you’ve enjoyed and benefited from your reading here at least half as much as I have from writing it.
The last thing I’ll leave you with to meditate on, as we bid farewell, are Musashi’s precepts from his Way of Walking Alone –
1. Accept everything just the way it is.
2. Do not seek pleasure for its own sake.
3. Do not give preference to anything among all things.
4. Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.
5. Be detached from desire your whole life.
6. Do not regret what you have done.
7. Never be jealous.
8. Never let yourself be saddened by a separation.
9. Resentment and complaint are appropriate neither for oneself nor others.
10. Do not let yourself be guided by the feeling of lust or love.
11. Do not seek elegance and beauty in all things.
12. Be indifferent to where you live.
13. Do not pursue the taste of good food.
14. Do not hold on to possessions you no longer need.
15. Do not act following customary beliefs.
16. Do not collect weapons or practice with weapons beyond what is useful.
17. Do not fear death.
18. Do not seek to possess either goods or fiefs for your old age.
19. Respect Buddha and the gods without counting on their help.
20. You may abandon your own body but you must preserve your honor.
21. Never stray from the Way.
Never stray from the Way!
STAY IN TOUCH
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3. Final Passing Thought
A last passage by that famous swordsman, from Musashi’s Book of Five Rings –
“This is the Way for men who want to learn my strategy:
• Do not think dishonestly.
• The Way is in training.
• Become acquainted with every art.
• Know the Ways of all professions.
• Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters.
• Develop intuitive judgment and understanding for everything.
• Perceive those things which cannot be seen.
• Pay attention even to trifles.
• Do nothing which is of no use.
It is important to start by setting these broad principles in your heart, and train in the Way of strategy. If you do not look at things on a large scale it will be difficult for you to master strategy. If you learn and attain this strategy you will never lose even to twenty or thirty enemies. More than anything to start with you must set your heart on strategy and earnestly stick to the Way. You will come to be able to actually beat men in fights, and to be able to win with your eye. Also by training you will be able to freely control your own body, conquer men with your body, and with sufficient training you will be able to beat ten men with your spirit. When you have reached this point, will it not mean that you are invincible?”
I find it rather remarkable – worth remarking on – that his first key point is:
Do not think dishonestly.
Be honest first in your mind, the Way is in training, mind all the details, do nothing which is of use… train to control your body and mind and spirit… and when you have reached this point, will it not mean you are invincible?
Hubris? Perhaps. Perhaps not. But do not, dear friend, do not ever stray from the Way.
My gratitude for the shared time together as author and reader, salutations on the journey, and for now, aideu,
– Marshall
MACHINA Page 56
