The Useless Tree

Sun Tzu

  • A Sunzi Super Bowl Analysis and Prediction: Seahawks 21, Patriots 17

    It has been a long while since I have attempted a Sunzi Super Bowl assessment.  My first foray was back in 2007 and, while the terms of the analysis were quite useful, my ultimate prediction came up short (damn you,… Continue reading

  • Thinking Strategically about the Hong Kong Demonstrations

    An interesting day in HK today (and this may change at any time, given the fluid nature of the situation).  The government had said that the protesters must leave by Monday morning, with an implicit threat of force.  The movement… Continue reading

  • Sunzi: Against US action in Syria

    The impending US strike against Syria brings Sunzi to mind. On the face of it, it appears to be a failure of strategy and policy.  The most famous aphorism from Sunzi is 3.3 (from the Griffith translation; Chinese from China… Continue reading

  • Zero Dark Sunzi

    I saw "Zero Dark Thirty" last night, a bracing film.  I am also reading Sunzi with my students here; so, it seems quite natural for me to bring these two texts together. As a movie, "Zero Dark Thirty" is quite… Continue reading

  • Romney, Bain, and Sunzi

    James Fallows reflects upon the Obama campaign's current line of attack against Mitt Romney's past experience at Bain Capital h/t: Sullivan).  He writes that the effort is reminiscent of the "swiftboating" of John Kerry in 2004: The effect of this… Continue reading

  • Sunzi and Soft Power

    I guess when you get quoted in The Economist you should post a link to the story.  And so, here it is: Sun Tzu and the art of soft power. (I don't appear until about 2/3 of the way down).… Continue reading

  • Derek Jeter is a Sunzi Warrior, not a Confucian Gentleman

    Captain of the New York Yankees, shortstop Derek Jeter, last week feigned that he had been hit by a pitch and was awarded first base.  He hammed it up a bit but, as replays clearly demonstrated, he had not been… Continue reading

  • Sun Tzu and the World Cup

    I’ve watched a couple of World Cup matches (US/England; Brazil/NK; some of Spain/Switzerland) and Sun Tzu has come to mind…. On first thought, it is a bit difficult to apply Sun Tzu to soccer (football…).  The battle situations that he… Continue reading

  • Obama is reading Sun Tzu, not the Tao Te Ching

    I'm emerging from the end of semester craziness.  My teaching is done for the semester (save one meeting with an independent study group this afternoon – always a pleasant meeting of minds) and the big pile of grading will not… Continue reading

  • Sun Tzu on Afghanistan

    Saw this cartoon this morning and thought it nailed Sun Tzu on Afghanistan: Continue reading