I. Principles of War

Principle 1: Confusion

Confuse your enemy as often as possible, he should not be able to predict your next move and not know where to go himself. Confusion begets hesitation, making him wonder what could happen and what he should do will exhaust resources.
The most common way of confusing someone is simply to overload them. Just keep striking until they crack. It is especially effective if what you are saying/doing is of interest and makes them think & want to respond.
Confusion is invoked when the enemy expects a particular thing to happen but something else happens instead. This includes nothing happening when, for example, an attack was expected. Unpredictability invoked confusion just as much. Let him second-guess you as often as possible.
There are many written and unwritten rules of conversation and interpersonal communication. People expect you to follow those rules. If you break them, they will quickly become confused.
Overload is multiplied when what is being communicated is complex or difficult to understand. This effectively shortens the time to the point where the other person becomes overloaded and needs to stop and process the information given to them.
I. Principles of War

Principle 2: Demoralization

Drain the enemy of their morale, encourage surrender. Morale in warfare is instrumental. Smaller, weaker players can and have, many times, defeated much stronger enemies that have been carefully demoralized beforehand.
Break your past patterns, so that his predictions turn wrong. Let him study your past moves, but not use them against you. Making his counter-attacks, counter-productive.
'Gaslighting' in social situations is a very powerful way to confuse people and gain power. Subthread on gaslighting: https://twitter.com/TheAvtoritet/status/1125325217474260992
Demoralization also works with countries at war. If the population supports the war, then there will be numerous volunteers and a lot of support for a belligerent authority.
Soldiers who lose the will to fight either fight poorly or quickly drop arms. Officers who are demoralized will likewise avoid battle and more likely pursue peace.
But, if the population believes the war is unwinnable or unjust, then any political party supporting the war will be seen as arrogant and out of touch with its electorate.
There's many ways of demoralizing the opposition. The trick is to inflict a sort of 'death by a thousand cuts' here, by constant attacks on their confidence. Conor is a master at this. But it doesn't always work (Khabib).
Do not let the opposing party rest for a single moment in argument, let them think they are winning, sure, but snatch victory from them at the last instant. Show them your intellect and let them think you can beat them at any time.
Another not to fuck with demoralizing force is unexpected defeat. When a weaker enemy outsmarts you with a superior strategy you feel like shit. Likewise, a smarter/stronger opponent who keeps you guessing can lead you to fear humiliating or terrifying defeat at any time.
I. Principles of War

Principle 3: Debilitation

Gain advantage by disabling key capabilities. Removing capability creates weakness, which can be taken advantage of in numerous ways. Removing capability also removes threat and can result in them losing a strategic advantage.
Strike your enemies deaf, dumb and blind. Take out their communication posts. Bomb their aerodromes. Take out artillery positions. Blockade their ports.
In negotiation prevent them from using particular arguments, for example by gaslighting.

Subthread on gaslighting: https://twitter.com/TheAvtoritet/status/1125325217474260992
I. Principles of War

Principle 4: Discipline

Instill strict discipline in your troops.

A disciplined army is efficient on the march and in camp.

They follow orders with promptness and are sharp in action.

Courageous in battle, effective and coordinated.
Know the importance of rest & appropriately utilize relaxation. Prepare them to always be alert, so that they can snap into full action at a momen'ts notice.
Not to disregard, discipline also plays an important role in retreat. When your men are vulnerable to a pursuing enemy, and this will happen whether you like it or not, they can cause panic and consequent havoc. Just like attacks, retreats should be well-practiced.
Practical

Prepare your arguments before the debate. Know the likely actions of the other side and have counters ready to their moves. Do not be aroused by their trickery and stick to your plans. As necessary, pull back and rethink.
I. Principles of War

Principle 4: Division

The good old Divide and Conquer.

Large, coordinated forces are difficult to defeat. Separate your enemy, pick them off one-by-one.
Separation cuts them off from one another, making communication and coordination difficult. Units which are cut off cannot even call for help. Dividing them also could deprive them of supply if they relied on allies for certain resources, two birds one stone.
You could take risks and divide your own forces, attacking enemies on several fronts so they have to divide their attention to counter your action. Luring away focus from your main force.
Use propaganda and misinformation to sow dissention in their ranks, dividing their thinking from within. Thus driving a wedge into the main force, separating parts of their main battlefield army.
Practical

In negotiation, push multiple demands/arguments, forcing them to divide their attention. In a presentation to a group, talk to individuals beforehand to get them each on a side. In the group setting it should then be just a matter of rubber-stamping your request.
I.Principles of War

Principle 6: Distraction

Make them look away so you can act as you wish.
By invoking distraction you can attract their attention in the direction you want them to look. Move your army along unexpected routes, attack from unexpected angles, make noise, create explosions.
Make the area where you want to hide (something) uninteresting or 'too common' so that they may not care to look there. Involve stealth & camouflage.
Procrastination is a form self-distraction. You move yourself away from things you do not want to do in that moment, and do more 'important' or pleasant things instead. Life is constant war. That's not all it is, but it is always that. Be wary of being at war with yourself.
When you distract your opponent's attention, you are free to slip around his guard. People have limited attention, especially in the 21st century. When something attracts attention, it means another area is being neglected, leaving opening for attacks.
Hypnothic suggestion

Distraction is often used in hypnotherapy. The hypnotherapist talks about some triviality with the client or otherwise gets their conscious mind engaged in some problem while they put the real message through to the subconscious mind.
This principle of suggestion can be used without deep trance and in ordinary conversation. By emphasising key words, you can give two meanings at once: the apparent meaning and the subtle meaning.
Illusionists do the same visually, providing movement and color where they want you to look, whilst palming the coin or doing the real business with the other hand.
Distraction is used by everyone and no one. A classic physical method is used by pickpockets, where they apply sharp pressure to a part of your body, distracting your (very localised) attention whilst slipping another gentle hand into your pocket.
Martial artists do it too. At least in the softer arts, such as Tai Chi and Aikido. Like the pickpockets, they apply sharper pressure at one point to make you resist, and then move you where they want with a gentle palm.
The harder arts, like Karate and Kung Fu will deliberately distract you for a moment, such as with a noisy foot-stamp or sudden movement to your face, whilst speeding through with the real power punch.
Generals use this principle too: there are many classic military strategies based on distraction. E.g. striking at a weak point, making the other side rush support to the even more weakened are, then applying the main force to the point the enemy has just abandoned.
Practical

In negotiation, conceal your true goals. Put a lot of attention on a particular area, distract them to pay attention there and make them 'bargain you down' on this unimportant area. Then slip in what you really want as an 'acceptable compromise'.
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