Many a journalist (this and this) praised the late Mr Kim Jong Il for playing his weak hand really well. I wonder why they failed to praise Mr Gaddafi for the same achievement. The way he got killed so easily and quickly proved that his hand was really weak. But he did rule Libya for 42 years with that weak hand. "42 years" is a long long time even by the standards of emperors and kings. For comparison, the first founder of China, Qin Shi Huang lasted just 15 years.
Playing a weak hand is an essential skill. But then, I assure you that you already know it
1. If you've played any team sport in youth, say, soccer/football, or
2. If you've regularly watched any team game on TV, say, soccer/football.
An obscure team playing against Manchester United/Barcelona usually plays their weak hand this way:
1. Make a lot of fouls, or
2. Defend deep, "Park the bus/aeroplane" in front of their own goal, or
3. Influence the referees and get other team's players dismissed, or
4. Play their own game, or
5. Catch them on the break i.e. play a counter-attacking game, or
6. Intimidate other team, get physical etc, or
many other ways.
Are all of them equally morally sound?
Read "geopolitics," "geo-strategic" whatever stuffs.
Play weak or strong hand.
Read Machiavelli, but please, do read the 2-page epilogue of Mob Rules, too.
The real question is : Are you playing a good and kind hand?
Isn't life too short to play silly hands?
Jan 24, 2012
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Gaddafi was not that weak. Did you watch news last night about Bin a Walid ?
ReplyDeleteYes, I get your point. These things are hard to judge or assess for me ;-)
DeleteThanks for reading and commenting.
Let's see when and to whom Bani Walid falls again.
Why did you pick up and read Mob Rules in the first place? You are a Buddhist, I presume.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am a Buddhist.
DeleteStill I'm interested in such books. You may say I get distracted so easily.
Thank you. Do read the blog and comment whenever you feel like it.