Comparing: Entangling Terrain
The Art of War 9:14-23: You can attack from some positions easily.
This post continues our project explaining each stanza of Sun Tzu’s work. The English translation and Chinese transliterations are from my award-winning book, The Art of War and The Ancient Chinese Revealed.
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This article discusses the third stanza of the first section of Chapter 10 of The Art of War. This chapter’s general topic is the six types of terrain on which we compete. This stanza focuses on the second type: entangling ground. Its focus is on the advantages, disadvantages, and defense of such terrain.
The danger of a terrain is evaluated in terms of how easy or difficult it makes our next advance. Dangers are how the terrain affects advancing from a given position. The two extremes of dangerous ground are “sticky” and “slippery.” Entangling terrain is another name for “sticky” positions, those that are destroyed when we try to move out of them.
In these positions, we are punished by our previous supporters if we attempt to abandon them. Those previous supporters will prevent us from moving back into these positions if our move forward does not succeed. We must only move if we are certain of finding a better position elsewhere.
In general, any position built on a contract is an entangling position. If one party violates that contract, it is unlikely that the other party in that agreement will trust the violating party again. An ally that abandons us during a battle should never be trusted as an ally again. If we leave a job for a better job, it is difficult to go back to our previous employer if the new job doesn’t pan out. Many financial agreements are sticky ground. While filing bankruptcy may allow us to move away from our debtors legally, borrowing from them in the future is impossble.
Entangling
Sun Tzu starts with an advantage of this type of ground.
<Can> <by> <means> <of> <depart>
You can attack from some positions easily.
This is the same line that began our discussion of unobstructed terrain in the previous article. Entangling terrain doesn’t interfere with moving on. It allows us to move easily in any direction, toward our goals or out of a bad situation. Positions developed in entangling terrain are, however, more delicate than those on unobstructed terrain.
<Disaster> <by> <means> <of> <return>
Disaster arises when you try to return to them.
We must remember that all strategic social positions exist primarily in the human mind. Even if those positions are substantiated by a contract, it is the position in the mind that matters the most. As people, we must all take a leap of faith to give or accept positions in each others’ lives. When that faith is violated, that trust is not easily rebuilt.
<Say> <suspended>
These are entangling positions.
This terrain is <suspended> in the sense the it is supported by a future obligation. Not all positions are entangling. Many of our positions are positions of opportunity and convenience. As circumstances change, all parties expect these positions of opportunity to change as well. For example, most customer and supplier relationships are not entangling. This is especially true for retail. Buying from one grocery store does not obligate us to buy from that same grocery store forever.
Many companies, however, work hard to entangle their customers. Apple is a good example of this strategy. Their products often require the use of other Apple products. If, for example, we use their software development products we must use them on Apple computers. Many organizations try to “entangle” their customers in a web of dependencies. Most award programs, such as airline miles, are part of an entangling strategy.
<Suspended> <form> <is>
These field positions are one-sided.
Sun Tzu saw these positions as suspended in the sense of at the top of a steep slope. Once we rush down to a place below, we cannot climb back. Another name for these types of positions is “one way.” All the roads leaving them are one-way paths. If we move from them to a new position, we cannot turn around and go back to where we were.
<Enemy> <without> <preparation>
Wait until your enemy is unprepared.
Leaving these positions successfully is mostly a question of picking the right time. The issue today is not so much about the enemy being unprepared for a downhill rush as it is about our being prepared to make a successful move. We must be certain our window of opportunity is open to establish our new position.
<Exit> <and> <yet> <win> <it>
You can then attack from these positions and win.
Moving into entangling positions requires thinking two moves ahead. We must know when the position into which we are moving is sticky, and, because of that, we must know that there are opportunities surrounding this terrain that will be easy to move into. Most positions are stepping stone to future positions, but entangling positions can only be used as a stepping stone once.
<Enemy> <seems> <have> <preparation>
You will try to attack and lose.
If we fail in our moves forward from these positions, we are stuck without a position. This is never good.
<Exit> <and> <yet> <no> <win>
Since you can’t return, you will meet disaster.
It is always easier to move forward when we already have a position on which we can base our move. Sticky positions are not as good as most types of ground for exploring surrounding territory. Those who expect us to stick to our positions will look even upon this exploration as a kind of betrayal.
<Disaster> <by> <means> <of> <return>
Avoid a well-prepared enemy.
We must assume that by leaving an entangling position, we will create an mild form of enemy behind us, one who is prepared to rebuff us if not attack us.
<No> <advantage>
These field positions offer no advantage.
Generally speaking, entangling terrains are best avoided. Instead, we should seek supporting terrains, which are their opposite in terms of danger. These position are also difficult to return to, but for a different reason.