Deception
Deception is an essential combat skill.
We do not train it in kata.
We do not train it in bunkai.
We train it in kumite.
Sun Tzu, in the Art of War, says the essence of war is deception. He treats it in the chapters on tactics, strategy, maneuver, terrain and spies.
We need to be clear about how it works – in training, in self-defense, and in our lives.
Before General Sherman gave the order to burn Atlanta, he directed the citizens to abandon their homes, or burn in the flames.
General Sherman said: “War is hell.”
General Carl von Clausewitz’ learned about war from defeat. He was a Prussian officer when Napoleon’s army rolled over Europe, killing and destroying, from Paris to Moscow.
For Clausewitz war was an extension of politics – a means to power. He viewed war – death, devastation, fear and despair – as one of the tools of statecraft, along with persuasion, diplomacy and deal-making, to be used when needed.
Sun Tzu, Sherman, and Clausewitz emphasized different things: War is deception. War is hell. War is business. There’s no need to fight about it. They’re all right.
What does that mean for us as martial artists? What are we learning as we learn combative technique? What are we cultivating?
Health and fitness. Definitely. Focus and flexibility. Courage and confidence. Sure. But that’s not all we are cultivating.
We also learn to deceive.
In kumite we fake, feint, and counter. We change tempo, timing and direction. We set up expectations and exploit them. We evade and strike from new directions, too fast for our opponent to handle.
We deceive. We get good at it. It is necessary to win.
As Sun Tzu advised we do not telegraph our intention. We are not predictable, repetitive or obvious. We assess our opponent and surprise him, intimidate him, exhaust him.
If you have the advantage in speed, power and skill, you can rely on Clausewitz’ “application of overwhelming force at the decisive point.” Target his schwerpunkt. One strike. He’s down.
Robbers, muggers and thieves do that. They go for easy prey. Hawks and snakes too. It’s a favorite tactic of predators.
To defend against a bigger, stronger opponent, we need deception. We might use improvised weapons, obstacles, cover, distraction, alliances and surprise to neutralize the opponent’s power.
Deception in fighting works. But – and this is a huge but – it is seductive.
It is easy to become calculating, as a habit. Distorting. Misdirecting. Manipulating. Dominating. Then what happens: making a habit of taking advantage by deception turns relationships from win-win to zero sum.
People in the world of war or intelligence live lives where lies work. The better you are at deception the better you are at your job. Like show business. You live your life in a house of mirrors. Clever and cunning. But also trapped. Solitary. On the prowl. On the move. Afraid.
We do not want to live in that world.
Everyone who handles dangerous things – weapons, chemicals, vehicles, tools – learns to use them safely. Watch the muzzle discipline on a range full of professional shooters, watch men and machines moving in a busy construction site, a pilot going through his preflight checks. You will not see bravado. You will see competence.
Well-trained people use their tools for a specific purpose.
It is a short step from “war is deception” to “life is deception.”
Then, instead of “war is hell”, we get “life is hell.”
In Iraq a few years ago General Mattis told his young Marines how to deal with their new home: “Be polite. Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.” At that time, as strangers, as invaders in a dangerous place, the General was providing practical advice.
Some misunderstood. They took an idea made for a narrow application and let it spread, like an oil slick, over their lives. It hurt them.
As well-trained people we use deception in the heat of conflict. Then we put it away.
Deception tears the fabric of reality. It destroys relationships. It consumes the life of the liar.
As martial artists, we cultivate honesty: in assessing our skills; in interacting with one another; in our values, and our goals.
That is essential to true karate dō.
Thanks for your hard training today.
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Post Copyright © 2024 Jeffrey Brooks
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