On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.7.2 - 8.0 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

7b. Power and Control are better quietly accumulated. The noisy are threatening and make easy targets. The process should be as silent as possible. Slow motion makes the least noise. Stalk with no one watching. This Modern Warrior Archetype must not show its hand prematurely. The best defense is surprise. Shock is an insulator. Who knew?

7c. Power is better gained by influence rather than at gunpoint. Everyone has to sleep sometime. This Modern Warrior Archetype must be knowledgeable concerning the greater world and act accordingly. Ignorance is a recipe for disaster. One must understand the motivations of potential allies and act upon that insight beyond Maximum Advantage in all Things. Often, the top disregards the bottom. This Modern Warrior Archetype knows where the real action lies. Everything falls back to Earth. Below always trumps above in the end.

7d. Society and culture may stagnate, but the world always moves on. Stasis leads to decadence; decadence leads to nihilism. The strong and vibrant always eventually supplant the weak and complacent. One might be a product; one need not act like it. An awareness is required. Outside reference frames must be cultivated in order to awake. The current state is not universal nor inevitable. This Modern Warrior Archetype must be detached enough to know it, but enmeshed enough to still care. Else nothing will nor can change for the better. Degeneration is the greatest threat.

8. Power and control are not the only things that matter in life. Those consumed by megalomania are something to be resisted by this Modern Warrior Archetype as a disease to be eliminated. However, if applied effectively, power will allow one to remain free with the assistance of those so like minded, a little can go along way. The prize must be made to not be worth the price. The high ground is not just landscape. Control is over-rated. This Modern Warrior Archetype is something to be feared by and only by those that deserve to be a target.

End of Part Two.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.7.1 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

7a. Power and control are not mutually inclusive. Control is over-rated. Generally, it expends far more energy than is truly worthwhile. Only the insecure bother with the trivial and unimportant. The calm assurance of retaliation is a far more valuable trait. Some targets are just not worth the effort. Too much makes one bloated; rivals gun for the top dog. Too little risks being rolled over; an easy target is too tempting. The middle ground is preferable. This Modern Warrior Archetype must be balanced. Overreach is off equilibrium. The world seeks the ground state. Space is limited.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.6.0 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

6. Power may be over-stretched thus compromising control. Unless carefully calculated, so as to only appear extended, the slope will inevitably head downward. Backlash is an accelerant against an already strained power. Eventually, power and control will fall into complete disarray. Empires fall in such manners. Error propagates. The scavengers descend and pick clean the carcass. The remains rot away and fade into history. This Modern Warrior Archetype must learn to avoid he turmoil. Order will be sought, and can be provided without the pathological need for control.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.5.2 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

5b. Brutal power displays lead toward resolve in one's enemies. Provocation is an attempt to draw forth brutality which in turn drives the neutral parties toward the other side. Massive retaliation is better curtailed. True power is the ability to eliminate one's enemies without collateral damage. Who needs more enemies? This Modern Warrior Archetype certainly does not need more opposition. Only those lacking control require struggle. This Modern Warrior Archetype does not need control. Power is something else entirely different.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.5.1 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

5a. In maintaining power, one sometimes requires a display. If not carefully calculated, the resultant spectacle may prove detrimental. One needs to possess the wisdom to know the degree demanded. When, Where and How Much are important considerations. Lest ones enemies and opponents become emboldened, one does not wish to become over extended. Most sociopaths do not have possession of the correct level of detachment for such determinations. They believe their power to be absolute. In reality, due to systemic failings, those attracted to the notion of power have deeply flawed characters. This Modern Warrior Archetype must learn the means and methods in counter-acting and/or exploiting these defects for and beyond Maximum Advantage in all Things. In so doing, one must understand empathy. One must also know the real enemies. Else one will fail.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.4.0 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

4. For a time, power may be maintained through lies. One must know when to quit. Else one risks backlash and control will henceforth suffer. If the lies continue, backlash will continue in a vicious cycle that will bring everything down. Often, as untruths propagate, the propagandist will actually begin to believe it in nearly indirect proportion to other's disbelief. Inflated egos lead to arrogance which in turn lead to idiocy. Eventually, the whole thing begs to be broken like a rotten egg. Additionally, the active attempt will have many passive supporters. Megalomania is a social disease. Its contact vectors are many and varied. This Modern Warrior Archetype will know when to deliver the final blow. The best time to kick someone is when they are down. As always, death to the stupid!

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.3.2 Revisited

Graph by Travis B.

3b. Martyrdom is the ultimate moral authority. The martyr may produced the most sublime myth and legends. Ultimate sacrifice is rare but powerful. The action creates a legitimacy like no other. Such energy, if not foolishly spent, is the life bread of the fanatic. That kind wishes for death in a glorious cause, therefore better unprovoked. This Modern Warrior Archetype stays away from initiating conflict, but must be willing to engage fanatics whenever necessary. Foreign adventures are entirely different than local affairs. Unless operating locally, This Modern Warrior Archetype must disregard the fanatic. Other cultures have their own internal mechanisms. Mind your own business.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Two.3.1 Revisited

Travis B. was kind enough to produce a few more graphs to accompany previous entries. After posting his graphs, I will begin posting Part Six.

3a. Establishing mythos is power. The ground floor is always the most energetic. The inheritors have the potential for even greater power. However, everything grows old and declines. The heirs inevitably forget how to create their own legend. If unsustained, relevance is lost. Everything becomes a fable. The strongest mythos are based in religion. Their power is difficult to counter, except possibly another religion (or anti-religion). Economic and political mythos have less staying power. Religion is partially not of this world; all else is more concrete and hence weathers more quickly. This Modern Warrior Archetype knows some battles are best left well alone. The fanatic is not something lightly provoked.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.11.0

11. In a slowly degenerating society, many false sign posts will be encountered. One must learn to identify those causes manipulated by opportunists for Maximum Advantage in all things. One must discern between real enemies and the false targets littering the landscape. Systems are not human beings. Morality spawned and employed by a technological system is not necessarily human morality. People are not machines. A great error lies in assuming otherwise.

End of Part Five.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.10.4

10d. Although one may become adept at discerning the aims and goals of enemy thinkers, until proven by events, allies will generally be skeptical concerning this ability. Too many simply spew. As a result, the noise causes difficulty in making early determinations with respect to validity. However, if one generally refrains from talking out of one’s ass, the odds greatly improve to be taken seriously at the onset. Even so, when immersed within a breaking system, very few may care to listen to anything beyond their own reality. In such cases, one must be willing to move beyond such limitations, and do that which must be done. Of course, one should never be surprised to be the focus of backlash from one’s own side. Very few appreciate truth, which may be an irritation, but at least one will learn whom is truly a friend.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.10.3

10c. Beyond is outside perspective. Knowledge outside direct experience will always be, at the most, second hand. Lest one be taken for a sucker, one must become be capable of judging the merits of external information and the trustworthiness of the source. However, keep in mind, that the most vile origins still may have something worth regarding. When an enemy speaks, one should listen while noting that which is still left unsaid. At the very least, intentions and rationale may be discerned. In addition, if one is extremely fortunate one may develop a concrete understanding of the opposing mindset. In doing so, one may become capable of thwarting their efforts.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.10.2

10b. Balance is often difficult to define. The fulcrum must be placed on solid ground. Loads must be evenly distributed. Yet even if everything is done correctly the resultant equilibrium is still unstable. As times change, solutions change. A lifetime may not be enough time to correctly identify false constants. One needs to listen beyond.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.10.1

10a. A common cause need not require a loss of self. Anyone espousing otherwise is no friend to This Modern Warrior Archetype. Groupthink under stress spawned by conflict leads to thuggery and worse. Independence is an essential component for this particular archetype. Anything lacking this type of freedom is something to be fought against. Of course disagreements will arise as to particulars of import. Unfettered mind can always agree to disagree, and work out the details and differences in a relatively peaceful manner. Hence, during discussion common problems will be identified throughout the process of negotiating. In the abstract, such conflicts between the free boil down to defining balance.

On This Modern Warrior Archetype Part Five.9.3

9c. Speed must be tempered by wisdom gained from experience. Although first hand knowledge is better, in practice one must also learn to rely upon the senses of others. Lacking a definitive authority, one must often go looking. In addition to the inherent difficulties in finding suitable sources, one must also determine relevance and even accuracy. Talk is easy. Action is difficult; correctness is an even higher order. Understanding the cause of disagreements and antagonisms is essential if one desires calm. Mistakes will always be made; repetition is another matter. If quickness is shown to be in error, then learn to slow down.