Provocation

Disciplines > Warfare > Principles > Provocation

Principle | Effect | Invoking | Analogy | See also

Principle

Make them angry so they act impetuously.

Effect

When a person is angry, they will seek to fight, and the more enraged they become, the greater will that desire for battle be.

Also, and very importantly, annoyance is usually accompanied by a reduction in rational thinking as the burning desire for battle overwhelms logical considerations as to the wisdom of early conflict.

Invoking

Anger is invoked when a person is insulted or their sense of identity is otherwise damaged. Thus, for example, a smaller force inflicts a defeat on a larger force (perhaps through some deceptive means), the commander of the larger force may well become enraged and seek early revenge.

Insult may also be delivered by other means, for example seducing an opposing general's mistress or simply sending an insulting letter. The greater the ego of your opponent, the easier it is to insult them and hence enrage and manipulate them.

Analogy

In everyday argument, anger is also often a losing strategy and winding up the other person can be an easy way to derail them.