Random thought about Shojo

[Setra]

I was reading through some things, and came across a quote.

"A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective."

Am I the only one who thinks this fit Shojo like a glove?

[Snipers_Promise]

I think that is perfect for shojo on many different levels.

[13_CBS]

That quote wasn't from Sun Tzu's Art of War, was it?

[Fawkes]

What is that quote from?


blasted ninjas...

[Setra]

That quote wasn't from Sun Tzu's Art of War, was it?
It was, at least according to what I was reading.

What is that quote from?
See above.

[Kioran]

I was reading through some things, and came across a quote.

"A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective."

Am I the only one who thinks this fit Shojo like a glove?

No. There´s no distinct advantage with having Shojo hear since this was not strategy, but tactics. The fight was over before any longterm planning would have had an effect, and Redcloaks and Xykons plan was totally indifferent to the capabilities of their opponents.

So even with Shojo we would have probably had the same result.......

A Ninja Death-squad for Kubota would have made one hell of a difference though......

[Revlid]

No. There´s no distinct advantage with having Shojo hear since this was not strategy, but tactics. The fight was over before any longterm planning would have had an effect, and Redcloaks and Xykons plan was totally indifferent to the capabilities of their opponents.

So even with Shojo we would have probably had the same result.......

A Ninja Death-squad for Kubota would have made one hell of a difference though......

He's saying that the quote from Sun Tzu fits Shojo's mindset and tricks perfectly, not that Shojo could have made a difference in the coming battle (though he would have greatly raised morale). Not sure where you got that from.

[Pyrian]

I is perfect for shojo on many different levels.One letter, and the entire meaning of your post suddenly seems much, much different. :smallbiggrin:

[Demented]

Shojo understood that sort of thing implicitly.

Of course, I think Sun Tzu meant that you should appear incompetent to your foes, not your allies. Not to say that Shojo wasn't—those nobles were quite the problem—but it was his deception to supposed friends that ended him, one way or another.

[Setra]

Shojo understood that sort of thing implicitly.

Of course, I think Sun Tzu meant that you should appear incompetent to your foes, not your allies. Not to say that Shojo wasn't—those nobles were quite the problem—but it was his deception to supposed friends that ended him, one way or another.
It was probably because of Shojo's p...p... Okay I'm glancing at the TV and it's a japanese girl in a maid outfit trying to reach up and you can see her panties.

I forgot what I was talking about.

Ps. I'm watching Cinematech.

Edit: Paranoia, is what I meant to say.

Thank you. Thank you for transcribing your entire train of thought.
It's a habit of mine. Good or bad, it's fun to do. :smalltongue:

[Jawajoey]

It was probably because of Shojo's p...p... Okay I'm glancing at the TV and it's a japanese girl in a maid outfit trying to reach up and you can see her panties.

I forgot what I was talking about.

Ps. I'm watching Cinematech.

Edit: Paranoia, is what I meant to say.

Thank you. Thank you for transcribing your entire train of thought.


But yeah, the quote fits Shojo perfectly. Being underestimated is a great advantage, and that was Shojo's self defense in a nutshell.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Not only does it fit well, it is being used masterfully, and exactly as Master Tzu intended it. Or, as I think Master Tzu intended it.

[Tower]

He decieved his opponents, and the paladins would oppose him on several issues For example getting the OotS to help.

On a slightly different note do people think he is neutral or chaotic good?
He seems more neutral good than chaotic as he follows the laws where-ever possible, where as a chaotic good would break them more, even if surrounded by paladins.

[factotum]

Chaotic doesn't mean you just randomly break laws for the hell of it, especially not when you're the ruler and thus the person who SETS the laws! Generally, a Chaotic Good person will act for what they see as the greater good, no matter if it breaks or bends the rules--seems to me that describes Shojo perfectly.

[Setra]

We know he isn't Lawful, Belkar says he's Chaotic Good, I'm not inclined to disbelieve this.

[Tolkien_Freak]

Yep. Fits perfectly.


Of course, I think Sun Tzu meant that you should appear incompetent to your foes, not your allies. Not to say that Shojo wasn't—those nobles were quite the problem—but it was his deception to supposed friends that ended him, one way or another.

Yeah, he did it with his enemies in mind, doing it in front of his allies was merely a natural consequence.
Especially considering he was living with paladins that would probably kill him if they found out.
Which is exactly what happened.

He really had no choice - he just had to hide it as best he could and hope the paladins didn't find out.

[Pepz]

Shojo was able to do what he did by appearing incompetent to both his allies (the saphire guard) and enemies (the other nobles). I'm not sure if anybody else thought they knew the truth, like the "normal" people in azure city, or foreigners but it seems to be so.

Shojo also seems to be as old as Szun Tzu would have been had he never died :P j/k but still

[teratorn]

I disagree. If you look insane to your own men then you have a morale case. I think it would have been worse with Shojo leading the city during the attack. «What? The old man receiving orders from his cat is telling us what to do? I'm out of here.»

[Joracy]

I disagree. If you look insane to your own men then you have a morale case. I think it would have been worse with Shojo leading the city during the attack. «What? The old man receiving orders from his cat is telling us what to do? I'm out of here.»

He acted like a fool to trick the nobles it thinking they could control him. If he did what they wanted then fine, If he did what they didn't want the nobles assumed it was one of the other nobles telling him what to do. I belive he said something along those lines.

Ah here we go.http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0289.html

I belive that that also went with the commoners. They saw him as a figurehead, not a leader and that the nobles ran the town well he sat there.

[Tyrmatt]

Indeed. Shojo, while merely an NPC, is in fact a cunning and devious ruler who bypassed ruling through strength and power instead going through subtle manipulation, trickery and deceit. Indeed, where your foe expects you to be strong, be weak.
Also he took an inverse flip on the old adage of "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". Why make useless alliances when you can wear out both of your enemies and then crush them afterwards :D
Truly a great mind has been lost