In the long history, the wise men behind them have played an indispensable role in the achievements of successful people.
However, in the watershed of success and failure, it is often a single sentence that can make the difference between success and failure. In many cases, the proposed proposal may actually be a bad idea.
Historically, there are seven particularly striking examples of the extreme of "bad ideas," each of which has been self-defeating because of its absurdity.
Here's the details of these seven bad ideas:
Chaining the ship to its own destruction.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao led a large army to the south to attack Eastern Wu. However, Cao Cao's sailors were mainly composed of northerners, who were not familiar with water warfare, and once the ships rocked, they would cause seasickness among the soldiers, resulting in unstable morale.
In order to improve the combat efficiency of the army, Pang Tong proposed to use heavy iron chains to connect dozens of warships, and to erect planks between the ships to allow soldiers to move freely as if they were on land.
When Cao Cao heard about this plan, he was very appreciative and immediately ordered it to be implemented.
However, Zhou Yu took advantage of Cao Cao's arrogant psychology of underestimating the enemy, and adopted fire attack tactics, using cloth bags filled with flammable materials to set Cao's warships on fire when the wind was downwind.
In the days when the two sides were fighting, the Eastern Wu army deliberately retreated, inducing the Cao army to go deeper, and then set fire to cloth bags filled with oil and grass and rushed towards the enemy.
Because the iron chain held the Cao army's warships tightly, they could not escape the fire attack, and soon turned into a sea of fire. Cao's army was so heavy that he could only retreat in panic in the sea of fire.
Cao Cao originally wanted to take advantage of the strength of the northern army, but he did not expect that the situation would be very different in the southern water war.
Soliciting foreigners and disrupting national politics.
Due to years of wars in the Western Jin Dynasty, the population was greatly reduced. Someone proposed to the imperial court to introduce the Hu population from the frontier into the Central Plains to settle in order to increase the number of people.
This suggestion was accepted by the imperial court, and a large number of Hu people began to migrate to the Central Plains. A hundred years later, the number of Hu people had increased to millions, surpassing the Han population.
Taking advantage of the chaos of the Eight Kings Rebellion, the Hu people began to establish their own regime, with only one-third of the Han population. This directly led to the chaos of China, causing the people of the Central Plains to suffer great suffering.
The formation of this situation is closely related to the corruption and incompetence of the Western Jin Dynasty and the dispersion of the people.
The leadership of the Jin Dynasty was mediocre, internal strife continued, and the people lost their support. In the face of the strong Hu people from outside and the weak Han people from within, the bane of the Wuhu chaos was planted.
If the Western Jin Dynasty had a strong regime and a wise monarch, even if the Hu people were introduced, they could avoid being expelled by the Hu people by strengthening integration and indoctrination.
Unfortunately, history cannot assume that once a mistake occurs, it will set off a chain reaction.
Excessive prevention is a big mistake.
During the Liu and Song dynasties of the Southern Dynasties, Emperor Liu Yilong relied on the general Tan Daoji to guard the border, successfully blocking the intrusion of the Northern Dynasties and ensuring the safety and stability of the Southern Dynasties.
But when Liu Yilong became seriously ill, he began to worry that his younger brother Liu Yifu might join forces with Tan Daoji for the throne after his death.
Therefore, before he died, according to the advice of the traitorous ministers, a preemptive strategy was adopted to put Tan Daoji to death.
Unexpectedly, Liu Yilong's condition improved, and he was able to **.
But at this time, it was irretrievable, and Liu Yilong, who had lost an important general, was powerless during the large-scale invasion of the Northern Korean army, and could only helplessly watch the country fall.
Liu Yilong originally intended to prevent trouble before it happened, but unexpectedly became a sinner who harmed the country and the people.
In the face of a complex situation, we should not unilaterally listen to one's side of the story and make our own opinions. Maintaining independent thinking and foresight, and correctly evaluating talent, is the key to a thriving nation.
Using others to harm oneself.
In the early years of Tang Gaozong, Empress Wang and Concubine Xiao Shu competed for favor. In order to suppress political opponents, Empress Wang approached the proposer and suggested that Gaozong recall his father Li Shimin's concubine Wu Zetian back to the palace.
Wu Zetian had become a monk, and Empress Wang thought that taking her back would distract Gaozong from Concubine Xiao Shu. Tang Gaozong, who was obsessed with Wu Zetian, immediately agreed to this proposal.
However, Wu Zetian was deferential to Queen Wang on the surface, but behind him he had great ambitions and had long planned to usurp the throne. Soon, Wu Zetian replaced Concubine Xiao Shu and became Gaozong's new favorite.
Although Empress Wang was temporarily proud, she didn't expect that Wu Zetian had already turned her attention to the position of the queen. Wu Zetian designed to frame Empress Wang for killing his own daughter, causing Gaozong to depose Empress Wang.
From then on, Wu Zetian's position became increasingly stable, and finally abolished the crown prince when Gaozong was seriously ill, officially seized power, and became the only female emperor in Chinese history.
Tampering with the will will reap the consequences.
After the death of Qin Shi Huang, Prime Minister Li Si felt that his position was in danger.
Qin Shi Huang's will specified that the crown prince Fusu would succeed him, and Fusu was supported by important ministers such as Meng Tian for his benevolence.
Li Si feared that once Fusu ascended to the throne, it would reduce the burden on the people and thus weaken his own power. Therefore, he decided to take the risk and tamper with the contents of the will.
Li Si found Zhao Gao to discuss the matter, and the two decided to tamper with the will and make Hu Hai, the youngest son of Qin Shi Huang, the new emperor.
But Li Si obviously didn't expect Zhao Gao's cunning and cruelty.
Soon after, Zhao Gao made a statement to Hu Hai on the grounds that Li Si was plotting rebellion, which led to Li Si's execution.
Li Si thought that he could control power by tampering with the will, but he didn't expect to be used by Zhao Gao and bring about his own destruction, which also accelerated the decline of the Qin Dynasty.
After Hu Hai succeeded to the throne, he indulged in pleasure, neglected state affairs, and allowed Zhao Gao to run rampant. Civil revolts followed, and the Qin Dynasty fell after only 15 years of its founding.
Those who despise the law and justice will eventually be punished by Heavenly Justice.
Personally conscripted to the front line and encountered disgrace.
In the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the Warat tribe of Mongolia frequently harassed the border and attacked the Datong region. Ming Yingzong listened to the advice of the great eunuch Wang Zhen and decided to go out in person.
It was not the first time that Warat had harassed the Ming Dynasty, and if it was only a small-scale disturbance, the Ming generals were fully capable of dealing with it on their own.
Even if it encounters a large-scale invasion, according to the military strength of the Ming Dynasty, it can hold on and wait for reinforcements. But Ming Yingzong pursued fame and was instigated by Wang Zhen to show himself on the battlefield.
Therefore, he did not listen to the dissuasion of the hundred officials, and personally led a large army into the border to fight against Warat.
When the Ming army arrived at Tumubao, Wang Zhen forced the army to stay on the grounds that the military supplies had not arrived, causing the Wara army to cut off the water source.
When the army's heart was shaken, the Wara army raided, the Ming army was defeated, and Ming Yingzong was in chaos.
Ming Yingzong's personal conquest became a symbol of military defeat and national humiliation.
Closed borders, loss of land.
Late Qing Dynasty, Western powers began to advance into China's coastal areas. The rulers of the Qing Dynasty were arrogant and reclusive, refusing to learn from Western advanced technology and military equipment.
At the suggestion of **, they adopted a policy of seclusion and isolation from the outside world. In the late Ming Dynasty, due to this closed policy, science and technology quickly lagged behind the West.
By the time the Opium War broke out, the advanced artillery of the West had put China at an absolute disadvantage.
The short-sightedness and mistaken decisions of the Qing rulers reduced China to a semi-colonial state, a tragedy that became inevitable.
Conclusion. The right decisions can change fate, and the wrong advice can just as much destroy a lifetime.
Therefore, when faced with various suggestions, we must maintain independent thinking, carefully analyze the pros and cons, and not be misled by the opinions of others.
Only by continuing to be rational can our boat of life avoid the reef of "bad advice" and sail to the other side of success.