In this world, there is nothing more fascinating than the truth behind the appearance. If we can see these appearances, if we can understand the essence of things, then we will be able to gain great strength to deal with all kinds of people and things with ease. As the classic line in the movie "The Godfather" says: "Those who can see through the essence of things in half a minute are destined to have a completely different fate from those who cannot see the essence of things in their lives." ”
Next, I will reveal the profound truth for you through the story of Zhuge Liang's empty city plan. In the empty city plan, we can see three different levels of cognition and strategy. The first layer is Zhuge Liang himself, who is able to keep calm and create the illusion that the city is safe despite the fact that the city is empty. The second layer is Sima Yi, who saw through Zhuge Liang's empty city plan, but understood that the fates of the two were closely linked, so he chose to show mercy to his subordinates. The third layer is a deeper level of psychological tactics. Zhuge Liang realized that Sima Yi had seen through his plan, but he remained calm because he knew that Sima Yi would not act easily.
This story can also be interpreted from another angle: the first layer is that Zhuge Liang is performing strategic tactics, the second layer is that Sima Yi saw through Zhuge Liang's strategy, and the third layer is that Zhuge Liang realized that Sima Yi had seen through his plan, but he understood that Sima Yi would not act rashly. At the heart of this psychological tactic is that both opponents know that their real competition is not about winning or losing on the battlefield, but about political competition away from the battlefield. This tacit understanding and strategy shows the highest level of strategy and psychological tactics.
In everyday life, there are also three different realms of communication and cognition. The first layer is that we know that the other person is lying; The second layer is that the other party also understands that we are aware of their lies; The third level is a deeper level of understanding – we understand that the other person knows that we are aware of their lies, but still choose to continue lying. This realm reflects a high level of social and communication skills that allow communication to flow even when the other person is aware of dishonesty.
This strategy is not only an individual-level communication skill, but also an important part of the social order, which has been precipitated for thousands of years. However, this also raises the question: is such behavior justified when everyone is cheating and tricking each other?
To better illustrate this phenomenon, we can introduce the concept of "Yin and Yang Dao". In our society, there are two sets of order: one is the obvious order, which leads the masses to live smoothly and with less excessive thinking; The other is the hidden order, which designs deeper social rules and mutual understanding. This secret order is exclusive to a few people, hidden from the outside world, and contains deep wisdom and strategy. These wisdoms are often not widely disseminated among the general public, but are simplified or misinterpreted as placebos in training classes, short **, or popular books.
Why, then, do we always come into contact with a placebo like chicken soup for the soul, when the truth always seems to be out of reach? This is because truth and truth have been in the hands of a few since time immemorial. Being able to realize the relationship between these two sets of orders is a sign of a person's growth. This awareness means that one begins to see the world as it is, not just as it appears on the surface. The superficial order is predominantly moral, with people often paying lip service and promise, while real action is scarce. The covert order, on the other hand, is more about action than talk.
To look beyond the surface to reveal the essence means to look beyond the obvious and focus on the hidden order behind it. In the process, you will find that the fairness and justice shown on the surface of society are often just a beautiful vision, and the real face of society may be a cruel competition of the jungle. In the process, you will encounter a phenomenon in which people choose to remain silent despite the seemingly obvious views of the group. This is often because, despite seeing things as they are, it is wise to use this knowledge silently rather than openly challenging the existing order. Because once it is expressed publicly, it is likely to attract unnecessary distress or challenges.
In addition, the rules of operation of society are largely a camouflage, oral and written norms that everyone follows in order to compete. If you rely entirely on these superficial rules, you are likely to get into trouble and even be ridiculed by others.
Again, the order in which society operates is complex, and sometimes even the Buddha's "unspeakable" pales in comparison. When you try to predict exactly how things will develop, you will find that many things are not as simple as they seem, but are driven by a variety of complex interests. A person's future and luck may seem to be determined by personal talents and opportunities on the surface, but in reality, it depends more on the common interests he forms with the people around him, as well as the interest groups he represents.
In our daily lives, we often meet people who are full of ethics on the surface, but they are hidden deep inside. Their apparent selflessness and dedication are often intended to conceal their innermost pursuit of interests. This is because people tend to compensate for their inner deficiencies by showing what they lack on the outside.
Therefore, when dealing with people, we need to be vigilant and not be fooled by those superficial pretty words. On the contrary, we should pay more attention to their actual actions and real purposes. Many times, there is a big gap between what a person really thinks and what they say on the surface.
At the same time, we must also recognize that many rules and orders in society are based on illusions and disguises. Under the cover of these rules and order, the essence of many things is often overlooked or obscured. However, it is these neglected or obscured essences that we really need to focus on and understand.
In general, the real face of the world is largely made up of the various illusions that are constructed by these formations. In daily life, we need to keep a clear head, not be deceived by superficial illusions, and strive to reveal the essence and truth of things. Only in this way can we better understand and respond to this complex and ever-changing world.