Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

vitality and growth, with the opportunity to shape and adapt to unfolding eventsthereby influence the ideas and actions of others.The following comparison shows that the latter discussion on isolation and interaction flowslogically from the first one and forms a response to it:Boyd's first take on isolationPhysical isolation occurs when we fail to gain support inthe form of matter-energy-informationfrom others outside ourselves.Mental isolation occurs when we fail to discern,perceive, or make sense out of what’s goingon around ourselves.Moral isolation occurs when we fail to abide by codes ofconduct or standards of behavior in a manner deemedacceptable or essential by others outside ourselvesBoyd's second view on isolationPhysically we can isolate our adversaries by severing theircommunications with the outside world as well as bysevering their internal communications to one another. Wecan accomplish this by cutting them off from their alliesand the uncommitted via diplomatic, psychological andother efforts. To cut them off from one another we shouldpenetrate their system by being unpredictable, otherwisethey can counter our efforts.Mentally we can isolate our adversaries by presenting themwith ambiguous, deceptive or novel situations, as well asby operating at a tempo or rhythm they can neither makeout nor keep up with. Operating inside their OODA loopswill accomplish just this by disorienting or twisting theirmental images so that they can neither appreciate nor copewith what’s really going on.Morally our adversaries isolate themselves [!] when theyvisibly improve their well being to the detriment of others(allies, the uncommitted), by violating codes of conduct orbehavior patterns that they profess to uphold or othersexpect them to uphold.Boyd's first take on interactionPhysical interaction occurs when we freely exchangematter-energy-information with others outside ourselves.Mental interaction occurs when we generate images orimpressions that match up with the events or happeningsthat unfold around ourselved.Moral interaction occurs when we live by the code ofconduct or standards of behavior that we profess, andothers expect us, to uphold.Boyd's second view on interactionPhysically we interact by opening-up and maintainingmany channels of communication with the outside world,hence with others out there, that we depend upon forsustenance, nourishment, or support.Mentally we interact by selecting information from avariety of sources or channels in order to generate mentalimages or impressions that match-up with the world ofevents or happenings that we are trying to understand andcope with.Morally we interact with others by avoiding mismatchesbetween what we say we are, what we are, and the worldwe have to deal with, as well as by abiding by tose othercultural codes or standards that we are expected to uphold.So, far from seemingly similar and perhaps somewhat superfluous, the latter discussion onisolation and interaction puts into practice what the first take merely describes. The first takeis “a what”, the second constitutes “a how to”, and with that Boyd answers the questions heset out for himself and the audience. Concluding the section (‘Putting in StrategicPerspective’), Boyd pulls these discussions together to reveal another description of 73 :73 Ibid, p.51.255