Corporate Destiny: An Important Lesson From The U.S & The Soviet Union

1. The map above was published by one of the magazines in the Soviet Union in 1988.
2. It showed how the Soviet Union expanded its military might in all directions.
3. However, 3 years later, The Soviet Union ultimately collapsed on December 25, 1991.
4. The United States is the only Superpower from then on.
5. There was a combination of many factors that contributed to the fall of the Soviets.
6. I only pick up 1 factor for discussion here:
   1. 1. Full Hard Power with Zero Soft Power
      2. Hard Power refers to military strength, primarily
      3. Soft Power refers to values, culture, music, entertainment, etc.
      4. Whereas Economic strength is in between Hard Power & Soft Power; to me.
         1. (some put economy & finance under Hard Power)
7. Obviously,
   1. The United States has operated both powers simultaneously since long ago.
   2. The Soviet Union was almost fully dependent on its military might ALONE.
8. Interestingly,
   1. you can see a rough pattern of how The U.S maintain/sustain its global hegemonic control, always
      1. Stage 1, start with military intervention (Masculine)
      2. Stage 2, follow up with some kind of diplomatic “cosmetics” (Feminine)
      3. Stage 3, finish off with an iron fist, either through paper or via battlefield (Masculine）
   2. Since World War II, The U.S gets almost all that is wanted by these sequences.
      1. 1 Feminine/ Soft Power Vs 2 Masculine / Hard Power
      2. Ratio: 1 Yin Vs 2 Yang
9. Alternatively, you see the strengths of the U.S below
   1. Masculine Power: Military & Technology
   2. Feminine Power: Propaganda of Universal Values via Media
10. Military & Technology are 2 major hard powers to spread the soft power in order to brainwash the world.
11. And this strategy is exactly what Period 9, Li Trigram discussed about in Yijing.

    1. 

12. Li 离 literally means
    1. Divide & Rule
    2. Surrounded
    3. Separating
    4. Values
    5. Culture
    6. Civilization
    7. Documentation
    8. Education
    9. Tank
    10. Proxy
    11. Grouping … etc
13. Strategies adopted by the U.S in sustaining her hegemonic power such as
    1. Dividing the world into Pro U.S or Anti-U.S
    2. Propagating universal values
    3. Exporting culture via movie & social media
    4. Educating the world about the western management system via MNC
    5. Forming allies
    6. …. etc
14. Those strategies are almost exactly the same as theorized by Trigram Li 离卦
15. Undoubtedly, the ability of the U.S to brainwash the world with soft power,
    1. because it is escorted by 2 major hard powers, namely
       1. Military
       2. Technology
16. The symbol of Li Trigram could summarize everything done by the U.S so far.
17. Russia-Ukraine War signifies that Russia follows the mistake done by The Soviets.
    1. Surely, this war only further weakens Russia as a regional power.
    2. The U.S welcomes this proxy war. Good for the U.S with no cost.
18. The lessons we learn from here
    1. soft power(value, vision, mission & philosophy) is very important in sustaining a corporate
    2. hard power( financial strength & technology) is crucial for survival, especially New Normal starts.
19. Since we are already in Period 9, the Li trigram 离卦, hence all kinds of The Soviet-like expansion(mistake) as below should be carried out carefully with nice planning;
20. Different types of business expansion include
    1. purchasing new assets, opening new units, adding sales personnel, increasing advertising, adding franchises, entering new markets, providing new products or services, etc.
21. Soft power is much cheaper than hard power and it is more compatible with the environment of a Period 9.
22. One of the major characteristics of Period 9 is:
    1. Tactic / Strategy / Propaganda / Stratagem / Trap / Proxy / Grouping /Empty Promise. 

Remarks :

1. I see the U.S as the most competent practitioner of Chinese Metaphysics, Yijing in this case. 
2. There is no proof to verify that The U.S is inspired by Yijing. 
3. However, their effective strategies so far sound so synchronized with Chinese Metaphysics. 
4. China only learned to be blatantly assertive in front of the U.S since the year 2020; increase more masculine element in their diplomacy at par with their national strength now.