Path is ok, but how about road?

Ok, lets talk basics.

I mean real basics, not the kind where you nod and agree but don't have a clue what i'm talking about, I mean the kind that everyone knows about because they've learned about it via personal experience.

This is my mouth, you all have one similar to mine, it makes you happy when you put certain things in your mouth, and it makes other people happy when certain things come out of your mouth.

It's a very pleasurable hole really. Now, around here, you have your anus, yep, easy enough to find, probably most commonly known as the place where shit comes out of.

The anus like the mouth can make you feel good if you put things in it or take things out.

Everyone follow so far?

Good!

Now you may have noticed via repeated experimentation, that what you put in your mouth comes out of your anus.

This procedure is known by all and hence is not a good party trick.

So Sun Zi says "The art of war is of vital importance to the State."

But that is only because he was powerful but not the most powerful.

And that he was smart, but not the most smart.

And that he had won political favor, but not enough.

And that he had read the prince, but had not understood it because it was only written in Italian.