Mullvad, Napoleon and Sun Tzu: it would be wise for civil society to take a look in the mirror

There is a famous dictum in warfare, attributed as a summary of the strategy of either/both Napoleon or Sun-Tzu:

“If your enemy is making a mistake, do not stop them.”


So if we look at this situation and flip the script:

“Person who has odious political beliefs is co-owner of company that overtly supports and funds organisations and technologies which undermine the pursuit of their personal politics”

…it’s pretty clear the discussion we are having is in the realm of:

“Here is someone with political beliefs that we* do not like, who is making a strategic mistake; and we should let them continue to make that mistake and amplify it, by loudly doing our jobs to undermine their aims whilst continuing also to loudly criticise their politics.”

Of course one could walk away from the battlefield, but that would be to cede territory to the opposition: a morally pure but strategically debilitating choice.

*Pardon my use of the collective “we” if it does not include you, dear reader.

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