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forth, and that an identical story could be written from Kullus's point of view.The purpose of the battle seems to be to gain and maintain control of 'the situation' and of your opponent, and the first requirement is that your opponent should share your view of what 'the situation' is. While you are losing the battle you feel alarm, confusion, and anxiety, and part of the reason for wanting to dominate your opponent is to avoid such feelings.I suffered anxiety with good cause . . . I was no longer certain whether Kullus participated in our examination [p. 65]Once in a subservient role, however, you have the advantage of being able to observe your opponent closely without fear of losing your position.. . . the time came when Kullus . . . pursued his courses at will . . . now I followed him in his courses without difficulty [p. 65]The advantage thus gained should allow you to gradually work your way back to the dominant position.The battle is too subtle and sophisticated for straightforward insistence, intimidation, or persuasion to be effective, and when words are used their importance lies not so much in their meaning as in what the opponent is implicitly 'doing' to the other when he uses them. Silence is a key factor, in fact it is the ultimate weapon. There are many types of silence, the most effective type of being that which isolates the opponent, denying him access to your thoughts and feelings.Kullus's silence . . . was compounded of numerous characteristics . . . and where I could not follow, I was no longer his dominant. [p. 62]The main danger for the dominant competitor, emphasised repeatedly in The Examination by such expressions as, 'I think', 'what I took to be', 'I am convinced', 'I am certain', is the insecurity arising from self-doubt and self-deception. Also, the dominant opponent tends to interpret ambiguous evidence in a manner favourable to himself, leading to over-confidence, and over-reaching.From a reading of The ...