"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer" - good or bad advice?

Why or why not and your experience.

It's definitely good advice. You can't learn their weakness unless you befriend and analyze them.

Definitely bad advise. People close to you can stab you.

Depends on the nature of your "enemies." If you mean people who openly dislike you, and nothing more, then forget about them and just enjoy close friends.

However, if your enemies are plotters, if they are prone to aggressive action against people they don't like, for whatever reason, then I'd keep 'em close. As another saying goes, for evil to triumph, good only has to do nothing.

Originally posted by Bardock42
Definitely bad advise. People close to you can stab you.

Or give you AIDS.

Originally posted by Mindship
Depends on the nature of your "enemies." If you mean people who openly dislike you, and nothing more, then forget about them and just enjoy close friends.

However, if your enemies are plotters, if they are prone to aggressive action against people they don't like, for whatever reason, then I'd keep 'em close. As another saying goes, for evil to triumph, good only has to do nothing.

Or fail trying.

If believe your friends know more about you and can turn on you. They know you trust them. "Et tu Brutus?" They are the ones to worry about. Your enemies, you already know where they stand.

I believe it's good advise.

I don't think the average person really has that many enemies, it's certainly not something that keeps me up at night.

ditto.

I can't say that I agree or disagree, but I want to chime in that I had a messed up experience where my high school principal gave me that advice as he was asking me to rat out some friends who defaced a wall.

Woah, what a messed up experience.

I treat my enemies like a crap house. Move.

Originally posted by Deja~vu
If believe your friends know more about you and can turn on you. They know you trust them. "Et tu Brutus?" They are the ones to worry about. Your enemies, you already know where they stand.

I believe it's good advise.

The quote itself as well as what you said above is very much what Sun Tzu said in Art of War.
I believe the quote is also attributed to him, although I do not think it was him who said it.

What is implied by the statement is that knowing your enemy is your biggest strenght over them.

It is only your enemies who speak the truth, in a sense. You know your enemies dislike you and mean you harm, that is why they are your enemies. Your friends, however, you don't truly know what they think, and are those people who know you the best, hence are bigger threat.

Which ties in with what I said above.

Originally posted by lil bitchiness
The quote itself as well as what you said above is very much what Sun Tzu said in Art of War.
I believe the quote is also attributed to him, although I do not think it was him who said it.

What is implied by the statement is that knowing your enemy is your biggest strenght over them.

It is only your enemies who speak the truth, in a sense. You know your enemies dislike you and mean you harm, that is why they are your enemies. Your friends, however, you don't truly know what they think, and are those people who know you the best, hence are bigger threat.

Which ties in with what I said above.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
I don't think the average person really has that many enemies, it's certainly not something that keeps me up at night.

Well in all fairness, why would other people's enemies keep you up at night?

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
I don't think the average person really has that many enemies, it's certainly not something that keeps me up at night.

Unless you live on a desert island in complete solitude, you have enemies. Guaranteed.

Originally posted by Devil King
Well in all fairness, why would other people's enemies keep you up at night?

Hoho, very good.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
Unless you live on a desert island in complete solitude, you have enemies. Guaranteed.

Well, it depends what you mean by enemies. I'm sure there are people around who dislike me, but I would consider someone an enemy if they were to actually do something about that dislike, like attack me, or go out of their way to screw up my life.

I think its good advice if you are either, living in ancient times or the dictator of an ancient civilization.

Originally posted by chillmeistergen
Hoho, very good.

Well, it depends what you mean by enemies. I'm sure there are people around who dislike me, but I would consider someone an enemy if they were to actually do something about that dislike, like attack me, or go out of their way to screw up my life.

That's what I mean. In any group, be it a classroom, or the workplace, there's always gonna be someone who doesn't like you or you don't like. That's just the way group dynamics work. And why do they have to attack you, or do something brazen before considering them an enemy? The ones who smile at your face are the most dangerous.

Originally posted by ragesRemorse
I think its good advice if you are either, living in ancient times or the dictator of an ancient civilization.

Its applicable today, otherwise undercover work and espionage wouldn't exist.

Originally posted by Quiero Mota
That's what I mean. In any group, be it a classroom, or the workplace, there's always gonna be someone who doesn't like you or you don't like. That's just the way group dynamics work. And why do they have to attack you, or do something brazen before considering them an enemy? The ones who smile at your face are the most dangerous.

Well, I wouldn't consider them an enemy unless they've done something worthy of that word. I don't consider them not liking me being worthy of the word, because it really doesn't matter to me if someone doesn't like me, why would it?