The Art of War. The Spirit of Art. The Battle We’re In.

Let’s get one thing straight: we are at war. Not with tanks or drones, but with forces equally potent—complacency, mediocrity, and the slow erosion of democracy itself. The battlefield? Creativity, truth, and the soul of our culture and nation. Two books that have guided my life and philosophy are The Art of War and The Art Spirit.

Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War:

“All warfare is based on deception.”

Well, guess what? The algorithms are deceptive. The headlines are deceptive. The shiny A.I. toys that promise creativity without cost are deceptive. We’re told we can prompt our way to genius. We’re told engagement equals truth. We’re told democracy is safe so long as we keep scrolling. All lies.

Meanwhile, Robert Henri, the artist’s artist, thundered in The Art Spirit:

“The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.”

That, right there, is the counterstrike. The spirit. Because our war is not just for aesthetics—it’s for the state of mind that produces art, curiosity, and freedom. Henri was talking about a state of mind immune to mere trends. A state of mind resistant to being replaced by a machine that “generates” but never feels.

I see three fronts of this modern warfare. How does the wisdom of an ancient general and an American painter apply to 2025? Here’s my take.

1. The War for Creativity

The Art of War teaches:

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”

And chaos we have. Generative AI is churning out images, scripts, songs, marketing copy—good enough to flood the zone, but rarely good enough to matter. The opportunity? To stand apart with taste, soul, and authenticity. Not to fear AI, but to use it as a weapon in our creative arsenal—just as Henri urged artists to embrace new tools, new visions.

We’re not fighting AI. We’re fighting the complacency that says AI’s “good enough” is enough. True creativity demands risk, rebellion, and—as Henri insisted—presence. Taste is the high ground. Take it.

2. The War for Democracy

Sun Tzu warned:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”

Our enemy is disinformation. Polarization. Algorithmic manipulation that nudges people toward rage or apathy. We can’t win this war by pretending the battlefield doesn’t exist.

Henri said:

“Art, when really understood, is the province of every human being.”

Democracy, too, is the province of every human being. Both demand engagement. Both require vigilance. We can’t afford to sit back while AI-driven propaganda redefines reality. Storytellers, designers, journalists, artists—this is our fight. The stories we tell, the truths we protect, the creativity we unleash—they’re our battalions.

3. The War for Strategy

Sun Tzu again:

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

Translation: don’t just react. Plan. In this AI era, strategists must see beyond the hype cycles, the app updates, the new “next big thing.” We have to be proactive, not just protective. Henri believed art should be created with intention, not imitation. Likewise, our strategies—whether creative, political, or cultural—must be deliberate.

We have to think about how AI changes our industries, how it shifts power structures, and how it might erode the public sphere if left unchecked. We must build frameworks, laws, and creative standards that protect both art and democracy.

My Call to Arms

Creativity is not a luxury. It’s an act of resistance.

Democracy is not inevitable. It’s a fight.

And strategy isn’t optional. It’s survival.

So channel your inner Sun Tzu. Remember Henri’s spirit. Create boldly. Think tactically. And never, ever mistake the tools for the art—or the algorithm for the truth.

Because the wars we’re fighting are the ones that will define whether we remain free to think, to speak, and to create.

About the Author

Curt Doty, founder of CurtDoty.co, is an award winning creative director whose legacy lies in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and User Experience Design. His work of entertainment branding includes Electronic Arts, EA Sports, ProSieben, SAT.1, WBTV Latin America, Discovery Health, ABC, CBS, A&E, StarTV, Fox, Kabel 1, and TV Guide Channel.

He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms MidJourney, Adobe Firefly, ChatGPT, Perplexity, HeyGen, Descript and OpusClips. He also runs his AI consultancy RealmIQ and companion podcast RealmIQ: Sessions on YouTube and Spotify.

As a new writer, he released his first novella Griffin and the Dark Secret on Amazon under his imprint MediaSlam Press and is working on the second installment Griffin: Future Past.

He is a sought after public speaker having been featured at Streaming Media NYC, Digital Hollywood, Mobile Growth Association, Mobile Congress, App Growth Summit, Promax, CES, CTIA, NAB, NATPE, MMA Global, New Mexico Angels, Santa Fe Business Incubator, EntrepeneursRx, Davos Worldwide, PRSANM, Robert Half, and AI Impact. He has lectured at universities including Full Sail, SCAD, Art Center College of Design, CSUN and Chapman University.

He currently serves on the board of the Godfrey Reggio Foundation and is the AI Writer for Parlay Me.