Have you ever gazed up at the night sky and noticed how the moon seems to shine as brightly as the sun? It’s an illusion, of course. The moon has no light of its own—it merely reflects the sun’s brilliance. It’s smaller, dependent, and fundamentally unequal in nature.

The same phenomenon often plays out in human conflicts. At first glance, it seems like you’re looking at two equal parties—two people standing on level ground. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll realize that the dynamic is anything but balanced.