I believe this quote came from ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu, and has become a very prevalent axiom in society. Any thoughts on this opinion? What are the benefits of keeping an enemy close to you?
Nothing to add really, except that the quote comes from Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Part II, not from Sun Tzu in The Art of War.
That’s got to set some sort of record for ‘misidentifying a source’… 
I think what it means is, “remain up close and intimate with your enemies so you can keep track of what they’re doing”.
Where do you think MC got it from?
I think it’s a stupid saying. I don’t want my enemies close, if I wanted them close they wouldn’t be my enemies. Better to keep an enemy at a distance and know at all times what he is thinking and doing, and whenever possible, make that whatever I want him to be thinking and doing. Deception may be the root of all good strategy, but people usually believe what they prefer to be true, and I’d rather see a man strangle on his own self-deception than on lies I told to him in supposed friendship.
If “familiarity breed contempt,” isn’t this a self-fulfilling prophesy?
Unfortunately, so many quotations pages don’t source their quotes, just as that one doesn’t. Here’s The Art of War. And here’s the script from The Godfather, Part II. Search for yourself on the word “enemies”.
Also, here’s a Wiki page that does source its Sun Tzu quotes. It gives the OP’s quote as a misattribution.
Sun Tzu, though, tried to get out but they kept pulling him back in!
yeah, I was gonna say…
I’ve had to go over TAW in more than one class and I certainly don’t remember that line. For his place and time and subject matter, it doesn’t really make all that much sense, IMVHO.
…But not so close that they can stab you.
Sun Tzu had a way with words, but he’s been eclipsed by Genghis Khan’s “Say hello to my little friend.”
k, it sounds like Sun Tzu originated the idea while MC said the exact words.
What does the idea really mean? It is most beneficial to respect your enemy in his presence, not to make a scene, to remain a gentleman, and to keep the communication lines open.
First of all, this is key to keeping a positive image in the eyes of the larger group you both are part of. Losing your cool makes you appear mentally weak, dangerous, and guilty.
Secondly, the good behaviour towards him may lower his hatred of you, or at least encourage him to focus his attention on something other than your destruction. It would definitely play to the emotional part of his brain, and in times of conflict emotion can overpower logic.
Thirdly, and perhaps most important of all, keeping open the communication lines reduces the amount of paranoia in the relationship. You must make their most sensational suspicions or accusations immediately empirically testable to dissuade them from demonizing you.
I understand Alexander moved many cities to capitulate by announcing he had come there to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and he was all outta bubblegum.
I don’t think this was the original intent of this maxim. I think it was more of a “keep an eye on your enemies so they can’t launch a surprise attack against you before you get a chance to destroy them” policy.
I read it as also lulling them into a false sense of security.
Remember that Michael said this in explaining why he was so chummy with Hyman Roth. He might have had point #1 in mind to some extent, but rather doubtful re points #2 and #3. No amount of nicey-nicey was going to make Roth forget about Moe Green getting cacked, nor about his business interests that would be better served with Michael out of the picture. As for paranoia, if anything Roth wasn’t suspicious or paranoid enough about the Corleones.
At least that’s how I interpret it.
The Greek Philosopher Anaxagoras was noted as saying “there is no dark side of the Moon. As a matter of fact it’s all dark.”
How do I put this… it’s a very old and very obvious idea for anyone dealing with politics. If someone can or wants to screw you, you make sure that either he’s your est pal or that you at least know what he’s gonna do before he does it. The alternative is to make sure he’s far, far away.
Funniest thing I’ve seen in months! 
Sun Tzu also said, “Leave the gun, take the fortune cookies.”