Being Small is the general principle of appearing and even being weak in order to escape the notice of enemies. It is a central tenet of the The Hitchhiker's Guild via Rabbit's Guide to North American Travel, and mentioned in the The Hitchhiker's Oath.
The phrasing is intentional: "The Principle of Smallness" would imply an essentialist input. "The Principle of Being Small" reminds a Guildsman that this is a constant effort of doing rather than a state of being.
Being Small consists of:
- Traveling in minimal numbers in order to escape notice
- When minimal numbers are not possible, traveling in groups large enough to protect anonymity
- When large groups are not available, traveling asynchronously to avoid notice
- Cultivating an appearance of weakness - physically, mentally, emotionally
- Eschewal of wealth - working for subsistence through survival, or for the hospitality of communities helped.
- Eschewal of power - power corrupts and paints a target on your back.
- Eschewal of glory - personal patterns of humility are a survival skill.
- Tipping the balance of crucial power conflicts, rather than trying to spearhead them.
- Using the skills you do have in the ways you can, and networking for the rest.
- Keeping your identity as a Guildsman secret as safely possible.