As Lawrence would later write in Seven Pillars, Sykes was the imaginative advocate of unconvincing world movements … a bundle of prejudices, intuitions, half-sciences. His ideas were of the outside, and he lacked patience to test his materials before choosing his style of building. He would take an aspect of the truth, detach it from its circumstances, inflate it, twist and model it.
In "Lawrence in Arabia," Scott Anderson explores the complex character of Sykes, who was seen by Lawrence as a manipulator of ideas rather than a rigorous thinker. He criticized Sykes for promoting dubious global movements that relied more on preconceived notions and fragmented insights than on grounded evidence. Lawrence believed Sykes’s thoughts were detached from reality, which led to flawed conclusions about the world and its dynamics.
Lawrence’s critique highlighted Sykes's tendency to take elements of truth, distort them, and present them as complete concepts. This method of intellectual engagement lacked the depth necessary for effective political strategy, ultimately underscoring how superficial interpretations can lead to misguided actions and policies in an already volatile region.
