Every morning when I check the news, I’m met with the same heavy headlines, Gaza, Ukraine, and so on. After a while, I realized what really bothers me: we’ve all just come to accept that war is endless. But why?
In this post, I want to share some thoughts on war. It’s one of those topics that naturally grabs my attention, and honestly, it was something I knew I wanted to explore when I first started this blog.
Why War Captivates Us
War has always been a constant theme in the world. Some of these conflicts make headlines, but many others barely catch the public’s attention.
Wars are complicated and often caused by a mix of factors. Most of the media focuses on obvious reasons like territorial disputes, political control, or ideological and religious differences.
At the root of many wars is a simple truth: human beings, like all animals, evolved to compete for survival. Whether it’s food, land, safety, or fear of losing those things, the instinct to protect or take what’s needed drives groups to fight. The deepest driver of war is usually the fear of not having enough, or the desire to control more.
Politics, religion, and nationalism often just become tools to justify these deeper motives. Limited resources not only shape how countries relate to each other, but also how different cultures evolve. For example, we often talk about East vs. West as if they’re completely different, but beneath the surface, they often respond to the same resource pressures in different ways. (This might be a topic I’ll write more about in a future post.)
Still, public narratives often focus on surface-level ideas like ideology or patriotism. Why? Because simple stories sell better than complex truths. Governments and corporations shape these narratives too. You’ll never hear a country say, “We want their land or oil,” but you will hear words like “freedom” or “security.”
There’s also a psychological comfort in believing wars are about noble causes. It feels better to support a “holy war” or a “defense of liberty” than to admit it’s about power or profit. Every side in a war needs a story, even to convince themselves that they’re not acting out of selfish reasons. So, wars are often framed as good vs. evil. But most of the time, we know the truth isn’t so black and white. The public also rarely has access to the full picture.
This is why real peace is hard to achieve, because the root causes are rarely addressed. I often find it ironic when I read headlines about “peace talks.” To me, a peace talk is just another term for “resource negotiation.” If the benefits of continuing the war (like profits for arms dealers or oil companies) outweigh the benefits of peace, then the war will go on.
How to Read Between the Lines
Here are a few things I usually pay attention to when trying to understand a war:
Follow the money. It often becomes clearer when you look at who gains the most financially. This isn’t always obvious right away, sometimes you only find out years later. Take the Libyan war in 2011, which turned out to be largely about reshaping oil ownership.
History repeats itself. Learning a bit of history can go a long way. Many wars are actually predictable; the Russia – Ukraine war didn’t really start in 2022. Control over gas pipelines and access to Black Sea ports had been an issue for years.
In simple terms:
If a war continues, ask who’s profiting from the destruction (arms manufacturers, defense-backed politicians, media outlets).
If a war ends, shift your attention to who profits from reconstruction, like those gaining control of natural resources, construction contracts (often through debt or aid), or political power backed by foreign interests.
In this sense, war never really “ends.” It just changes who’s extracting the wealth. And the cycle goes on if the same players keep benefiting from both destruction and rebuilding.
Another thing I’ve learned to watch closely is how emotions are manipulated. Whenever I notice my emotions shifting, especially if I hear dehumanizing language like “terrorist” or see overly simple portrayals of villains, I remind myself to pause and think. These are classic propaganda techniques.
What We Can Actually Do
I know this post sounds heavy and maybe a bit cynical. But I believe that understanding the world better is the first step to knowing what, if anything, we can do as individuals. It often feels like we can’t do much to promote world peace. But awareness is already a powerful step.
I believe one of the most important things we can do is to educate ourselves and others. When more people understand the real causes of war, we’re less likely to see it as black and white. Public opinion becomes harder to manipulate, and fewer people will blindly support war.
So, can war ever be fully prevented? My honest answer is no. But it can be reduced. Many wars stem from limited resources, so anything that increases access to those resources can help reduce conflict. In that sense, technological advancements ( if used wisely) could play a significant role in creating a more peaceful world.
This is why I find it a bit funny that the Nobel Peace Prize often goes to people who end wars. To me, it should also go to scientists and engineers, those who invent technologies that expand what humans can access, use, and share.
Now, I get it, most of us don’t feel personally connected to scientific innovation. But we can help build a world where peace and innovation are more likely. Technology thrives where there’s stability. So creating harmony in our everyday lives matters more than we might think.
And on a deeper level, I believe each person should focus on what they’re best at. When individuals pursue their strengths, society runs more efficiently, and technological progress is more likely. That idea could also be a whole future post on its own.
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