..14.. resources

reading The Prize (Daniel Yergin) makes me see the incredible importance of resources - and that oil is our ultimate resource for the time being. resource wars would have started amongst cavement over food. then amongst tribes for the land on which that food lived. then came tools and weapons, then currency. but now oil is at the top of the resource chain - we require it to make or transport every product we buy. we require it for national security. will there be another step up from oil - another ultimate resource?

(nearly) every conflict is over resources, even if not blatantly acknowledged. we cannot stop our need for basic resources - safe food and water, shelter, basic health care. we can reduce conflict over resources by taking a more honest look at what our needs are, and simplifying our lifestyles. less demand for resources means less cause for conflict.