War junkies

Addiction is defined as being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming. From the time man crafted their first tools there has been conflict. The first ever recorded war was c. 2700B.C. (http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/gabrmetz/gabr0004.htm). This primal action has been repeated so much by man that it has become imprinted into our vary genes. Humans have become addicted to war. So much use over such a long time has caused humans to see war as a constant threat. Because war is always thought of by humans, it is always effecting humans. We are like a junkie, constantly thinking about when we will get our next supply, although instead of anticipation, fear is the usual response.

So why are people addicted to war? As like most junkies, there is a certain "high" offered with war. Adrenalin will pump as war campaigns are fought and propaganda is spread across the home-fronts. The mentality of the country becomes focused on the war above all else. Not much different from a junkie experiencing a long awaited high. A junkie also believes that they "need" their drug. Countless wars have been fought based on "need". In the case it is not war itself people are addicted to, but what war offers. Prizes and comfort for the winner. No country goes to war expecting to lose just as no junkie expects to get a dose of their respected drug that proves to be lethal, but it does happen.

Another interesting fact about addiction is that, over time, a tolerance is built up. More and more of the drug is needed each time to experience a "high". This will inevitably lead to an overdose, which is potentiality lethal to the junkie. From the first recorded war, the size war and the effort put in by the countries behind them have grown exponentially. Medieval wars never saw more than tens of thousands dead, during the 17th and 18th century, wars may have had a million dead. The World came close to "overdose" in the early 20th century with WWI and WWII. More than 100,000,000 total deaths occurred during and because of these wars. However as with other junkies, the world did not kick its habit, but merely lowed its dose. Thus the cycle starts again.

Viewing war as an addiction, it is possible to treat it. Going cold turkey would be the best route; however this would bring "withdrawals" in the form of heavy tension between the countries after a while. People could learn to wean themselves off of war, but this would still require war to exist, thus deaths would occur. It is unsure the route needed to break humans of this primal addiction, but with the possibility of another "overdose" occurring, a solution is needed fast.