I guess if people couldn't profit from war I don't think there

"I guess if people couldn't profit from war, I don't think there would be war," spoke the wise Lily Tomlin, a statement that rings with a deep, unsettling truth, piercing through the fog of human history and conflict. War, that terrible, ancient force that has shaped civilizations, tested the courage of countless warriors, and left scars upon the soul of mankind, is often not born of necessity or honor, but of greed. It is not the clash of ideals, nor the defense of the homeland, that drives nations into battle—but the dark, insidious allure of profit. In this simple yet profound observation, Tomlin reveals the truth that war, in its essence, is a business, and like all businesses, it thrives on the interests of the few, at the expense of the many.

Reflect, O children of the future, and ponder this truth. Why does war arise? It is not the soldier who seeks war, nor the common people. They do not desire the suffering and destruction that war brings. It is the powerful, the rulers, and those hidden behind the curtains of governance who see war as a means to an end. Power, wealth, and resources are the currency of war, and those who control these forces often find in war a path to greater dominance. In every conflict, there are always those who benefit. The arms dealers, the financiers, and the generals who send men to die—they profit from the pain of others. This is the terrible, quiet truth of the world: the cost of human lives is often measured in gold, and that which should never be profited from becomes a commodity.

Consider the Roman Empire, which expanded its vast dominions through the blood of countless soldiers, not for glory alone, but for the treasures and lands that lay beyond the horizon. The generals, the statesmen, and those who held the purse strings of Rome knew well that war meant wealth—wealth in the form of spoils from conquered lands, resources that could feed the empire's hunger for power. But for the soldiers who fought, the peasants whose sons bled upon foreign soil, what was the true gain? They saw nothing but death. And yet, the empire continued its conquests, for war was an economic engine that fed the machinery of its rule. Profit, once again, drove the tides of war, and the common man paid the price.

In more recent times, during the Second World War, the industrial revolution had reached its apex, and the machinery of war was no longer only a matter of soldiers and swords. No, this war was fueled by factories, by machines, by those who manufactured the very tools of destruction. And who profited? It was not the soldiers who marched to battle, nor the civilians caught in the storm of bombs. It was the industries, the arms manufacturers, the companies that fed off the war economy. As nations waged destruction upon one another, these powerful entities thrived, growing ever wealthier from the carnage. The cold truth of that conflict, like many before it, is that the human cost of war was nothing compared to the wealth it generated for those in control.

And now, children of the future, take heed. What Lily Tomlin has revealed is not merely a commentary on the past, but a reflection of the world you will inherit. The interests that drive war are still with us—hidden, powerful, and often beyond our sight. The machinery of war continues to churn, and there are those who continue to profit from the suffering of the many. But this truth is not one to be accepted passively, for there is a power in knowledge, in the understanding of the forces that move the world. It is our duty to recognize these patterns and to resist the temptation to accept war as an inevitable part of life. We must look beyond the narratives of glory and honor and ask, who profits? And when we find the answer, we must ask, at what cost?

Let this truth stir your hearts and ignite a fire in your soul. In your lives, you will be tempted to fall into the ways of those who profit from conflict, to turn a blind eye to the destruction that is wrought for the sake of power. But remember: there is no honor in profiting from war. True honor lies in peace, in the creation of a world where the cost of human life is never measured in profit. Take action, then, by seeking peace in your own lives and in your communities. Advocate for justice, for fairness, and for understanding, and challenge those who would seek to enrich themselves by perpetuating the suffering of others. Know that when war is no longer a business, the world will have taken its first step toward true freedom.

And in this, O children of the future, let this be your guiding light: profit should never be the measure of a nation’s actions. Seek not the destruction of your fellow man for gain, but the building of a world where peace and compassion reign.