This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature.

William S. Burroughs, the dark chronicler of modern chaos, once spoke with chilling clarity: “This is a war universe. War all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on war and games.” In this reflection, he strips away illusions of harmony and peace, declaring instead that conflict is woven into the very fabric of existence. For him, to live in this world is not to walk through a garden, but through a battlefield where survival, struggle, and competition are constant companions.

The origin of this saying lies in Burroughs’ bleak vision of human society, a vision shaped by war, political upheaval, and the endless contests for power and dominance. He saw clearly what many try to deny: that at every level of existence—between nations, within societies, among individuals, and even within the body itself—there is perpetual conflict. Cells fight off invaders, ideas clash in the public square, armies march across continents. Thus, Burroughs names our world a war universe, where struggle is not an exception but the rule.

History thunders with examples that echo his words. Consider the Peloponnesian War, where the greatest city-states of Greece destroyed one another in pursuit of dominance, leaving the cradle of democracy shattered. Think of the World Wars, where technological brilliance was turned toward slaughter, proving that even the heights of human progress cannot escape the pull of destruction. Even beyond the battlefield, competition dominates: empires rise and fall through contests of trade, science advances through rivalry, and art itself often emerges from the friction of rebellion against tradition. Everywhere we look, war and games entwine as the forces that propel history forward.

The emotional weight of Burroughs’ vision lies in its honesty. Many prefer to cloak life in comforting myths, to believe in the inevitability of peace or the permanence of harmony. Yet Burroughs confronts us with the harsher truth: our universe is one of trial, and our lives are forged in conflict. But he does not leave us only in despair. By pairing war with games, he suggests that within conflict lies not only destruction, but play, contest, and the possibility of transformation. War is terrible, but it is also the crucible in which skill, courage, and innovation are tested.

This truth, though dark, carries with it a kind of heroism. To know that we live in a war universe is not to surrender to despair, but to awaken to vigilance. The wise do not waste time wishing for another universe, but instead learn the rules of this one. They prepare their minds and bodies, they sharpen their wits, they recognize that every challenge—whether in survival, love, work, or thought—is part of the great contest. Life is not gentle, but in its harshness it offers the chance for greatness.

The lesson for us is clear: do not expect a life free of struggle. Instead, learn to navigate the battlefield of existence with courage, discipline, and resilience. See every trial as part of the game, every hardship as a proving ground. Do not curse the universe for being at war; instead, rise as a warrior within it, not only for survival but for honor. Just as the strongest steel is forged in fire, so too is the strongest soul shaped in conflict.

Practically, this means cultivating strength without cruelty, and awareness without despair. Train your body, sharpen your mind, discipline your spirit, for you live in a universe of conflict. But also learn to see the game in it—to approach struggle with creativity, strategy, and even joy. For if ours is indeed a war universe, then the challenge is not to deny its nature but to master its trials, to play well the game set before us.

Thus, Burroughs’ words, though harsh, become a teaching of endurance: ours is a universe of war and games—accept it, and learn to fight with wisdom. O seeker, carry this knowledge as both warning and empowerment. For though the universe may be cruel, it is also the stage on which you may rise, not as victim, but as warrior, strategist, and player of the great game of existence.