Some humans and countries are addicted to oil, conflicts and wasteful consumerism. These humans reside mostly in developed countries that sometimes use their military to resolve differences under the umbrella of national and international security. This is not so different from the colonial empire years of past centuries. It is also true that some developing and less-affluent countries devote immense spending and efforts to their military. Humans addicted to a nonrenewable resource such as oil, with a high standard of living and super consumerism driving economic growth and world trade, must eventually acknowledge the awful truth. The interconnected political, economic and military systems in these countries are not sustainable with an increasing human population, resource depletion and increasing global pollution, especially in our atmosphere.

Humans addicted to what was cheap oil in the past are now confronted with the fact that uncontrolled human population growth and increasing oil consumption have brought our global climate to the tipping point. Resource wars over oil, who can buy it, who deserves it, who needs it, who demands it, can only bring about international instability. Many developed countries must import massive amounts of oil to fuel their economic engine, consumerism and to support their military efforts. Leaders who step forward and propose the use of alternate energy, resolving conflicts by diplomacy and can convince their citizens to reduce consumption, conserve and recycle, will be the future leaders on this planet.

Addiction to oil and the petrochemical-fueled manufacturing industries, which have produced more useless products than could ever be enumerated, has resulted in a massive assault on our biosphere. Think of the energy consumed and the waste produced in manufacturing useless and unneeded consumer products. Energy usage should be reserved for necessary and efficient transportation, communication, agriculture, environmental protection, health and suitable living conditions, as some examples. This of course would immediately decrease economic growth, cause unemployment, civil disorder and a domino effect that would tear through the very heart of capitalism, so let us find a balance as we quickly make the transition from our oil-based economy to a more sustainable global economy where 1–2 billion humans without the basic needs of life are cared for, stable governments are the norm and our addictions to oil and military campaigns are diminished. Let us have some good addictions—sharing, humanity, basic human needs and rights, and cooperation not conflicts. There will be people and countries that will refuse to make the correct choices. They will be on the wrong side of humanity, and eventually, as time passes and the younger generation grows older, they will be able to reroute the direction of their country to increased cooperation, trust and peaceful activities. There should be no illusions how difficult this will be, but what are the alternatives? Conflicts, lack of trust, more pollution, suffering and death for more humans.

The course that humans take generally changes when inferior ideas are replaced with superior ideas and when enough people die and are replaced with more people focused on humanity and the preservation of our planet. Central to this success is universal education, free from religious dictates, universal human rights and more nations not relying on warfare as a means to resolve differences. Humans will then be able to build a more just humanity, agree on international accords to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stabilize governments and feed the hungry for a fraction of the cost of military spending. Maybe even peace will breakout worldwide.