Herodotus thinks it's all a cycle of vengence or "tit for tat". A group will point to the past injustices of another group and commit injustices of their own.

Is it capitalistic thinking and man's desire to accumulate more wealth for himself? Thucydides thinks that talk of justice, patriotism, and the things you may hear on FNC or by a politician to be covers for arguments of expediency. Wars aren't glorious, just, or beautiful, but are simply means for certain people to benefit from them.

Is it all miscommunication? The Jews believe that we were all once united by a single language and that we all were cooperating to build a tower to heaven, but we all fell apart and seperated when YHWH gave us seperate languages. Is it because we're unable to understand each other's interests, desires, point of views, and see others as being different, inferior, superior, that causes war?

Is it all inevitable? Some people think that everything is a zero sum game, and that in order to get something, you have to take from another. Somebody has to be oppresed. Somebody has to be ruled. Somebody has to be poor. Somebody has to be worse off than the rest, and they will continue to fight until they take from us, and then the cycle will reset.

What do you guys think?

They didn't even have Fox News Channel in Thucydides' time, you liar.

*scratches head*

I can't think of anything funny to say =/ Fuck me

And for those who might say that it's that "We don't learn from the past", how come the most educated and learned people are the ones who rule us and order us to commit attrocities? Even if we did knew what was good and bad, that doesn't stop us from doing bad right?

I would say that their are certain cases where war is neccessary to defend yourself and your country. But I think you're more looking for an answer to the reasons people wage war in the first place. The whole issue is rather complicated. A lot of the time people's ignorance, patriotism and religion/beliefs will be exploited for the gains of an individual or minority of individuals. It's the desires of the leaders (and his/her ability to exploit and influence the masses) that fuels them. Some will actually believe that waging war will help benefit their country, others will have a selfish desire for resources, wealth and power.

Most wars tend to be about wealth and consequently oil (in recent years).

It usually boils down to conflicting beliefs.

That's how the two largest wars of the last century started.

Since when are these people the most educated and intelligent?  Seem like normal people with a political family background and big pocketbooks to me...

Three main reasons (alright four actually):

1 - conflicting national interests and goals

2 - conflicting religous beliefs

3 - conflict driven by economic needs

4 - mad guy somehow ends up in charge (this one can lead to really bad results of course as we know from history)

Would you be happy with "more"? That our leaders are more educated than the masses?

I'll accept that

But only just barely.  Sometimes I get the impression they aren't even as intelligent as an average citizen... especially when it comes to common sense economics.

Maybe more educated than the average pleb on the street, but when I look they're all educated in similar fields. I personally think we need more diversity in our politicians.

And they're plenty of people out there that are more educated than politicians (maybe that's why they're not politicians, lol).