An orange. What is it? Why do we love them so? They are no different from most other fruits. A tough, acid-tasting outer epidermis surrounding a fleshy, juicy and sweet inner flesh. Perhaps it is because it reminds us of a vagina. Maybe peeling away the calloused, bumpy skin (MAN's skin) is reminiscent of man's eternal struggle with life itself. We discover hand-held clubs and projectiles, a piece of flesh comes away and a part of life is revealed. We light our first fire, and another section of the sweet inner-pulp is shown the light.
Then, one day, one magical day, the tearing of flesh will be complete, and the hidden secrets will be revealed, waiting for our mouths. One day, humanity will understand the universe, and then it will eat life itself.
But when we are finished with the fruit, what next? Then is nothing but a slightly acid taste and sticky fingers. When the secrets of the universe are discovered and manipulated, where do we go? When we have eaten the pulp of life, what do we do with ourselves? Eat another orange? That would be redundant. Like re-discovering how to light a fire, or club a person over the head with a rock. Nay, for when we are finished with the orange of life, we move on to a new fruit, and a new universe.
"Thousands die" the headlines read. The frontpage headlines. The Second and third page headlines had less to offer - "Musical Groups rally to raise funds for Boredom Relief." "Editorial - Is there a lack of news?" "World Peace - Is it worth it?"
There was a lot of debate of the whole issue, but in the end, the UN - which comprised itself of every world power in existance - decided to stop this conflict thing once an for all. Anything in which two opposing forces met were banned on a universal scale, from the smallest arguement to the biggest wars. All wiped out in one clean stroke.
The first "discouragments" (arrests were no longer allowed under the new Conflict Pact) occured when two drunken men got in a fight. They were immediatedly led away by Peace Blokes (Police forces were also banned) and separated from each other in a very non-violent manner. Thus began a reign of goodwill and love of fellow man which everyone wanted since Jesus's time. It was a leftist Utopia.
Yet, "Thousands die". Why? Everyone was killing themselves. Out of sheer boredom - no art (every work of art involved contrast or conflict), no music (except for Love ballads, Peace songs and the like), no media (most violent form of amusement). The human race is trapped between eternal conflict and stagnation. Peace shall be the scurge of the Earth.