All war is struggle, but not all struggle is war. Humans live on a boundary of many struggles. When we reduce every struggle to combat, battle, or war, we lay waste vast fields of human experience to unnecessary destruction.

Study the chart, read the article, and pass it along. Understand how our fears have shaped us into a culture of war.

There are two other things to consider about this chart. Remember, this chart does not reflect monetary inflation; these numbers are in constant FY 2013, so you can’t complain about how inflation makes everything cost more. Second, look at the valleys when the wars ended; each time, they are higher than the last valley, showing an entrenched and institutional rise after each war. War or no war, this budget just keeps growing in real terms, despite the rise and fall of threats, despite what the rest of the world was spending on defense, despite other areas of need in our country like infrastructure and education and despite our burgeoning federal debt.

via Your Must-Do Assignment for This Year, Read This Chart and Pass It On.