We can see this in our modern lives reflected in advertising that encourages us to buy and consume more, but we can also understand it in the context of the environment in which our ancestors evolved. of abundance, the evolutionary “cost” of not acquiring more is minimal: the basic needs required to ensure the transmission of our genetics to the next generation are readily available. The same cannot be said of our ancestors. Resource scarcity means that someone who has a less competitive drive to acquire and retain resources may not survive to reproduce. Although this characteristic was useful to our ancestors, it becomes a source of suffering in an environment of relative abundance. We are unable to be content with what we have because the potentially greater possessions of others are perceived as a threat to our well-being and security. Recognizing the source of our suffering is liberating, as it allows us to stop searching our lives for the cause of the suffering we experience. Suffering exists because we are human beings: it is intrinsic to the biological nature of our minds and is not the result of a flaw in our character or in the character of those around us. When we accept that our biology, for historically valid reasons, leads us to a desire and attachment that can never be satisfied, we realize that a path to peace lies in changing our perception of the world, not in vain attempts to change.