Today, as I watched the numbers rise at the gas station, I noticed that what used to stop at $40 kept climbing, eventually surpassing $50... I felt a wave of frustration wash over me.

As an adult who has even obtained U.S. citizenship, it felt like being bullied for $10 by neighborhood thugs back in elementary school.

Having lived in Fullerton for over 20 years, how many times do I have to feel this 'crappy' sensation?

History may repeat itself, but this is just a vicious cycle.

Living in America, every time a news story breaks, it feels like my wallet is being emptied, and I'm just fed up with the whole system.

The news constantly talks about Iran and Israel, along with the calculations involving Trump and the U.S.

They wrap it up in fancy terms like geopolitical crisis and supply chain instability, but the reality is simple.

Gas prices are rising, costs are soaring, and in the end, only ordinary people are left hesitating at the checkout.

But what really angers me is the fact that there is a group quietly smiling and sniffing the 'smell of money' amidst this chaos.

Who benefits first when war breaks out? Even elementary school kids know the answer now. It's the defense contractors.

Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman...

The news is in a frenzy about how the Patriot missiles are in demand and how they are ramping up production lines.

It's a ridiculous mix. Those weapons are all being made with our tax dollars.

With my tax money, they create weapons that kill people, and thanks to those weapons, their stock prices soar.

On one side, people are tightening their belts worrying about commuting gas prices, while on the other side, they are popping champagne bottles celebrating 'overwhelming orders.' Is this really normal?

It's ironic that this is no longer just an American story.

These days, when I watch the news in Korea, companies like Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1, and Hyundai Rotem proudly report on their special deals in the Middle East.

From a national interest perspective, increasing exports and gaining recognition for technological prowess is great. It's something to applaud from a patriotic standpoint.

However, from an 'individual' perspective, this is not good news at all.

Every time I hear phrases like "shortage of air defense systems" or "surge in missile demand," I get chills.

That means missiles are already flying somewhere, and someone is living in that fear.

And as long as that tension persists, the price of gas for my car will never go down.

In the end, the structure that requires war for money to circulate, where someone's scream becomes someone else's performance, why hasn't this dirty connection changed for decades?

Even if you open a history book, it's the same as it was decades ago, down to the last detail.

Technology is said to be advancing rapidly, with AI changing the world, yet this outdated formula of 'war - skyrocketing gas prices - devastation of livelihoods' remains unchanged.

We are always the ones who bear the consequences. I don't care who wins or loses.

I just want to feed my family, commute normally, and not worry about grocery prices.

But why do I have to pay the bill for a global political fight I don't even know the name of every day at the gas station?

Looking at the current situation, it seems that gas prices will rise even more.

Once again, I will have to tighten my belt, cut back on dining out, and repeat the sigh-filled calculations.

Some are making a fortune from war, while others' lives are crumbling because of it. It's heartbreaking to think that we will be repeating this nonsense in 2026.

Is there an end to this crazy system? Or will we have to live as mere bystanders, paying for someone else's 'war feast' for the rest of our lives?

Today, the rising gas prices seem to overlap with the amount of tears being shed on the battlefield.