BioRiot

Chapter 1
A prelude to war

The world had fallen to the grasp of the economists. Driven by greed they
perfected the science of consumption and developed technologies to sustain
ever burgeoning populations. The only things these Princes of Power feared
were the words economic slowdown and the only way to avoid one was to keep
increasing consumption.

Media agencies controlled by the economists brain washed the masses to
forget they were shackled to a cycle of consumerism and inspired them to
work just that little bit harder so that they to might one day own the
latest sports car or 50 inch digital TV or other equally essential survival
equipment.

Democracy and mass media had brought quasi intelligence to the soft
underbelly of society. The booming middle class waxed philosophical about
the importance of a fabric softener during the spin cycle of their energy
star compliant washing machines and sought salvation in department store
stock take sales. Busily these mindless drones slaved away all the time
believing that life was about the acquisition of material things.

Political leaders were bought and sold by the economists. Faced with
overwhelming evidence that their industries were destroying the planet,
world leaders sighted financial reasons to avoid dealing seriously with the
very real problem of global climate change.

In a world that was already horribly over populated, our narrow-minded
ancestors searched for new ways to extend life and encourage population
growth. At the turn of this century, with a population of over 6 billion,
only one country on earth had implemented population controls.

Not only were couples allowed to have children without passing a parenting
assessment, government agencies gave financial handouts encouraging
teenagers barely able to look after themselves to have children.

History should have taught the lesson that societies led by the morally
corrupt have little chance of survival. Oblivious to the basic fact that
their excesses were cooking the planet, these technological toddlers of the
twentieth century had already seen the peak of their power.

As the mass of Humanity wallowed like pigs at the teat of mater terra, they
were unable to admit to themselves that their indulgence could be hurting
the planet. Their self-denial was to lay the seeds for a course of events
that would completely alter life on Earth.

The BioRiots started around the turn of this century. Although man had been
fighting wars near enough to consistently since the beginning of history,
the bioriots were different. ÿMan had fought wars for such reasons as
religious and political beliefs, to acquire land or oil, or to protect a
notion of freedom.

Nations around the world started demanding equality in the consumption of
planetary resources. ÿPeople started asking why wealth should entitle
individuals to consume a greater amount of Mother Earth's assets.

The BioRiots were very different to any war man had fought before. Instead
of an easily identifiable enemy and zone of conflict, governments of the
early 21st found themselves fighting wars on the streets of their cities
with ordinary citizens who had become disillusioned by their leaders vision
for the future. Everyday men and women took up arms to secure a future for
their children and their children's children.

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Comments from the Author
I wrote this in 2001 as the introduction to a story but am lost as to where to go from here. I have a lot of experience writing marketing copy but no experience writing fiction.

Any and all comments of how this story could be developed would be greatly appreciated.