The war was made worse by the rich minerals in the ground and the influence of the minerals was enhanced by the fear and displacement caused by the war. The intertwining of these two destructive forces is visible in the story Salima tells from a man who bought her. He tells the story of a man who stuffed “...coltan in his mouth to prevent soldiers from stealing his hard work, and who cut open his stomach with a machete”(31). Not only does this story show the harsh conditions men are exposed to during times of war, but it also demonstrates the hold coltan has on the minds of those living in Congo. The need for coltan leads to the destruction of the community and individual identities of those involved, as it perpetuates a cycle of war that harms men, induces violence against women, and ultimately creates a cycle of loss of identity. Ultimately, Ruined highlights a war that ravages the people of Congo and strips them of the community they once called home and the people they were. The need for cell phones and coltan in the Western world has led to many wars and conflicts in the Congo. Ruined acts as a way for us to visualize these consequences and understand the extent of the impact that globalism can have on other parts of the world..