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The following stanzas
Are hints to the answer
Each a part of the end
Their piece they defend

I am found out in the ground
I can be bought by the pound
I'm put on the line
So in the end you can dine

I am a basic desire
That many require
I get you places
And contribute in races

Some find me childish
Some surpress me in kindness
But even if brief
After our encounter you'll feel a sense of relief

You have all you need
Now complete this one deed
What is it in my eyes
That will result in humanity's demise?

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  • $\begingroup$ Responding to your comment on rand al'thor's answer, I did up-vote this after a quick read. I should clarify, because my comment before was vague, that riddles without rhyme are perfectly acceptable (I've written a few myself). However, without rhyme, a riddle ought to have some theme, link, intrigue, creativity, etc. to make it unique. +1 $\endgroup$
    – Roland
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 18:31
  • $\begingroup$ @Roland WellI worked hard on the rhyme here. Glad it came out well. $\endgroup$
    – warspyking
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 19:22

4 Answers 4

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I got some inspiration last night, so let's try another guess. For the first three stanzas, I have:

WORM - See answer by @Kingrames.

I have multiple answer candidates for this second stanza that I can make fit with my final answer. I'm going to go with STAMINA - People need it to endure physical hardships and those with more of it do better in race competitions.

LAUGHTER - It can be inappropriately childish as well as cathartic.

All together, I got

parts of an APPLE (sort of). One can find a worm in an apple. Apples have stamen (stamina). Apples have peels (peals of laughter). There exists the phrase "apple of one's eye". In Christian theology, the apple could be the forbidden fruit that led to the fall of humanity.

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    $\begingroup$ If you don't like this, I got an answer involving methane ice worms :| $\endgroup$
    – Mythi
    Commented Sep 18, 2015 at 16:32
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I am found out in the ground
I can be bought by the pound
I'm put on the line
So in the end you can dine

Earthworms. You use them as bait to go fishing! If specific, probably nightcrawlers.

I am a basic desire
That many require
I get you places
And contribute in races

Cars? Could be any kind of vehicle, really.

Some find me childish
Some surpress me in kindness
But even if brief
After our encounter you'll feel a sense of relief

Gas? For shame, a puzzle that's a fart joke!

That makes the combined answer:

Wormscargas. Apparently that's the name of our doom. Probably some British term. Or someone's username.

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  • $\begingroup$ You're on the right track, but your end answer is incorrect. $\endgroup$
    – warspyking
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 6:55
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe with my help someone will figure it out by morning. I'm off to bed. $\endgroup$
    – Kingrames
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 6:56
  • $\begingroup$ G'night :P ${}$ $\endgroup$
    – warspyking
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 6:57
  • $\begingroup$ For the second stanza I feel that it could be water. It is a basic desire for almost all living organisms except the mealworm, sort of. Waterways get you places and it also contributes to almost all races one way or another $\endgroup$
    – SirParselot
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 15:00
  • $\begingroup$ Car gas. It's global warming! ;-/ $\endgroup$
    – Dr Xorile
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 16:12
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Basically just posting @Dr Xorille's answer so if this is right do not award me the checkmark we will let him post it and you can award it to him. Or maybe to Kingrames - IDK up to you.

Answer:

Global warming

Using @Kingrames answers

WORMS,CARS,GAS

Using the first part of the riddle we know each of these plays their "part" in the demise of humanity Breaking down each one's role:

Worms: "The presence of worms affects how much carbon dioxide is produced in the soil and how much escapes to the atmosphere. Scientists are concerned that earthworms increase greenhouse gas emissions - and that earthworm numbers are on the rise." http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2013/feb/05/how-worms-accelerating-climate-change

Cars: Release carbon dioxide which research at the moment shows is one major human controllable promotion of global warming.

Gas: Greenhouse gas emissions.

**Formatting for hiding the above for some reason doesn't work no matter what I try if I have them split so I have to combine them.

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I am found out in the ground
I can be bought by the pound
I'm put on the line
So in the end you can dine

Answer is WORMS, found by Kingrames.

I am a basic desire
That many require
I get you places
And contribute in races

This could be TONGUE. Food/eating is a basic desire, and everyone requires it sooner or later. Your tongue can get you places if you can speak eloquently, and it may have to race against other tongues - say if you're in a job interview and you need to talk fast in order to beat the other applicants.

Some find me childish
Some surpress me in kindness
But even if brief
After our encounter you'll feel a sense of relief

Not sure about this one, but what we have so far is WORMTONGUE, of Lord of the Rings fame, so the final answer could be something like "Saruman" or "Palantir".

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  • $\begingroup$ The only part that is correct is the part you stole :) $\endgroup$
    – warspyking
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 17:27
  • $\begingroup$ I wonder if Roland likes this one. It took forever for an unpoetic guy like myself to make it rhyme nicely. Did I do a good job? $\endgroup$
    – warspyking
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 17:29
  • $\begingroup$ @warspyking The rhyme and the first stanza are nice, and the third stanza looks like it'll be nice (can't tell until I've seen the answer!), but the second stanza looks a bit "too broad". I just +1'ed the question :-) $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Aug 23, 2015 at 19:13

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