Q3. Do all stories need conflict to work?
I'm inclined to say 'yes, but...'
I don't think it's possible to write a story without conflict, but it is possible to write a story with incidental conflict or without a central conflict. Conflict is simply a constant of the world and in fiction conflict has come to be defined incredibly loosely. But most people who say you need conflict mean you need a central conflict or a story needs to revolve around conflict, and I strongly disagree with that.