If it did not exist, would we need to invent such a movement?
Do the times we live in require an organised solution?
Picture courtesy The Venus Project
I have just spent a couple of hours watching a film that was linked to me by a friend.
It's called Zeitgeist:Addendum and is available to watch here.
It is a sequel to the film Zeitgeist, released in June 2007 - available to watch here.
Certainly many, if not all, of the issues raised in the film are of monumentous implication - and appear to be the unspoken voice of many of our concerns today.
Becoming more relevant as each day passes.
As such, the title of the film - Zeitgeist - the spirit of the times - is most appropriate.
I urge you to watch both films for yourself.
It is easy to create a convincing media presentation when allowed, uninterrupted by alternative views, to present a stream of thought and ideas which appear to point to an obvious solution.
However, we live in a world of constant bombardment from advertising hype and spin, representing commercial or political interests - perhaps we are wise to this effect.
How much is the Internet similar to the Emperor's New Clothes - in terms of how easy it is to peddle ideals?
In the context of the Internet, where freedom of opinion is rightly guarded as paramount, this enables people to present their own answers or responses.
As such, I have noticed a growing amount of material - in some way denouncing or demeaning the value of the proposals and ideas contained within the Zeitgeist movie.
I cannot really understand any diametrically opposed views to those presented by the film, or see any merit in labelling the Zeitgeist Movement (whatever that is) as just another separatist movement, amongst all the alternatives. That is surely a perception that is at odds with the very ideas the film is putting before us?
However, I consider this liberty an extremely healthy state of affairs - and I am certain that the substance of the film is adequately robust and profound to stand on its own - and provide a stirring stimulus to any debate or further discussion.
Without appearing to be in any way negative to the overall thrust of the ideas - realising that ultimately, it is completely a matter for individual awareness, individual action or inaction - considering that we are all held in the vice of monetarism - and that social evolution, in the past, has seemed to be laboriously slow - the question which I would most urgently raise is - although it is obviously the first vital stage in the process of transformation, the achieving, through individuals, a critical mass of consciousness - doesn't the scale required to achieve such transformation and the historical uniqueness, the radical nature of the fundamental principle changes involved - find humanity reaching out with their hopes into completely uncharted territory?
There is probably no such precedent - this is pure creativity - the power of imagination.
But then - what isn't?
Picture courtesy archiedu.com
To most minds, I am sure, the appeal of this transformation and the urgent need for the gradual replacement of the old model is instinctive - they appear to be evolutional necessities.
Is it possible to convince an already distrustful society to grant responsibility and authority, in sufficient quantity, to any movement - to any "corporation" - for the coordination of acheiving such a radical change?
Does such radical change itself need coordination?
Surely it will be another process of transformation - slow rather than sudden - dependent on the gradual increased consciousness of the planet?
Is it possible to hasten this process, to cultivate it inside a greenhouse?
What is the mechanism, the practical reality of such a process?
As such, can there be any possible tangible reality to such a movement as Zietgeist Movement?
Can it really have any teeth?
Is all of humanity the men and women behind this curtain?
Can a "corporate identity" achieve a lasting social transformation over and above the usual natural evolution?
Are we living in such times that require this?
Is this a very part of that natural evolution, now we have the tools to raise awareness, globally, via the Internet?
But I concede to one of the most alarming points in the film, that perhaps an invisible "corporate identity" already has achieved a transformation - to our detriment - but that is sinister and rather conspiratorial - and carries more than a hint of electing a scapegoat for something in which we all share the responsibility. I find it hard to believe - but certainly not impossible - that we have been hijacked into an ignorant and deliberate "slavery" by the monitarists of this world.
Yet the film was definitely extremely convincing.
Picture courtesy ifassted.org
The future awaits - with answers to these questions.
I would welcome any serious analysis of this.
I do not wish to undermine the efforts of anyone contributing to the growth of human awareness - and thus encouraging the way to reductions of poverty, inequality and famine - eventually to their elimination.
Please do not view my commentary here as negative in any way, it is purely to stimulate discussion, to open the subject up to continued debate and understanding.
See Collectivism & Individualism @ Wikepedia.
See also all these forms of government listed.
Zeitgeist.com
Can we come up with something new? Something that works?
Where do politics (government) and spiritual truths meet?
Please leave your comments - they are most welcome.
Namaste.
20 comments:
The "zeitgeist movement" creates a a question mark in the mind of every hard-core individualist, because the contents of addendum has a definite albeit vague sound of something collectivist.
Or does it? That is probably the 64-trillion dollar question. Because maybe the inference of collectivism is FALSE. Maybe, just maybe the philosophy of this movement will be fully individualist. Make no mistake, hardcore individualist can collaborate with other hardcore individualists as long as the means and goals are clear, limited and explicit. So far, they are (as long as we refer to their list, not to the venus project, which is only an EXAMPLE of how a cooperative, technological society might work and appear. The venus project is not equal to the zeitgeist movement.
The zeitgeist videos criticize the powers-that-be and many of the mechanisms they employ to lie, cheat, steal and enslave people. Without a doubt, "ficticious entities" AKA "legal organizations" are one of the most common and destructive schemes concocted by the powers-that-be to shield their masters from answering for the atrocities of the actions of these "entities".
I hope zeitgeist doesn't fall into the trap of formalizing itself with the same mechanisms that allow its enemies to perpetrate their atrocities. We shall see.
I hope they are fully individualistic in implementation and philosophy and action. If so, this could be a very good development.
@ Max - thank you for commenting - obviously the profound implications have not escaped you either.
Having just watched the first Zeitgeist film from last year I am left with further questions - regarding what seemed to be a totally dismissive attitude to the validity of world religions - bracketing them altogether as a commonly shared myth.
There may be a lot of truth in what they say - and also in the fact that by these religions, the power of "God" has been usurped for the gain of a minority.
But I would have preferred to see some gesture towards accepting that beyond religions, there are mysteries - enlightened masters - there is distinct spiritual assistance available from these beings, these other realms - and life can be positively enriched in love and wisdom by devotional disciplines. These masters are just as much a part of the evolution of the human race as we all are - perhaps to show us our potential - but I will concede that perhaps even in these spheres, true knowledge may have been kept strictly secretive, for fear of it empowering the human race - individualistically - obviously not what any corrupt controlling force would want.
Hopefully - we all are The Zeitgeist Movement - the human race, coming of age - the wind of an enlightened change blowing through our hearts and minds.
Zeitgeist Adendum and the movement smells fishy to me.
1. Adendum completely left out NWO role in all this. Kinda big thing to leave out.
2. The movie had actual NWO symbols in it.
The hands and sun pyramid, the Venus - Morning star - Lucifer just to name a couple.
3. Enforcing law by technical means... What a safe sounding idea, that could not be used badly.
4. The hole utopian view, that reminds me too much of what i red in communist SF books.means... What a safe saunding idea, that could not be used badly.
4. The hole utopian view, that reminds me too much of what i red in communist SF books.
@ - anonymous - thank you for commenting.
I have to admit that the more I consider what the films actually achieve - apart from suggesting an innate flaw in the monetary system (fractional reserve)which is extremely pertinent to our current financial climate - I suspect that their overall iconoclastic posture - and what must surely be a completely futile attempt at deconstructing an establishment of such accumulated historical mass - is ultimately more negative than positive.
It is good to keep humanity awake and alert, but to do so using such provocative and yet objectively unproven content - without providing a solid, viable alternative - smacks of propaganda, it hints at a hidden agenda - which the film makers were not honest enough to reveal.
The result is that the films could be seen as rather reckless - or more sinisterly, an attempt at destabilistaion.
I thoroughly agree with the points made in the films about resources and technology - but I agree with you also in that this is a utopia for some distant time. But a worthy aspiration, nonetheless.
At present however - human beings do need coordination, resources, organisation, funds, manpower, communication, time and cooperation to achieve goals. Whether these goals are representational of humanity's longterm benefits and the highest ideals is down to how those resources are assembled and channeled.
We must make the very best of what we have now - elect political systems motivated to radically streamlined programmes - abandoning the old paradigm - working towards that utopian vision.
That corruption of all types weakens resolve, wastes resources, thwarts plans - is an unalienable truth.
We can surely go absolutely nowhere at anywhere like the speed we would like - without trust - without cooperation and community - without tollerance and compassion - without love and understanding.
But I am certain that these qualities are more in abundance as a result of the years of establishment led civilisation - than would be apparent in a climate of chaos and instability.
But I do agree that perhaps an uncertain future will prove an ultimate test of these qualities - and that unfortunately the balance of those who have and those who have not may be in the control of a powerful elite - but that is not so much an innate flaw in capitalism itself - rather it is a flaw in human nature - magnified by multi nationalism and global markets.
I think we all have utopia as a dream - I hope so.
Would we recognise it when it arrives?
I think a lot of people are misinterpreting one facet of the Zeitgeist Movement, and that is that they believe the Zeitgeist Movement is propagating a utopian society. That is not the case. Any utopian society assumes an endpoint. The Zeitgeist Movement doesn't do this. An "Emergent" universe is postulated, which means that there will always be new discoveries, new knowledge, and new ways to improve old systems. In Addendum it is stated explicitly that the Venus Project is not perfect. So I fail to see how people are inferring an utopia as a goal of the Zeitgeist Movement/Venus Project.
@ Michael - Thank you for commenting.
It was only the content relating to The Venus Project and the commentary of associated people which pointed to "a future."
I would argue that a utopia signifies any form of end point - as you rightly say, society will always have emergent issues - perfection is a total abstraction in this relative existence.
But perfection & utopia surely represent the direction of our aspirations - even when perfection is undefineable and practically unrealistic.
Those are the same challenges and limitations that we face even now - but they do not deter humanity from acheiving.
But despite the admission on the film about The Venus Project not being perfect (which is common sense) - an image of "a future" was being presented - and its glossy appeal served as a high contrast to the information being propogated about the world today.
Isn't that the very sort of behaviour that we have grown to despise from politicians? The dangling of an unreachable carrot, while they whip the flanks of the other party's mule?
It seems to me that the main idea that the director wishes to propogate is being missed. His point is that love can unify and that if we see how we are alike rather than how we are different, we can wrest control from them and collectively control our own lives. In this way individualism and collectivism work together. We are people, not instruments of the will of the system but at the same time we are all one, not isolated and alone in our personal strife.
It is as simple as recognizing the oneness in others and ourselves and working together to achieve an intellectual height never before dreamed of. That is what the Zeitgeist movement is about.
@ Nathan - thank you for your comment.
I agree wholeheartedly with what you have identified as the premise of the films. The resonance that these films have found, judging by the reaction online, illustrates that on so many levels - from the profoundly spiritual to the common sense practical - people the world over are feeling the zeitgeist for themselves.
I have no doubts either that society is more and more urgently desiring and requiring that dramatic changes occur - which stem from, reflect and align with, its consciousness, rapidly growing in enlightenment.
History has seen revolutions before - perhaps this is another one about to come to the boil.
I am very much playing devil's advocate here, because I am concerned to continue to try and come to terms with the effect that the films have had upon me.
To see such information as is contained in them - although not totally surprising - was very alarming for me to see, presented as it was in such a defined and confronting way.
Perhaps the films were wise to leave us individually to balance the controversial material shown, which painted rather desperate colours - with our own philosophies, our own faiths and sincerely held beliefs - our own truths, thus avoiding any appearance of being preachy or patronising.
But I can't quite decide whether to feel hope or despair, as a result of seeing the films - they left me with little, except for my own faith, to take into tomorrow.
Perhaps we do (some of us) need to be shocked out of our slumber - maybe I am simply hoping for a way to make omelettes - without breaking any eggs.
Yea,
Have to break something to start a movement of any magnitude. I concur with your statement about how it leaves you to chew. I went ahead and chewed and research after the first and now after the second and I am left with one option: join the movement. I am trying to tell everyone about it and everything. I even started my own blog about it.
I think some other things we have to consider, as others have expressed these things in one way or another, are first, what relevance this has to us as individuals. People look at it and are like "They want me to trade Capitalism for communism." or "They want to be the new world leader." These things are not the goal. The Zeitgeist Movement is really just there to advocate the awakening and awareness of individuals, not convert them to anything. If people agree and come to the same conclusion, they can only be taking it another step by joining the growing community.
I think this is a very exciting, if terrifying time. We are truly at a spiritual and intellectual crossroads. Will America become the herald of the New World Order or the First Bastion of Enlightenment? We are on the cusp of either the total subjugation of our world or the complete liberation of our collective minds. It is a thrilling, if frightening time, because we are going to live to see it all fail. What will we do next, is the real thing of wonderment.
( This is @Nathan, btw. Please, check out my blog! Thanks! )
@ Hi Nathan - welcome back - yes, I will certainly come and give you a visit.
After visiting the Zeitgeist website yesterday and reading the material there - I feel much easier within myself about their presence - still of course digesting the message delivered in the films.
I agree totally with your comment.
With the right attitude, a creative statement in itself as to how to address this whole issue with anything tangible or practical - I am certain that it can only be a force for the positive.
Me too - subscribed to the movement on the 11th October.
Exciting times indeed.
Namaste.
I and a team of individuals are designing and working on the creation of a test city based on THE VENUS PROJECT and the principles of resource management and energy abundance. Please if anyone here has a desire to contribute or a specialized skill like Construction, Agriculture, or Environmental Protection. Contact us at Studentsforchange@live.com or visit www.frescocity.com
I really do not think we need such a grand Endeavour to solve our problems. I've always said if each person took responsibility for their own problems the world as a whole we be much better off. If you really want to help, take ownership of your own life. Start there.
Start here:
http://pathtofreedom.com/
Oscar
My initial reaction to viewing Zeitgeist & the Addendum was probably a state of total sobriety followed by "where do I go from here?" It is apparent that the proponents of the movement feel that their members cannot be believers of any religion, which would seem to limit their potential numbers dramatically. It seems that the actual implementation of their ideas will be on such a small scale initially that numbers will not be important-only success of the model. It will be interesting to see the transition from theoretical to practical application as it unfolds.
Personally I have always thought myself to be opposed to collectivism/communism, but the only practical example of communism was one run by brute force which was corrupt from it's very beginning.
I'm sure that like many others who have viewed the films all I could think of was the film "The Matrix",
as the parallels are many. Now that we know we are in it, how best do we escape? Perhaps the Venus project is the 1st step. I will be closely monitoring the project to be sure.
One question for discussion. How many of you out there believe the Internet will continue to thrive in it's current uncensored state? I personally have to believe that it will be censored if not shut down completely because of it's unlimited power to share information in seconds.
My humble opinion:
These movies generate a host of emotions ... clarity, fear, regret, annoyance, hope, desire, doubt & many more. We are faced with an understanding of what we are; both individually and collectively - and it highlights all of the negative and "corrupt" sides of life.
I'm sure that a fair amount of this doesn't come as a shock ... War, Famine, Poverty, Wealth divide, Environmental decay. We are all aware of these issues as they are all publicised in the mass media but we seem to accept their existence.
Somehow, the government controlled media and propaganda machine managed to persuade well over 50% of Americans that the war in Iraq was the right thing to do (similar in the UK).
I think that we need to truly recognise and publicise the influences behind these institutions and have much more clarity so that this spin and propaganda cannot be used again!
As amazing as it sounds, I feel the Venus project is a bit of an idealistic dream at the moment but surely the start of this change should be demanding that certain parts of society that are clearly flawed and outright WRONG -War / Extreme Poverty / Global Health demise etc should not be allowed to continue under any circumstances.
Like others who have commented - I find this all extremely inspiring if a little scary - let's hope that the zeitgeist movement can at the very least ... open the world's eyes to the purposefully hidden side of the society we live in.
Also - Thank you so much to everyone who has commented on this blog - it's great to read that this has touched others as it has me!
Bring on the change!
@ Rich H, Southern Man, and Anonymous 1 & 2,
Thank you for commenting here, sorry for the late acknowledgement, but I have been busy of late.
But I can assure you all that the subject of the Zeitgeist movies is still spreading massively around the globe - judging by the page reads here since this post was published - there are a lot of enquiring minds out there & equally a lot of people want answers - a very healthy trend, methinks.
It is great to see that there are people who are at least open to the truth of the current money system and the govts and the idea of the VP from the Z:Addendum.
I see many of the criticisms of the Addendum's and VP's ideas based on the current establishment and economics theory, which imo is quite useless... You cannot analyse a new 'idea' like this by using the existing process, especially if this 'idea' goes against most of the principles of the current process! I've studied economics from high school and early university... and after learning more about the 'real' monetary system, I have to say that all the theory we've learnt in school is pretty much pointless and only useful for placing yourself in some comfy role in business or govt... it is useless... and doesnt provide any real tangible value to society and people in general!
I think at least in the short term/near future, it would be very possible to see our minds apply the technology that we have so far thought of/created to better the general living conditions for all people of the earth, though yes it would take a massive change of attitude from a lot of people... one of which is the unfortunate tendency of humans to 'want to be better' than the other fellow...
At least the Zeitgeist movies introduce some aspects of our current system (well the western/developed world's) that the average person probably is not aware off and tries to open our eyes and minds a bit more so we can begin more thoroughly researching the issues ourselves instead of watching entertainment on TV for all our 'information'...
I feel that the movie isn't trying to get the Venus Project put in place but rather open people's eyes to the FACT that we don't have to constantly be in debt to something or someone for our entire lives.
It's no wonder why there are criminals in our society when 2 people can work just as hard but one lives in a mansion eating crab legs and drinking expensive wine every night and the other lives in a 1 bedroom apartment eating happy meals and drinking coke.
I hate watching the news these days because it's always about someone being killed for the 10 bucks they had in their pocket, or the stock market that, for some reason, now loves digging holes instead of building bridges.
Something is definitely wrong with our social structure. And it truly does feel outdated. I'm not sure how long ago solar panels were invented but it's very sad that we aren't using solar powered cars by now. Or solar powered houses. Or why Thousands of people die per day of curable illnesses
And why? Obviously profit. I can't be the only person pissed off about this undeniable fact. When money is put above the value of Life then Money has to go.
I believe that all things that we absorb through the media and everyday life will always be seen in a different light and with different opinions all over the globe, I agree that we do need to create more awareness, not of fear but go back to what is most important to all human beings, appreciating the simple things in life, and even though there are "conspiracy theories" around a lot of things, there are things that we will never know in our life time and things that we can and cannot change, zeitgeist is an amazing eye opener and gives us a new refreshed realisation that we can think for ourselves but still stay grounded and honestly, i am greatful that certain decisions, political, religious or any other have been made to also calm our nerves and give us some control, sometimes too much. But we are all human and we make mistakes and it is up to us to amend these mistakes without the anxiety of failure and realise that we are on this earth for very little time, so lets open our minds, give as much to whatever we are passionate about, be it religion, politics, money or family. Each to their own, let us value and love everyday that we are here. We were created on this earth and we do not have an infinite time with her.
@ Ninja - Great comment, interesting that with your insight into monetary systems - you still say "it sucks" - ha, ha - yes it does alright - a system that obliges people to be in debt - definitely sucks bigtime.I concur with you on your thoughts about technology - it should urgently be harnessed - and shared.
Thanks for your visit.
@ Akirasani - Thank you for visiting also.
Yes - it does feel outdated - but up till now, social evolution has always been slow, meandering like a river along its own course - but mercifully, always with a generally benificent destination - which must be, ultimately a profound and spiritually originated destination.
Now - perhaps - things can evolve a little more speedily.
@ Anonymous - A heart warming comment.I also feel that we are here, miraculously, for such a short time - we should expand beyond the ransoms we are forced to pay because of the monetary system. Hopefully - a change is coming - out of the ashes of this current depression - there is certainly the will for it to happen, universally.
Thanks for visiting.
The movement is growing larger everyday. These comments and the original post are about addendum. For those who are unaware their is a new release from the zeitgeist movement available to view. The Zeitgeist Movement: Orientation Presentation watch it on google video. Support this movement and help in anyway you can. Lots of little efforts can make a big difference.
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