Zeitgeist: Moving Forward

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward
Directed by	Peter Joseph
Produced by	Peter Joseph
Edited by	Peter Joseph
Music by	Peter Joseph, Lili Haydn and Yes
Distributed by	GMP LLC
Release date	January 15, 2011
Running time	161 min
Language	English

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward is the third instalment in Peter Joseph's Zeitgeist film series. The movie was independently released simultaneously in over 60 countries and in over 30 languages on January 15, 2011 with over 340 screenings worldwide, making it one of the largest independent events in film history. The film was launched for free on the Internet starting January 26, 2011, it has received over 300,000 views on YouTube in the first 24 hours and, as of January 29, 2011, is listed as top rated documentary of all time on IMDB.

Content

Zeitgeist: Moving Forward is arranged into four successive parts. Within each part is an amalgam of expert interviews, narration and animated sequences.

Part I: Human Nature

The film begins with a brief animated sequence narrated by Jacque Fresco (founder of The Venus Project). He describes his adolescent life and discontinuation of public education at the age of 14 to study under his own will. Jacque's radical views resulted from his experiences during the Great Depression and World War II. Studying the social sciences, mechanical and social engineering, architecture among numerous other fields of study for 75 years have failed to alter this initial radical disposition, which is outlined in greater detail later in the film. The discussion turns to human behavior and the nature vs. nurture debate. The case is made for environmental influence as the primary dominant determinant of human behavior and not genetics as stated by many scientists. The interviewed pundits state that even with genetic predispositions to diseases, the expression and manifestation of disease is largely determined by environmental stressors. As well as disease, criminal activity and addictions are also placed in the same light. One study discussed, showed that newly born babies are more likely to die if they are not touched. Another study which was mentioned, claimed to show how stressed women were more likely to have children with addiction disorders. A reference is made to the unborn children who were in utero during the Dutch famine of 1944. A study called the Dutch Famine Birth Cohort Study, is mentioned to have shown that obesity and other health complications became common problems later in life, due to prolonged starvation of their mother during pregnancy. Comparisons are made by sociologists of criminals in different parts of the world and how different cultures with different values can often have more peaceful inhabitants. An Anabaptist sect called the Hutterite's are mentioned to have never reported a homicide in any of their societies. The overall conclusion of Part I is that social environment and cultural conditioning play a large part in determining human behavior.

Part II: Social Pathology

The origins of our modern economic paradigm are explored, beginning with John Locke and Adam Smith. In Two Treatises of Government, John Locke lays out the fundamental principles of private ownership of land, labor and capital. In An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith mentions the “invisible hand” balancing out supply and demand leading to trade equilibrium. The argument becomes religious as the “invisible hand” is interpreted as the hand of God. A critical view of economic theory is made by questioning the need for private property, money and the inherent inequality between agents in the system. Also seen critically is the need for repetitive consumption (in order to maintain market share) hence wasted resources. Planned obsolescence is shown to be another important side-effect of the market system, where goods are deliberately made defective or not having sufficient technology in order to maintain a large turnover rate. The economic paradigm is then termed anti-economy due to these profligate activities. The above described process of individuals and groups exchanging goods, labor and capital is mentioned as the market economy.

The other component is the monetary economy. The monetary system regulates the money supply and interest rates by buying/selling treasuries. More critical views of the monetary system are explained. In the final analysis the current monetary system can only result in default or hyperinflation. This is because when money comes into existence it is created by loans at interest. The existing money supply is only the principle. The interest to pay the loan that created the money does not exist in the money supply and must be borrowed repetitively in order to service the debt. Due to this exponential money supply growth, the value of money is eventually destroyed.

Part III: Project Earth

As with Zeitgeist: Addendum, the solutions to this broken economic system are seen in the Resource-Based Economy advocated by Jacque Fresco. The dialogue leads to a train of thought on how human civilization should start from the beginning if we were to find an exact copy of Earth somewhere in space. A survey of the planet is made. The resource types, locations, quantities, are catalogued in order to satisfy human demands. The consumption and depletion of the resources are also tracked in order to satisfy human demands. Distributions of the resources are localized as much as possible. Recycling and reuse of transportation vehicles are necessary in order to avoid over production. In a Resource-Based Economy, money and labor for money become obsolete. These concepts are applied on a global scale. Various technologies for improving civilization under the Resource-Based Economy are described. Cities are structured in concentric ring patterns that contain areas necessary for sustaining it. These rings are for agriculture, energy production, residents, hospitals, schools, etc. For agriculture, hydroponics are mentioned as a possible solution for food shortages. Maglev trains provide transport to the cities residents. Manufacturing and construction becomes automated with mechanized technologies, such as three-dimensional printing and CAM. Mentioned energy production methods are: photovoltaic paint, wind turbines, pressure transducers and geothermal power plants.

Part IV: Rise

The current world state of affairs is described in a dire light. The peak oil phenomenon is seen as a threat to civilization’s progress, potentially resulting in extinction. Pollution, deforestation, climate change, overpopulation, and warfare are all blamed on the socioeconomic system. Various poverty statistics show a progressive worsening of world culture. According to the UN, currently 18,000 people a day die from starvation. Also according to the UN, global poverty rates have doubled since the 1970s. Not directly mentioned, currently the gap between the rich and the poor is wider than at any time since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. The top 1% own more than 40% of the planet’s wealth. In other estimates not mentioned, the top 2% own more than 50% of the planet’s wealth.

The movie closes with a standoff between protestors on the streets of Times Square facing off against police in riot gear while in the midst of global economic depression. People withdraw trillions of dollars from the world’s central banks, then dump the money at the doors of the banks. The police stand down.

Interviewees

Dr. Robert Sapolsky, Dr. Gábor Máté, Richard Wilkinson, Dr. James Gilligan, Dr. John McMurtry, Michael Ruppert, Max Keiser, Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis, Dr. Adrian Bowyer, Jacque Fresco, Roxanne Meadows, Dr. Colin J. Campbell and Jeremy J. Gilbert.