The Venus Project
The Venus Project, Inc is an organization that promotes Jacque Fresco's visions of the future through a website and by distributing videos and literature[1] with the goal to improve society by moving towards a resource-based economy and the design of sustainable cities, energy efficiency, natural resource management and advanced automation, focusing on the benefits it will bring to society.[2][3][4] The organization was started by Jacque Fresco[5] and Roxanne Meadows in 1995,[6] while their website claims The Project started around 1975. Future by Design, a film about the life and work of Jacque Fresco, was produced in 2006. The name of the organization originates from Venus, Florida, where its 21-acre (85,000 m2) research center is located, near Lake Okeechobee[7] Within the center are ten buildings, designed by Fresco, which showcase the architecture of the project.[8]
Resource-based economy
The Venus Project was founded on the idea that poverty, crime, corruption and war are caused by the neuroses and scarcity created by the present world's profit-driven economic system, a structure which also stifles the progress of socially-beneficial technology. The progression of technology, if it were carried on independent of its profitability, Fresco theorizes, would make more resources available to more people by producing an abundance of products and materials. This new-found abundance of resources would reduce the human tendency toward independence, corruption, and greed, and instead rely on people helping each other.[9][10] Fresco believes it is now possible to achieve a society in which people would live "longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives."[11] Fresco believes the monetary system and the processes associated with it, such as labour and competition, is damaging to society and holds people back from their true potential. He states his ideas would maximally benefit the greatest number of people. He claims some of his ideas stem from his formative years during the Great Depression.[12] Fresco believes the current global economic situation, being similar but not as severe as the Great Depression, will lead people away from free-market economics and capitalism and make them lose confidence in the monetary establishment.
Fundamental to the project is the elimination of the current money-based economy in favor of a resource-based economy.[4]
Jacque Fresco
Jacque Fresco is an industrial designer and social engineer, author, lecturer, futurist, and inventor,[2][13][14] and has worked as both designer and inventor in a wide range of fields spanning from biomedical innovations to totally integrated social systems.
The Zeitgeist Movement
The Zeitgeist Movement[15] works alongside The Venus Project as an activist network, allowing members to comunicate and work on projects within the movement. The Venus Project is featured in the web film Zeitgeist: Addendum,[16] and in the Zeitgeist Movement Orientation Presentation,[17] as a possible solution to the global problems described in the film.[18]
See also
References
- ^ "Browse". Thevenusproject.com. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ a b Living On Purpose: Interview with Fresco and Meadows (MP3). The Venus Project. Retrieved on 2008-12-02.
- ^ new venus (PHP). parole.aporee.org. Retrieved on 2008-12-02.
- ^ a b [1][dead link]
- ^ "Jacque Fresco On The Future". Forbes.com. 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ "The Venus Project, Inc. Company Profile - Located in Venus, FL - Jacque Fresco, Roxanne Meadows". Corporationwiki.com. 1995-02-14. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ "7 News Features - The Venus Project". Wsvn.com. 2009-03-06. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ The Venus Project on Fox News
- ^ "Zeitgeist: Addendum". Video.google.com. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ Meta Magazine's interview with Jacque Fresco
- ^ Future by Design at IMDb
- ^ Durrani, Noni (2007-10-15). The Future: Jacque Fresco On The Future Forbes.com. Retrieved on 2008-12-02.
- ^ Corrias, Angela (March 19, 2009). "The Zeitgeist Movement: practical advices to build a better future". Herald de Paris. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
- ^ http://www.TheZeitgeistMovement.com - Main site of The Zeitgeist Movement
- ^ Google Video Zeitgeist Addendum
- ^ Google Video Zeitgeist Movement Orientation Presentation
- ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/nyregion/17zeitgeist.html?ref=nyregion
External links
- The Venus Project - Official website
- Future By Design - Film about Jacque Fresco with virtual images of The Venus Project visions.
- Zeitgeist Movement Lecture - Peter Joseph's July 25, 2009 Lecture in London, UK