Motivation
What has politics to do with philosophy? What's the relationship between the Federal Reserve, Word Bank, International Monetary Fund, Peak Oil, the exponential function and your attitude to life? A short time ago I would have answered either question with "nothing" or "none". As a matter of fact I find politics boring and stay away from it. The series of videos I am going to present here have changed my opinion. They did more than that: they opened my eyes. There are political issues and institutions, corporations and natural resources that affect our life and our outlook on society. There are political and economical issues that we must not ignore by looking the other way. They are so crucial that we must make the provided knowledge part of our everyday approach to life. So, yes I believe there is a link between political/economical/environmental awareness and philosophy. We must ponder about and discuss these - sometimes unpleasant - issues to get a clearer picture.
I personally found these videos educational and mind opening. They touch so many aspects: consumerism, marketing, manipulation, resources, environment, world population, wealth distribution - just to name a few. The point is not to believe every statement made in these videos, but let them be food of thought. Discuss them with your spouse or your friends. Watching these videos will take several hours (some 15h if you watch all of them). Instead of watching regular TV, put one of these videos on. This way, no extra time is needed. I watched them with my wife and we broke them into 1-hour sessions in order to not get overloaded. After a month we had gone through all of them and I feel a bit wiser as before, and a tiny bit ashamed of my previous ignorance. We know so little about one resource that controls so many aspects of our lives: money. Even philosophers are surrounded by money, so we better know where it comes from, who creates it, who controls it and who has the power to take it away from us.
Crash Course (2008), Chris Martenson
Link: www.ChrisMartenson.com/CrashCourse
Video: Here, at YouTube or at Google Video
This is the summary of the summary. The absolute nutshell. The title "crash course" is appropriate and a nice play of words. It fits the on-line video seminar like a glove. On one hand the material is a crash course as it tries to inform you in the very shortest time and space possible about the critical issues facing us (economy, energy, environment). On the other hand it is an educational course preparing you for the economic/energetic/environmental crash and collapse that is ahead of us.
It is truly an excellent course. I highly recommend it. If you just watch one thing, then watch this video. It will give you the best summary on this broad array of issues. The people I passed it along all gave positive feedback. Judge for yourself, watch it!
Money as Debt (2006), Paul Grignon
Link: www.MoneyAsDebt.net
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9050474362583451279
I suggest you start with this video if you want to learn more about money. It is short and very factual. A good introduction to our monetary system. How does this affect you? It affects everyone who has ever set foot into a bank or used a credit card. Wonder why in any city the tallest buildings are always banks? Soon you will know why!
The Money Masters (1996?)
Link: www.TheMoneyMasters.com
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-515319560256183936
This video goes into a lot more detail than Money as Debt. It goes back two centuries into history to show how it all started, and how the money system evolved since the 18th century. It is also very factional. At the end it give a suggestion as how to improve the situation. Do you feel like a slave? After watching the video you will understand why some consider us paid slaves and why our freedom is no more than an illusion based on lack of knowledge and awareness.
The Fiat Empire (2005-2007), William L. Van Alen, Jr
Link: www.FiatEmpire.com
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5232639329002339531
This video looks at the same issue as Money as Debt and The Money Masters but from an US constitutional angle. So, if you are short on time skip this video. Would the creators of the constitution accept today's monetary system? Is this a system that is the people's best interest? Or favoring a special interest group?
Arithmetic, Population and Energy (1994) Dr. Albert A Bartlett
Link: www.albartlett.org
Link: Presentation material
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4364780292633368976
This video is kind of entertaining. It presents the material - the exponential function applied to everyday life - in a charming way. It makes you understand inflation really well. It sheds light on population growth and the limits of our resources such as oil. Why is it that we humans don't realize problems until it is 11:59? Only one minute before the global bomb is going to go off we will be capable for foreseeing the doom. Naturally then it will be too late. Dr. Bartlett uses very simple math to show his point. Can't get any more factual. After this video you will realize why we can't be growing our consumption steadily - not even by a modest 5 percent. Why any growth, e.g. population growth, interest, leads to an unsustainable system. Can religion be forbidding birth control in our age? Can any government continually increase the deficit? Can you continue to drive your gasoline car? How trustworthy are expert statements in the news? Here is the mathematics that will show us where the limits are.
Zeitgeist - Final Edition (2007)
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-594683847743189197
Zeitgeist - Addendum (2008)
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912
Link: www.ZeitgeistMovie.com
Link: www.TheZeitgeistMovement.com
This series of 2 videos was very successful on the internet. The first video is a broad view on the backgrounds of religion, terror and money. It makes the case that we are being misled and manipulated on these issues. All religions are very similar and possibly originate from the same myths. We should rather focus on the similarity between religions than their differences and we should not permit that religions misuse us for believing in miracles, war, etc. Terror and the war on terror are purposefully produced and used by the elite to increase control and focus our attention on external issues. It suggests that money is a weapon used for the same purpose: to control and enslave us. The first video only explains the problems we are facing. The second video expands on the fact that what has been done at a local level has recently been expanded on a global level. Specifically, rich nations like the US use politics, terror and money to control other nations and their resources. It talks about globalization and multi-national corporations and their driving forces.
The second video tries to give some, very limited (imho), ideas for solutions. It suggests that we should move from our current profit-based economy to a resource-based economy. The resource-based economy would avoid artificial scarcity, reduce politics and be founded on technology. It presents the Venus Project (www.TheVenusProject.com, Jacque Fresco) as a sustainable solution. There are a few good thoughts here, but this proposed solution is not a complete solution in my mind, it is too simplistic, too optimistic and too futuristic. There are still many open questions and we must look for many additional solutions. I feel that technology by itself cannot resolve the problems we face. It is a tool, but we need a mechanism that assures that we use this tool for the benefit of all and bring equal benefits to anyone no matter where they live or in which social class they are. It is a valuable suggestion from which we can learn and which we can use as a basis for discussion, but a lot more hard thinking will be necessary to find answers to questions of how we invoke the social change. At the very end the video presents immediate actions we can take now. It suggests that individuals should boycott banks and the military, use alternative money systems, use alternative energy sources, reduce dependence on corporations in financial and energy sectors, replacing mainstream new sources with independent ones, and spreading the information to reach critical mass.
This video might be less factual than the ones on the money system listed above. Its style of presentation is also more emotional, it uses visual images and symbolism to move you. The topics are lot more fuzzy and blurred. How do you verify the facts when you discuss religion or terrorism? Who are the sources? Do you trust them? Does it sound convincing to you? Much of the presented material sounds believable to me. Can I verify it? No. Still, like in a big puzzle many pieces fit together. It certainly is one theory that explains parts of our situation. We don't like to hear it because it is unpleasant. It leads us to the conclusion that politicians and corporate leaders are taking advantage of us. The best attitude is to get informed, be open-minded and to be critical. Just because it's on TV doesn't make it true. Just because politicians say so does not make it true. Patterns described in this video have made me look at some events with new eyes. Here an example: I remember when I could not understand why there are protests against the IMF in Argentina around 2001. I naively thought that the Argentinians should be thankful that someone like the IMF offers them a credit. Now I understand the issues better and stand on the opposite side. The IMF gave the credit only out of selfish, profit-based reasons to Argentina and that the credit is of doubtful benefit to the people of Argentina.
For me the video also creates a dilemma: It shows that we could live in vastly better world, we have enough resources and know-how to provide basic services to literally every human being on this planet: we have enough food, health care, enough shelter and energy for everyone to be comfortable without needing to compete. All these basic services could easily be made available to all human beings free. There is hope. It is such a wonderful vision. This is the one side of the coin. But the dilemma is formed because it seems too difficult to reach this goal. So many forces are working hard against it and I feel so small to make a change. I feel kind of helpless. Still we need to act and we can.
The Story of Stuff (2006?) Annie Leonard
Link: www.StoryOfStuff.com
Video: Story of Stuff 50 MB
Shows how we treat our resources in this finite planet. Where does our stuff come from? Where does it go to? How long do we hold our stuff before we throw it away? Does the actual product price reflect the real cost? Who pays the difference?
The Corporation (2004) Mark Achbar
Link: www.TheCorporation.com
Video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=192012118972057552
What is the mind set of today's corporations? What makes them pathological structures? What are their motives and is there any limit to their power?
The Century of the Self (2002) Adam Curtis
Link: The Century of the Self
Video: Here or at Google Video
This is a BBC documentary in 4 parts. Consumers: Who created them? How were they created? Why? If you can influence people for commercial purposes through ads for example, how can one control masses for political purposes? Is someone selling us politicians and their agendas? How do they do it? And is this what you really want and how you want to be informed and convinced of political agendas?
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