Sunday 1 February 2009

Review: Zeitgeist Addendum

There were too many mistakes and (il)logical jumps in the first movie that it deservedly was attacked by critical thinkers worldwide[1]. This one is not without it's flaws either, but it is comparatively less dogmatic, there are more interviews and the message you get out of it is a clearer one.

The movie is divided in four parts:

Part 1 deals with the current monetary system and it's flaws. In my opinion it presents things in an oversimplified manner and occasionally grossly misinterprets socio-economic principles. Still, it is interesting food for thought. 2/5

Part 2 continues from the first part with an interview with John Perkins, in which he reflects on his role as a self-described economic hit-man. Again, not so challenging. More scare-mongering than substance. 2/5

Part 3 introduces The Venus Project, a proposal created by Jacque Fresco for a sustainable future. This is a lot more interesting and thought-provoking although a lot of it's principles appear rather weak upon closer examination. Regardless of that, the issues that are raised are very real and the message is that they should be thought about and something should be done about them fast. 4/5

Part 4 examines the emergent and symbiotic aspects of natural law and what it means for humans. Again, quite an interesting treatment of an important subject. 5/5

For a more balanced review of the the different subjects treated in this movie and an expose of the films flaws check:
The Revolution that never was: An assessment of Keynsian Economics
Globalization and its discontents
Freedom from the known
The meaning of the 21st century


[1]

An article in the Irish Times said that

"These are surreal perversions of genuine issues and debates, and they tarnish all criticism of faith, the Bush administration and globalisation - there are more than enough factual injustices in this world to be going around without having to invent fictional ones. One really wishes Zeitgeist was a masterful pastiche of 21st-century paranoia, a hilarious mockumentary to rival Spinal Tap. But it's just deluded, disingenuous and manipulative nonsense. [...] If you pretend to know only truth, in truth you know only pretence."

1 comments:

Macko Usko said...

it was certainly interesting and well worth watching