The introduction consists of a series of collages of techno interference, presumably to signify a change in our dominant paradigm, which then fades into footage of the Indian philosopher, Krishnamurti, who explains that the status quo will only change when there is a revolution of consciousness; paradoxically, it is this revolution of consciousness which must occur in the mind of each individual to bring about a widespread transformation.
Part I
Part I's agenda is to deconstruct the current global economic system, breaking it down in laments terms and with the help of visuals. Beginning with the mutually profitable relationship between the Federal Reserve and Federal Government in America, it proposes that a select few corporations and individuals maintain the economic decision-making power on a global scale.
The way in which the documentary dissects the economic powers is compelling and convincing in its assertion that the global economic system as we know it is rigged to keep the elite in power. The "American Dream" closer resembles the American Nightmare.
Though the content in this section is rather complicated, Peter Joseph, the project's creator, manages to use language which is accessible and not overly scholastic. He also uses images to help illustrate a few of the more complicated explanations. Kudos to Mr. Joseph, for this must have taken an extraordinary amount of editing in order to pare down these wheels within wheels concepts into easily understood ideas.
Part II
Part II is dominated by a documentary-style confession by best-selling author and activist, John Perkins, who was once a self-described "economic hitman". In this role, he claims to have "helped the CIA, as well as various corporate and political entities, to undermine or corrupt foreign regimes that put the interests of their populations before those of transnational corporations".
To serve their interest in profits regardless of the environmental costs, the main purpose of these economic hitmen, acting on behalf the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, was to convince the governments' of foreign nations that it was in their best interest to share in the profits, or else be indebted - a synonym for financial enslavement - to them for the long run.
Perkins is seemingly remorseless in his non-flinching accounts of his past morally horrific acts and beliefs. Perhaps his most recent attempts to make things right using activism and books to share his insider information has given him a measure of self-forgiveness.
Part III
In Part III, viewers are introduced to the mind behind the Venus Project, Jacque Fresco. While speaking at length about his "resource-based economy". Fresco delivers a strong argument for technology already being advanced enough to solve the issues of poverty, crime and environmental destruction. What is required, of course, there is a shift in collective consciousness and a reassessment of priorities on a global scale.
To his credit, he confesses that his approach is not perfect, but that "it's just much better than what we have. We can never achieve perfection".
Part IV and Suggested Actions
The final chapter also features Fresco, focusing this time on "society's collective ignorance of the emergent and symbiotic aspects of natural law". By emergent, he means ever-changing, transcendent, and constantly evolving. By symbiotic, he is referring to the interdependent nature of all things, the web of life introduced so succinctly by the physicist Franz Capra.
The film's conclusion offers the following suggestions for concrete actions to take in an effort to change the way the way things are
- Boycotting banks that claim to make up the Federal Reserve
- Not watching the news (for media and information is controlled)
- Not joining the military or letting anyone close to you do the same
- Getting off the grid in favor of clean energy
- Rejecting the current political structure.
"Zeitgeist: Addendum" is a lot to absorb all in one shot. What separates it from other conspiracy theory documentaries is that it also offers solutions. It compliments perfectly with other modern-day philosophers and thinkers offering optimistic outlooks such as Eckhart Tolle and the Dalai Lama.
