Zeitgeist - Moving Forward (2011)
In the first part, the film discusses human biology, behaviour and certain illnesses. The affliction of diseases is not so straight forward as our DNA makeup alone. Various variables like epigenetic factors, psychological and social environments determines our general wellbeing.
Unlike other animals, a man's brain matures postnatally. As the human pelvis became smaller with its canal narrower when they became erect creatures, babies were, in a way, born prematurely. Neural connections were to complete after delivery and many events surrounding the delicate child's environment have bearings on their eventual function. It briefly discusses Neural Darwinism, addiction, memory, touch as a mandatory need, violence in society and incarceration as a punishment.
As in the previous films, their scapegoat is the faulty monetary system. Society portrays the money as the panacea for all of the human woes. It does not decay or spoil. Money begets money. Money, even though created out debt from nothing, it is valued as a commodity and is traded. It is moved around to create more wealth and businesses in this manner, making people slaves to compound interest! Economists say that strength of the market forces is the invisible hand of God! The success of a country is not gauged by comfort and happiness index but by GDP, CPI, inflationary rates and the stock market. The culture of consumption, cyclical consumption and demand to own, creates more businesses to businesspeople but makes the people immerse in more debt. False needs are created via widespread advertisements. The economy is supposed to economise the passage of products to ease consumers. Ironically, it does not. What it does is to create more inequality. Inequality brings out the worst in Man - violence. The biggest disability that a person can get at birth is to born poor. It shuts the door many comforts of modern life and propagates stress, difficulty in access to public health and long life.
Life systems are degraded. Precious natural commodities - trees, water, lands are brutalised rapaciously. Wars are generated to stimulate demands. There is an intrinsic obsolescence in modern products to make sure that goods do not last too long. Things break down easily and need to be replaced.
As before, the final third of the film is devoted to finding an answer to the conundrum that we are stuck. Through 'Venus Project' they plan to create a Utopia. Religion and politics are put aside to develop a dynamic equilibrium with Nature. Human civilisation should not be on a collision path with Mother Nature. Its resources must be tapped, distributed, replenished and managed efficiently. Nature is a dictator, and we humble Humans, should live a symbiotic one with it. But, it must a Herculean task!
