The word “Addendum” implies a small addition or expansion of a larger body of work. Clocking in at 2 hours and 3 minutes, Zeitgeist Addendum is a full-fledged sequel to Zeitgeist the Movie rather than a mere addendum. “Zeitgeist 2” picks up where its predecessor left off by launching a detailed explanation on the mechanics behind the monetary system and fractional reserve banking. Using the American economic system for its examples, the brooding narration explains how the central bank issues notes to the government for deposit in commercial banks, who in turn loan a large fraction of these deposits to consumers. The explanation of money purely as an instrument of debt seems philosophically valid, if not a little cynical. Filmmaker Peter Joseph’s view of the monetary system as both a pyramid scheme and a form of organized slavery serves as a basis for the remainder of the film.
The second phase of the movie features a long interview with John Perkins, author of “Confessions of an Economic Hitman”. Perkins outlines the role and evolution of the so-called economic hitman – a private or public sector agent who corrupts foreign leaders and economies to enable cheap access to national resources. Foreign leaders who do not comply with agents of the corrupting nation (typically from the West) are typically assassinated and replaced with a more “business-friendly” regime. Perkins cites the Iranian coup of 1953 and subsequent installation of the Shah as the first true economic hit while citing Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and Panamanian president Omar Torrijos Herrera (who signed the bill transferring the Panama Canal from American control) as examples of leaders who refused to be corrupted and were subsequently killed.
Visions of Utopia
Part three and four of the movie deal with The Venus Project, a visionary design for a resource-based economy whose proponents believe all of humanity’s problems can be solved by technology. In such world, the representatives claim, all humans can be fed, housed and otherwise placated by the abundant resources available in a society that uses technology to cater to social needs rather than military or capitalistic objectives. This portion of Zeitgeist Addendum is the most challenging to watch – not just because it is too long, but also because it mixes equal portions of science fiction (e.g. magnetic levitation tube trains traveling 4000 miles/hour), societal absurdities (e.g. no need for laws since every human’s economic needs to be met with technology and there will be no need to commit crime) and genuinely good ideas (e.g. harnessing solar, wind, wave, tidal and geothermal power to minimize or eliminate dependency on fossil fuels).
Focus returns to the monetary system, citing its inherent corruption as the primary reason why societies similar to that outlined by the Venus Project aren’t possible. After once again maligning the banking system as the root of all human woe, Zeitgeist Addendum offers a surprisingly practical list of what the average person can do to exploit the current financial chaos for social transformation. Among the suggested measures are divestment from America’s three largest banks, boycotting mainstream media sources in favour of independent news sources, avoiding military service (extra focus was placed on the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on Gulf war veterans) and removing from the energy grid.
You’re Either With us or Against us
The movie closes with a stark choice for the viewer – remain a materialistic slave of the monetary system and its divisionary institutions or discover truth and oneness by joining the Zeitgeist movement. The accompanying dramatic sequence depicts a series of business, military and religious people throwing down the symbols and tools of their respective institutions before looking to the sky and embracing a re-colorized earth.
Timing can mean everything to a movie’s success and Joseph chose the perfect time to release Zeitgeist Addendum. The monetary system is in retreat worldwide while defaults skyrocket among consumers and once-unshakable mega-corporations. One narrative at the end of the movie should resonate with even the hardest critic of anti-establishment sentiment:
As of now, the world financial system is on the brink of collapse, due to its own shortcomings. The comptroller of currency stated in 2003 that the interest on the U.S. national debt will not be affordable in less than 10 years. This theoretically means total bankruptcy for the U.S. economy and its implications for the world are immense. In turn, the fractional reserve-based monetary system is reaching its theoretical limits of expansion and the banking failures you are seeing is just the beginning. This is why inflation is skyrocketing, all debt is at record levels, and the government and fed are hemorrhaging new money to bail out the corrupt system – for the only way to keep the banks going is by making more money. The only way to make more money is to create more debt and inflation. It is simply a matter of time before the tables turn and there is no one willing to take new loans while defaults grow, as people are unable to afford their current loans. Then the expansion of money will stop and contraction will begin on a scale never before seen.
-Narration, Zeitgeist Addendum
Sadly, Zeitgeist Addendum devalues such timely and thought-provoking observations with the same dishonest recitation and logical leaps that earned its predecessor the “conspiracy theory” label from skeptics.
Yes-Yes persuasion. This subtle but effective technique starts with reciting two or more verifiable/probable statements and forcing a conclusion on the plausibility of the previous statements. While a decent argument can be made that debt and interest will inevitably force some foreclosures in any society, one cannot therefore assume that the banks INTEND to bankrupt people and hold them to any kind of modern bondage. In truth, bankruptcy is bad news for the modern bank because most of the assets purchased with consumer debt have limited resale value … and of course the bank is out of the money it loaned. People in many U.S. states can legally walk away from their homes without legal penalty. Furthermore, the existence of a relationship between government and business does not imply premeditation, and in the case of the current sub-prime meltdown even most bankers were not aware of the exposure presented by mortgage-backed securities. If there exists a conspiracy to enslave humanity and consolidate power, it’s proving a colossal failure.
Willful omission. Attacking banks as omnipotent forces of profit may be fair game, but who owns the banks? The majority of banks are publicly held, traded on the open market. Huge contributors include pension funds, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. The ultimate owners of these funds are the same “wage-slaves” said to be indirectly working for the bank, regardless of their actually occupation. With few exceptions, the slave does not own the farm. The recent collapse of Lehman Brothers did not result in mass freedom but did wipe out thousands of average people’s retirement savings.
Drive-by accusations. Alarming accusations and insinuations are placed amid factual statements without elaboration or future reference. While defining terrorism, the narrator claims that the organization Al Qaeda never existed, with the name referring to a database created by American operatives. Another passage insinuates that 9/11 was executed by American forces as a pretext to invade Afghanistan and revive the opium trade.
Shaman or Charlatan?
Zeigeist Addendum’s core message is somewhat contradictory. Firstly, the narrator suggests divesting from the three largest banks as a form of protest, but wouldn’t reinvesting those funds in alternative firms perpetuate the same fractional reserve system? All banks in a nation hold deposits with the same central bank – that’s why it’s a CENTRAL bank.
Secondly, the film suggests joining The Zeitgeist Movement to attain critical mass and inform the world that resources should be free for all of mankind to use. This, the narrator claims is “the only true sustainable solution”. Previously, the film dismissed the world’s major religions (Islam, Christianity and Hinduism) as closed-world views. Why, then, wouldn’t this criticism hold true for a movement promoting the inalienable truth of environmentally-conscious collectivism?
Thirdly, the film states several times that politicians cannot solve humanity’s problems since they are controlled by the same few corporations. These statements are accompanied by flashing images of Democrat/Republican symbols and pictures of the 2008 presidential candidates. However, the film also flashes a picture of failed Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul when speaking of honest politicians who are sidelined by the system. Paul also appears in a C-SPAN clip, sternly questioning FRB Chairman Ben Bernanke. How do we know Ron Paul isn’t also controlled by the same corporations, provided as a distraction to create the illusion of dissidence?
With such gaping inconsistencies in mind, who should watch this film? In some respects, everyone should view this film because it at least challenges our understanding of and allegiance to the social institutions we rarely question. The high points of this film are the initial explanation of fractional reserve banking and entire economic hitman segment – both can be easily verified and/or criticized. The rest is somewhat pie in the sky to this cold pragmatist but can stoke the imagination of more eccentric types. Like Zeitgeist the Movie, Zeitgeist Addendum is primarily a conversation starter, but now the presentation is a bit slicker and the content more relevant to current events.
се сложувам до некаде дека американците сами го направиле тоа ама држи вода и тоа со експлозиите.. 30 експлозии не ми се верува да имало :S
