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The Zeitgeist Movement describes itself as a grassroots, sustainability advocacy organization. Established in 2008 by Peter Joseph, the organization says it has no official leaders. The movement advocates transition from a money-based economic system to what they define as a natural law/resource-based economy. The name of the group comes from the German word Zeitgeist, which refers to the "spirit of the age" or "spirit of the time."

History

Following the release of Peter Joseph's first film, Zeitgeist: The Movie (2007), Joseph says fans began asking what to do about issues raised in the film. A sequence at the end of Joseph's second film, Zeitgeist: Addendum (2008), introduced the Zeitgeist Movement. The fans of the first two films became organized into the Zeitgeist Movement.

Zeitgeist formerly described itself as the activist arm of The Venus Project, which was featured in Zeitgeist: Addendum and Zeitgeist: Moving Forward (2011), but in April 2011 the groups broke contact and are no longer associated.

The Zeitgeist Movement's formula for change is presented through local chapters, theater, online, and via DVD release of their films. Zeitgeist holds an annual event, Z-Day, in March. Z-Day 2014 was held in Toronto, Ontario.

Views

The group describes the current socioeconomic system as structurally corrupt and in need of replacement with their concept of a system based on efficient use of resources and sustainable development. The Zeitgeist Movement advocates renewable energy and automated systems worldwide to collect, process, and distribute food and shelter and necessities of life without using a price system. The movement advocates the elimination of money and property private ownership in turn for a resource-based economy.

An article in the Journal of Contemporary Religion describes the movement as an example of a "conspirituality," a synthesis of New Age spirituality and conspiracy theory, asserting that Zeitgeist: The Movie claims that "organised religion is about social control and that 9/11 was an inside job."

Criticism

The Huffington Post, The New York Times, and The Palm Beach Post have reported critical reactions to various aspects of the Zeitgeist movement, including utopianism, reduced work incentives in their proposed economy, practical difficulties in a transition to that economy, and subscribing to 9/11 conspiracy theories in Zeitgeist: The Movie.

In Tablet magazine, journalist Michelle Goldberg criticized Zeitgeist: The Movie as being "steeped in far-right, isolationist, and covertly anti-Semitic conspiracy theories," and called the Zeitgeist movement "the world's first Internet-based cult, with members who parrot the party line with cheerful, rote fidelity."

See also

• Post-scarcity economy
• Technological utopianism

References

1. "TZM – Mission Statement". Retrieved April 2, 2013.
2. http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/faq#faq6
3. ^ New world re-order: The Zeitgeist Movement spreads to Ventura County, Shane Cohn, VC Reporter (California), May 12, 2011
4. ^ "The Zeitgeist Movement: Envisioning A Sustainable Future". Huffington Post. Mar 16, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
5. ^ http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/57732/brave-new-world Retrieved June 9, 2012
6. ^ Bill Stamets (February 15, 2011). "Art-house films: 'Marwencol,' 'Zeitgeist'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved March 7, 2011.
7. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/v-radio/2011/04/26/venus-project-explains-their-relationship-with-exemplar-zero
8. ^ "They've Seen the Future and Dislike the Present". New York Times. 2009-03-16.
9. Ward, Charlotte; Voas, David (2011). "The Emergence of Conspirituality". Journal of Contemporary Religion. 26 (1): 109. doi:10.1080/13537903.2011.539846. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
10. A dream worth having, Rhonda Swan, The Palm Beach Post, April 30, 2009

External links

• Official website

• The Zeitgeist Movement
• Sustainability organisations
• Environmental movements