The Zeitgeist Movement Defined: Realizing a New Train of Thought

So I'd like to start off by saying that I did enjoy this book. It's starts off in a way I didn't expect: It outlines the epistemological and metaphysical bases the authors are working from, namely that of the scientific naturalist. It's always a joy for me to see even a little acknowledgement that some amount of conceptual analysis (i.e philosophy) is needed.I really am grateful for how the authors bring to light so many of the world's problems, many of which I myself was previously unaware of, ranging water shortage issues to the prospect (and occurrence) of jobs being overtaken through automation (especially by artificial intelligence). But rather than just take the easy pessimist route, the authors are quick to point out that there are in fact solutions - both existing and developing - for many of these problems.The authors do a good job sourcing their claims overall. In fact, they perhaps do too good a job, such that it leaves me suspicious that they could possibly be trying to do an information dump so that the ordinary person simply accepts what they say uncritically, because it seems they have all the answers. Now I'm *not* saying that's what Mr. Joseph & his co-authors were trying to do, it's admittedly just a fear I get from the amount of sources in a book of this size.All that said, I find myself, I think, rightly skeptical. Firstly, I know from elsewhere that one of the authors, Mr. Joseph, doesn't think highly of economics as a discipline and has said something to the effect of it being a waste of time. This is surprising to me, given the reverence he seems to have for science. Now, I'm sure Mr. Joseph has his reasons for this view, but it seems all too convenient that the very discipline which is presumably best suited to analyze/evaluate his project is the very one he (and presumably his fellow co-authors) don't see the value in and ignore. And while I am very ignorant of economics myself, I've seen people who clearly know more about it than me question if Mr. Joseph & co. are even grasping basic economics, namely, that they seem to be ignoring that some of their claims, such as that the market pricing is inefficient, are false because it is inherently tied into supply and demand, and hence is the most efficient way that prices can be set (the existing inefficiences are often, supposedly, because of government interference in the market).As I said, I have precious little knowledge of economics, so these are perhaps not well-put criticisms.

The text consists of four main sections.In the first section TZM's approach to societal problems at large are introduced. This train of thought is unique in that it shines with transcendent lucidity. It thinks outside the box and transcends conventional notions of what is possible. At first glance the idea of a Natural Law/Resource Based Economy can seem utopian yet TZM's author team backs it up flawlessly with great academic and scientific rigor.In the second section it is extensively illustrated why the current socio-economic paradigm is inherently flawed and even adjustments within a monetary-market economy are not feasible.Section three is what really sets this text apart, in my opinion. In it the nature and mechanics of a Natural Law/Resource Based Economy are expanded upon. The possibilities shown are truly breathtaking and shown to be technically feasible.In the final section various way of how a possible transition could look like are discussed.The amount of research and reading that has gone into the publication of this text is astonishing. The authors have managed to bring everything together quite nicely and have created a well structured and concise guide to the train of thought advanced by The Zeitgeist Movement.I warmly recommend this text and the Zeitgeist Movement to anyone who is sincerely interested in living in a truly healthy, sustainable and thriving world. If you are not interested in the aforementioned I compassionately draw your attention to the insanity of that.

Why are people currently going without basic needs and dying even though technology and resources exist to prevent it? Why do people get stuck in traffic jams daily while rushing to work like crazed lunatics only to die prematurely from stress even though our current technical capabilities can prevent it? These are just two questions out of many that I have been thinking about and asking for years.The essence of the book is that we are born into an archaic system that no longer applies to the world that currently exists. Technology has rendered the old market systems and politics obsolete. The message being that the current systems are in the process of failing, and that we should work to make others aware of the situation so that we can be proactive, and engineer a system that can actually provide for the needs of ALL of the people in a sustainable way that doesn't destroy the Earth.It turns out that other people have been thinking about and asking the same questions as myself. The Zeitgeist Movement consists of people around the world who are working to apply science and technology to the social issues that we face as the world's population continues to grow. This book is an orientation guide, that with laser precision, breaks it all down and offers a new train of thought and open ended solutions.This text, in my opinion, is the most important text that has ever been written.

If you aren't familiar with The Zeitgeist Movement, this is the place to start. It is, by the movement's open admission, also available for free on the Zeitgeist Movement's website and many other places.Beginning with an overview of the history of economics, this work builds the case for an economy based on rationality, science, and a global integrated technological focus to maximize the wellbeing of all within a carefully curated biosphere. Life-requirements, social stressors and their resolution, relevant education, transport technologies, architecture possibilities - it's all here. 900+ sources and other footnotes back up and present the data on resources, land use, technical innovations already possible, educational imperatives, public health. It is compiled and edited by some twenty members of the movement over the last few years (their credits are in the book.)This is systems theory applied for public health concern.It is your right and future to be finally and actually served by competent, upgrade-able, open and available systems without a price tag. Imagine that. And then glance at the news and see your "governments" prevaricating and shimmying out of any responsibility for the destruction wrought upon the public by climate change, industrial pollution, resource depletion and wasteful life-blind cancer-logic capitalism.Want a genuine society? How about an actual civilization on this planet, thriving in the sunlight of a new enlightenment? Governments won't do it for you. However, we all will, when we finally work together. Perhaps you think that's fanciful or utopian. Humans getting on? Solutions and resolutions to problems rather than patch work sellable servicing of problems? Impossible, you say?How robbed of hope you must be to think that. But if you find yourself here, always having wondered if humanity weren't on some kind of "wrong path", but couldn't put your finger on what it was that was amiss - you may be pleasantly surprised.This is a long overdue shot across the bows, in the value war of scientific understanding, technical morality and life itself versus the outdated, dangerous and wasteful practices of traditional economics, which will in fact kill us in the end.Get informed, and start to form the future you have always deserved.

I so wish this book had been available when I was young, spending my evenings watching the Vietnam war on the news, the cold war, the Cuba crisis and endless other awful things going on in this world and desperately searching for any Ideas for how this world could be a better place but only ever being able to see huge flaws with every idea that I ever came across and ending up giving up with the whole idea that a 'better world' was possible. Blaming it on things (that I now know to be wrong) like 'human nature' etc, I sure never thought to blame the 'system' itself.........I simply cannot find any 'major' flaws with the Non monetary, natural law, Resource based economic system that is being advocated by the Zeitgeist movement. ...a much better world IS possible, and the best thing about it is that it's not only possible, it's actually quite easy, if it's what people want. I sure hope the young generation or anyone older who fears for the future of their own children, studies this book.

The TZM Team behind the writing did an amazing and crucial work, especially for a First Edition. If you consider yourself an open-minded individual, I encourage you to read this book as such. All other books should be read in the same manner, by all means, but I believe with this one it is quite a challenging task to accomplish. Two characteristics distinctly unique about this book, to my mind: a) instead of allowing only for passive criticism of its ideas, I get the feeling one is invited to actively participate in changing it, improving it; b) an inherent tendency towards its own demise seems built into it, a propensity to become obsolete just like the movement itself. It's not a slice of history. The message seems to say 'read me until you don't need me anymore.'

This book suggests to look at and criticise our civilisation, recognize it's problems (and in fact, the root cause of these problems, not a surface scratch), yet suggesting a new way of thinking, a new train of thought, to use our ever increasing scientific knowledge to better our environment, social and physical health, and our civilisation and ourselves at once.This book is _not_ some kind merely philosophical or futuristic fantasy - it's based on true and very well sourced facts, current and historical trends, respected views and derived logical conclusions.There is no physical reason to have billions of people in our word to suffer of malnutrition, preventable diseases, water contamination, stress and inequality. It's all signs are of inefficient, archaic, competition-based and self-interest oriented, waste generating and environment destroying system called "the market economy".

Take a look around you, does the world make sense today? 85 people with the wealth of the 3.5 billion poorest, 1 billion starving.The Zeitgeist movement is not presenting a utopia, just something much better than the current paradigm. Everything talked about in this book is within the power of society to achieve now and forever change the human journey. We have the tools and technology to feed, power, house and provide water to every person on the planet -RIGHT NOW, but the rules of how the economy works today means it is not achievable. Don't just believe what is written in this book, check the sources that are provided and go even further with your own research. I promise if you read this with an open mind it will change your life.