H U M A N S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y:

The Zeitgeist Movement&

The Venus Project

Z E I T G E I S TZeit is German for “time”, Geist meaning “spirit”.

A movement concerned with the future of humanity. It describes itself as a sustainability advocacy organization, seeking a long term restructuring of human society, notably being opposed to money and advocating scientific decision making based on available resources.

G LO B A L I SS U E S“The main threat to human survival was nature; today it is culture.”

The Statistics: Poverty in America

2009 saw the largest single year increase in the U.S. poverty rate since the U.S. government began calculating poverty figures back in 1959

The U.S. poverty rate is now the third worst among the developed nations tracked by the OECD

Household participation in the food stamp program has increased 20.28% since last year

One out of every six Americans is now being served by at least one government anti-poverty program

One out of every seven mortgages in the United States was either delinquent or in foreclosure during the first quarter of 2010

Nearly 10 million Americans now receive unemployment insurance, which is almost four times as many as in 2007

The number of Americans receiving long-term unemployment benefits has risen over 60 percent in just the past year

Nationwide bankruptcy filings rose 20 percent in the 12 month period ending June 30th

More than 25 percent of all Americans now have a credit score below 599

One out of every five children in the United States is now living in poverty

H OW A R E T H E S E I S S U E S R E L AT E D TO YO U A N D I ?

We live all live in this economy and suffer the consequences of the big businesses and politicians

Without a social security number and a credit history, you are essentially a “nobody”

Excessive nationwide debt (no end in sight?)

Chemically processed foods

A society consumed by materialism and greed

We’ve become stagnant in all aspects of progression

A Solution: The Venus Project

P r o fi t M o ti v e s

The word profit is used in the sense of civil benefit associated with long term advantages in a society where the Venus Project idea is applied

Utilizing technology to gain maximum efficiency in a humane and “green”manner

Eliminating currency to abolish greed and corruption

Equality and healthier living for everybody

 "The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force; we work to better humanity."

L I LY PA D – T h e F l o a t i n g C i t yDesigned to hold approximately around 50,000 people. Each Lilypad is intended to be either near a coast, or floating around in the ocean, traveling from the equator to the northern seas, according to where the gulf stream takes it.

IS IT A REALISTIC UTOPIA?

Pros Cons Initiation – will this be

explored and accepted by the majority?

Social and cultural lag Propaganda spreading

rather than information Psychological

assimilation for current generations

Acquiring new sets of values

Irrational human behavior and uproars.

Political greed and corruption

Restoration of the global environment

Brings an end to war, poverty, political corruption, greed, etc.

Highest standard of living (no social classes / judgment)

Technological progression that benefits everyone

Surpassing artificial boundaries between people, i.e. race, income, gender, religion

C l a s s D i s c u s s i o n What are some of the limitations associated with these ideas? What are the advantages? When do you see something like this being accomplished?