Date: Friday, 16 April
Time: 14:30 to 16:30
Venue: HB 20-14


Zeitgeist: Addendum

"The failure of our world to resolve the issues of war, poverty, and corruption, rests within a gross ignorance about what guides human behavior to begin with. It addresses the true source of the instability in our society, while offering the only fundamental, long-term solution." (Director Peter Joseph, 2008)

Part I follows on from Part III from the original film, citing the specific process of fractional-reserve banking as detailed in Modern Money Mechanics, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. In detailing the process of so-called money creation in banks, the film suggests that society is manipulated into economic slavery through debt-based monetary policies by requiring individuals to submit for employment in order to pay off their debt.

Part II is a documentary-style interview with The New York Times best-selling author and activist John Perkins based on his book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, in which he describes his role as a self-described economic hit man. In that capacity, he claims to have helped the CIA, as well as various corporate and political entities, to undermine or corrupt foreign regimes that put the interests of their populations before those of transnational corporations.

Part III is a documentary-style interview with futurist Jacque Fresco. The film looks at Fresco's proposal of a "resource-based economy", which he claims would create abundance, is environmentally friendly and sustainable. He goes on to discuss technology which he sees as the primary driver of human advancement and he blames politics as being unable to solve any problems, because of what he claims is lack of "technical capabilities".

Part IV of the film suggests that the primary reason for what it sees as society's social values ("warfare, corruption, oppressive laws, social stratification, irrelevant superstitions, environmental destruction, and a despotic, socially indifferent, profit oriented, ruling class") is a collective ignorance of "the emergent and symbiotic aspects of natural law." The film suggests several actions for "social change", and closes by asking everyone to "eliminate the divisionary, materialistic noise, we have been conditioned to think is true ... while discovering, amplifying and aligning with the signal coming from our true, empirical oneness."

For inquiries, contact the administrators; Lukas Nowak, Mark Kourie, Pite Raubenheimer or Stefan Smit on: [email protected]


[[1] “The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato.”
Alfred North Whitehead, Process and Reality

*The group holds weekly meetings where these topics are discussed and elaborated upon. Apart from the frequent smaller informal discussions by post-graduate students on topics of particular interest to them, Footnotes organises meetings in which more topical, controversial and hopefully fun discussions take place. Other events, such as the screening of philosophical films, are also organised by Footnotes. If you are a student of philosophy, or just have a general interest in philosophy, you are welcome to join our group and the discussions that it facilitates. Philosophy is first and foremost a discursive matter, so join us in bringing philosophy to life by participating in the discussions.