Zeitgeist, the Movie was officially released online on June 18, 2007 on zeitgeistmovie.com. However, a beta version had already been available on Google video since June 6.For a time, it reached the top of the chart of "most viewed" videos available through Google video. The video has since been translated into several languages.  Despite claims by their maker, Peter Joseph, that the documentaries have been watched by 50 million people worldwide, they have been largely ignored by film critics and by the media in general, with the few references to them being dismissive.

The film opens with a collection of visual art, film footage and audio quotes. It starts with a speech by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoché about spirituality, followed by a series of musically synchronized clips of war and explosions culminating with the September 11 attacks. This is followed by another sequence of clips, this time showing war casualties. The film's title screen is displayed, and Jordan Maxwell's Inner World of the Occult is quoted, which criticizes religious institutions, governments, and banking cartels who are alleged to "have misled [the people] away from the true and divine presence in the universe." The film's intro ends with a portion of a George Carlin monologue on religion and an accompanying animated cartoon.

The second movie,Zeitgeist: Addendum premiered at the 5th Annual Artivist Film Festival in Los Angeles, California on October 2, 2008, winning their highest award. It was released free online on October 4, 2008. Director Peter Joseph stated: "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."

Heels n' Coffee is proud and privileged to bring you an interview with Mr.Jacque Fresco ! Yes, THE Jacque Fresco.

Enjoy !

1. Mr. Fresco, for those of us who don’t know who you are or what the Venus Project is all about – Could you please tell us in two phrases a bit about yourself?

My background includes industrial design and social engineering, as well as being a forerunner in the field of Human Factors. I have worked as both designer and inventor in a wide range of fields spanning from biomedical innovations to totally integrated social systems.

The Venus Project reflects the culmination of my work: the integration of the best of science and technology into a comprehensive plan for a new society based on human and environmental concern. It is a global vision of hope for the future of humankind in our technological age.

A major documentary, titled Future By Design, on the life, designs and philosophy of my work in now available. This is produced by Academy Award Nominated and Emmy Winning filmmaker, William Gazecki. The film Zeitgeist Addendum featuring my work and The Venus Project, produced by Peter Joseph, was recently released. It can be viewed at www.ZeitgeistMovie.com

2. When did you first realize that you have a passion for engineering and invention?

When I was about 13, one of my relatives stuck his hand into a metal fan while it was on. This led me to design a fan with rubber or fabric blades. I submitted the design to some companies, but they showed no interest. Shortly after that, the product came out on the market. This was my introduction to the market place.

Once, when I was 10, I designed a special candle for a religious sect in New York City. They weren’t permitted to put out a candle on their holy days, so I designed one that would self extinguish at any hour they desired. I timed the burning of the candle for whatever amount of time was needed. Then I cut the wick at different points in the candle that correlated with different times and pulled the remaining wick out from the bottom of the candle.

3. Tell us a bit about some of the inventions you designed and helped shape our modern world.

· Systems for noiseless and pollution free aircraft

· A new aircraft wing structural system, patented by the US Air Force

· An electrostatic system for the elimination of sonic boom for Raymond DeIcer

· Boundary layer control and electrodynamic methods for aircraft control that dispenses with ailerons, elevators, rudders, and flaps

· A three-wheel automobile consisting of only 32 parts

· “The Aluminum Trend House,” a prefabricated house designed and developed for Mike Shore and Earl Muntz, 1945

· Designed and developed another prefabricated aluminum house for Major Realty Corporation in collaboration with Aluminum Company of America

· Developed numerous components and systems for architectural construction

· Developed equipment ranging from 3-dimensional x-ray units to electronic surgical instruments for the medical field

· Developed a technique for viewing 3-dimensional motion pictures without the use of glasses

· Designed and built a wide variety of reinforced concrete structures

4. How does your design process look? How do you start working on something?

I first ask what do I hope to accomplish and what is the simplest approach to a given problem. By simplest approach, I mean given the tools and information available. If I were to design the least expensive airplane, using minimum materials with maximum strength, and a wide margin of safety, I would select a flying wing. The flying wing eliminates fuselage, tail, rudder, and stabilizer. The passengers are seated in the wing. I designed many variations on flying wings in the early 1930’s.

I feel social designs must be based on the carrying capacity of Earth’s resources, and not on the philosophy, desires, aesthetics, or advantages of particular people. For example, the circular design of cities is based upon a minimum expenditure of energy for maximum social gain. Architecture, when intelligently designed, will use the least amount of material for the safest and most efficient structure possible. As materials improve and change, so will architecture and the designs of cities. This will not limit advantages, but will expand amenities and the goods and services available to everyone.

5. Is there any one field of discipline you find most promising right now, as far as technological advancement?

To advance technologically toward a humane society, the viewpoint of the generalist would be needed, which incorporates all of the factors necessary to sustain a highly technical, advanced civilization. Today, nanotechnology is a promising field.

6. Many of our readers never heard about the Zeitgeist Movies ( or movement ) nor about Future by design. Can you tell us what is the purpose and goal behind them ?

Very briefly, The Zeitgeist Movement is the activist arm of The Venus Project, which is an organization that proposes a feasible plan of action for social change; one that works toward a peaceful and sustainable global civilization. It outlines an alternative to strive toward where human rights are not only paper proclamations but also a way of life.

The Venus Project presents a vision not of what the future will be, but what it can be if we apply what we already know in order to achieve a sustainable new world civilization. It calls for a straightforward redesign of our culture in which the age-old problems of war, poverty, hunger, debt, and unnecessary human suffering are viewed not only as avoidable, but as totally unacceptable. Anything less will result in a continuation of the same catalog of problems found in today’s world.

The Venus Project’s vision for a sustainable world civilization is unlike any political, economic or social system that has gone before. It envisions a time in the near future when money, politics, and self and national-interest have been phased out. Although this vision may seem idealistic, it is based upon years of study and experimental research. It spans the gambit from education, transportation, and clean sources of energy to total city systems.

Many people believe what is needed is a higher sense of ethical standards and the enactment of international laws and treaties to assure a sustainable global society. Even if the most ethical people in the world were elected to political office, without sufficient resources we would still have many of the same problems we have today. As long as a few nations control most of the world’s resources and profit is the bottom line, the same cycle of events will prevail.

As global challenges and scientific information proliferate, nations and people face common threats that transcend national boundaries. Overpopulation, energy shortages, global warming, environmental pollution, water scarcity, economic catastrophe, the spread of uncontrollable disease, and the technological displacement of people by machines threaten each of us. Although many people are dedicated to alleviating those conditions, our social and environmental problems will remain insurmountable as long as a few powerful nations and financial interests maintain control of and consume most of the world’s resources and as long as the monetary system prevails.

If we really wish to put an end to our ongoing international and social problems, we must declare Earth and all of its resources the common heritage of all of the world’s people.

Earth is abundant and has plentiful resources. Our practice of rationing resources through monetary control is no longer relevant and is counter-productive to our survival. Today,we have highly advanced technologies, but our social and economic system has not kept up with our technological capabilities. We could easily create a world of abundance for all, free of servitude and debt, based on the carrying capacity of Earth’s resources. With the intelligent management of Earth’s resources and humane application of science and technology, the people of the earth can guide and shape the future together while protecting the environment. We don’t have enough money to accomplish these ends but we do have more than enough resources. This is why we advocate a Resource-Based Economy.

7. When did you start engaging with Human Factors Engineering and elaborating on the perspectives of human capability?

Living through the 1929 Great Depression helped shape my social conscience. During this time, I realized the earth was still the same place, manufacturing plants were still intact, and resources were still there, but people didn’t have money to buy the products. I felt the rules of the game we play by were outmoded and damaging, creating much suffering. This began a life-long quest resulting in the conclusions and designs presented in The Venus Project.

Conditions of misery, suffering, war, and war profiteering were the incentive and inspiration for my work. I was also motivated by the seeming incompetence of governments, the academic world, and a lack of solutions from scientists. Many fail as generalists because of their over-specialization on limited aspects of social problems. Scientists, politicians, and academicians see problems from inside the system they’re in, which is what’s responsible for the problems in the first place. I am disappointed with those who worry about terra-forming other planets while our own is still full of war, poverty, hunger, and environmental neglect.

Working with drug addicts, alcoholics, and so-called juvenile delinquents in New York City convinced me that instead of working with individuals, more effective methods would deal with the societal conditions that create dysfunctional behaviors in the first place because it is their environment and experiences that shape their behavior and values.

8. We all agree that an imminent change is needed. Where should the regular people start?

Learn as much as you can about this direction

The Venus Project is a concept that could happen today but it is not up to me. It depends on what others do to help bring it about. Please check our website for suggestions on how to get involved:

www.thevenusproject.com

www.thevenusproject.com/getInvolvedSupport.php

9. In “Future by design “you present some amazing ideas about our lives in the future. Most of the people I discussed these ideas with, are interested to know how will the Services sector will change to face these ideas ? Will people stop going to car mechanics? Or to Restaurants? Hair dressers and so on.

We would surpass the need for boring and monotonous jobs as quickly as possible. When a woman works behind a counter selling cosmetics for most of her life, she has very little in her head other than cosmetics. In many ways, this is a waste of a human being because she rarely uses her brain.

Car mechanics could be surpassed by an automated transportation system that is clean and efficient. When one sits at a table in a restaurant, the table would light up so the menu can be viewed. One can touch the screen to order what is desired and the food is automatically made and comes up from the middle of the table. The dishes are placed in the same spot to be returned. All subservient jobs can be automated, freeing people to pursue a more meaningful life.

10. What should be the methodology for achieving the ideas you’re talking about ?

During the great depression of 1929, when banks failed and people were laid off, things seemed hopeless. Those conditions brought about new organizations to address the many problems--everything from Mankind United, Socialism, Communism, Technocracy, and The World Federalist. They produced social awareness on a large scale. These conditions are sometimes referred to as bio-social pressures or the march of events.

At present, people are not well enough informed to devise a relevant and workable social system through rational methods. The Venus Project will not be installed by today's political leaders who are not appointed to change things but to keep things as they are. It is only through the failure of existing social institutions and political incompetence that people will seek other possible social alternatives. They are mainly motivated by severe conditions that threaten their safety and existence.

People must first know about this new social design, learn as much as you can about it and discuss it with others. We are constantly making new films and materials to introduce these ideas to the general public. We would like to do a major motion picture and a TV series. We feel these methods reach the most people in the shortest time. Anything people can do to help spread the word and present this direction to others is tremendously helpful. It is a new value system that is necessary to introduce. We would like to start building new cities as well.

11.In the present we are watching our leaders taking decisions for us - The wars in the Middle East , the so called “Financial Crisis “ ,the Codex Alimentarius and many other things that effect out lives. How can we resist if we have no REAL control over them ?

No nation today is going to give up its sovereignty for a social arrangement that has never been tried. Therefore it will take a social breakdown to stimulate the search for alternative social designs. This has been the case throughout human history.

The Venus Project can not be put into practice on a global scale until the economic systems of the world fail to provide for the needs of people.

What will help bring about the collapse of the world’s monetary systems is the infusion of automation and the outsourcing of jobs. This includes not only assembly line workers but also doctors, engineers, architects, and the like. As workers and professionals lose their purchasing power, the industries that depend on them can no longer function. This will bring an end to the monetary system. It is not a question of owners giving up their industries, so much as it is the fact that people will not have the purchasing power to sustain this system.

12. Last question Mr.Fresco – Do you think the change has started ? Or are we just talking about it as of yet ?

I feel that our antiquated social designs are becoming less workable and are failing all over the world. Talking about this new social direction is the first step to be taken. Enough people have to know about the direction of The Venus Project in order for it to be initiated.

Photos were designed and are courtsey of Mr.Jacque Fresco

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