Thursday, August 13, 2009

Zeitgeist


Humphrey Erm asked in the comments if I have seen Zeitgeist and, if I have, what I thought of it. Well, I have seen it and there are several subjects brought up in that movie and each one covered with much detail so it would take many posts to go through it. But I thought straight away that I could give an overview of what I thought of it and my feelings on similar views, films, theories and so on. Just the surface.

For those of you who don't know Zeitgeist, it is a documentary film described as being about conspiracies. It is divided into several sections. One questions religion, the origins of Christianity and the subject of control and the church. One is all about the attacks on the World Trade Center. And the last is one that deals with conflicts in the 20th century and the interests behind them (mainly money) and very much presents us with the idea of a conspiracy.

So what do I think of it?

I think it's very interesting. I think it's something people should see. Do I buy it? No, not all of it and this is a problem I'll go into in a moment.

But there is one very important thing about Zeitgeist and many other documents like it - it presents questions. Whether you believe their point of view or not, it asks you to actually think about what you're being told, from all sides. Make up your own mind by all means, do what research you can with what resources you have available but at the very least just think.

Whether you come away from it thinking just about everything in it is bullshit, that message is extremely important.

If there is anyone who seems to be actively dissuading you from opening up to ideas and thinking about them, they have shit to hide. Plain and simple.

George W. Bush - "Let us never tolerate outrageous conspiracy theories concerning the attacks of September the 11th; malicious lies that attempt to shift the blame awayfrom the terrorists, themselves, away from the guilty."

But there is a huge double standard here.

If you take the official story of what happened on 9/11, for example, and go from the Commission report, that is the view that many accept because, of course, it is coming from official sources. It comes with a whole bunch of ideas, theories and, importantly, holes because some of what happened doesn't seem to be known - after all, there was a lot of destruction that day.

If you take something like Zeitgeist, it also comes with a whole bunch of ideas, theories and its own holes.

But for people to dismiss the Zeitgeist view of what happened, all it takes is for someone to debunk just one little part of the whole picture. It tears everything else down with it in the minds of a massive amount of people and those pushing the official events relish that as its existence and mistakes are used as proof as to why you should not question things at all.

And yet the official story, even if you buy the basics, stinks of bullshit. Certainly the missing black boxes/found paper passports is all you need to start thinking something doesn't quite add up. But, when it comes to the official story, it's innocent until, well, forever seemingly because even poking giant holes through it (which has already happened) doesn't seem to do any damage.

It's a huge double standard.

Another double standard comes in the expectation that, for a counter theory or even just question to be taken seriously, it must come from a quiet objective professor or someone. A film like Zeitgeist can be dismissed as alarmist, sensational and one-sided. Michael Moore of course gets the same thing - he's twisting it because he's one-sided. Not objective.

And that's often true.

But the other side is blasting out of Fox News and plastered all over papers in alarmist news stories, scaremongering and distraction techniques. It is in no way one-sided or objective. The 'official' sources won't present you with alternative views and all sides of the picture.

So why is it expected from those presenting a counter view? Just a double standard.

And the use of the term 'conspiracy theory' is used to dismiss any questioning, any actual thought process. But that's a term I reject. The official story, by every definition of the term, is a conspiracy theory: a shadowy unseen enemy, led by a madman in a cave, infiltrates the country and plots to tear down the thing they hate most - freedom.


One of the problem with the sheer amount of ideas and questions posed by something like Zeitgeist (and if you move beyond that and out into other sources, it gets worse) is that effect that I mentioned of tearing the whole thing down with just one crappy idea. Anyone know Alex Jones? Alex Jones comes out with theory after theory. And then more theories.

Much of them, I just don't buy. They just don't ring true. And yet others, well, maybe he's on to something.

But because he comes out with so much that can be dismissed, it damages his credibility across the board and yet I think he has at times asked some really relevant questions. But will they be heard?

I saw some guy on television several weeks ago with photos of the moon saying he could see moon bases in them. I couldn't see them. And I was able to dismiss him.

With so many views and a massive grey area between the ideas that ring true and the complete off the wall or simply incorrect or misguided or unresearched theories, I can't help feeling that these play into the hands of those with something to hide. They can put the truth out there in plain sight because people are so crowding the world with their own untruths that nobody anywhere will be able to sift through it.


Again, 9/11 is a good example. There are so many things that just don't quite seem right about that. Really obvious things. But sifting through the untruths would take a lifetime and by the time you got there people would have piled on so many more, you'd be back to square one.

I expect people with something to hide love the idea of 'conspiracy theories'.


Of course, I'm showing that I buy into the idea that people have something to hide. Of course they do. To think anything else is utterly naive and is not backed up by history. Where power and money are concerned, people override morality and do shit they shouldn't. That is seen throughout all modern history.

To see it, you simply need to take a glance at the history of finanicial powers like GE, the actions of the pharmaceuticals companies, Watergate, the actions behind many of the conflicts around the world since WW2 (William Blum's 'Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions Since World War II' makes for depressing yet somewhat obvious reading), the history of military testing and, well, actually you can look just about everywhere to see it.

And you'll only be able to see those times where things got out into the open. The actions of the large companies (again GE is a good example) make me sure of one thing - being caught in a criminal act does not in any shape or form mean they will stop doing it.

You only have to look at Operation Northwoods to know what people are capable of scheming. That is no conspiracy theory. It is, however, very much a conspiracy.


I told the story already on this blog but I'll tell it briefly again now. I was at the Cartoon Forum in 2001 in Germany, just after the 9/11 attacks. The only radio station I could find in English was the radio of a US Army base close by. On it, I heard that they had found conclusive proof that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the attacks. I got home and there was no news of this. Not even a mention that it was a proposed theory. Weird...

It was only years later when Iraq was invaded that it clicked with me - they were priming their troops for that attack back then. It was well-planned. The weapons of mass destruction thing was bullshit (as we found out). That was simply their reason for justifying the attack that they had planned well in advance. And 9/11 was being used to get the troops pumped for that attack.


So, where am I with Zeitgeist? I honestly don't know but I'll tell you this - much of what we are told stinks of bullshit. The reasons (power and money) are obvious and history backs up that those two things will cause people to do horrendous stuff and try to hide it. I don't know the truth. I can't know the truth.

But I know something stinks of bullshit and I think it's time people, like everyone, started thinking about that.

10 comments:

Edcander said...

This might interest you http://leavingalexjonestown.blogspot.com/

And I don't think anybody should see Zeitgeist, because from what I've looked up, it's rather flawed. http://www.conspiracyscience.com/articles/zeitgeist/
http://webskeptic.wikidot.com/zeitgeist-story-of-jesus
http://webskeptic.wikidot.com/zeitgeist-war
http://webskeptic.wikidot.com/zeitgeist-income-tax
http://webskeptic.wikidot.com/zeitgeist-federal-reserve

Bitter Animator said...

I have absolutely no doubt that Zeitgeist is flawed. But I do think it presents some important questions.

But this is the problem I have with how certain views are treated. Zeitgeist being flawed does not mean people shouldn't see it. And being flawed does not, by default, mean that what it tries to debunk is true. It is being held up to a different set of standards to those of official sources who have been historically proven to have lied or made mistakes (WMDs, as an example that relates to my post).

And so we are left with not one trustworthy source.

Red Pill Junkie said...

Mr. Animator,

By the powers invested in me, I hereby declare you Honorary Grailer.

Your brilliant exposition has proven you worthy of filling our ranks. Congratulations, brother!

Et in Arcadia Ego!!

PS: You shall be receiving your tinfoil hat shortly ;-)

susan said...

Interesting. I will have to try to find a copy of said movie.

Personally, I cannot listen or read about 9/11. it's too raw yet, I lost friends in there, and I was supposed to be in the city that day, right near there. I guess as time goes by, I can watch that part, but right now, I still shiver when i hear a plane flying overhead.

You guys want to see something mind blowing? Google "Plastic Coffins". Scary stuff.

Great piece Bitter. Very Interesting and thought provoking.

Bitter Animator said...

Wow, I'm honoured, RPJ, and very much looking forward to my hat. Though, these days, they don't even need to infiltrate my thoughts as so much of what I think ends up on this blog and they can piece the rest together from what sites I go to - in this country, I think all our internet activity is tracked and stored (if anyone from my ISP is reading this, can you confirm that and where my data is going?). Who needs privacy, eh?

I'm very happy to be an honourary Grailer!


Susan, you have me intrigued with the plastic coffins. Off to google it now...

Humphrey Erm said...

Wow, I feel honored that you made a whole post based on my comment! I'm saving this posts image as a memento.

You bring up many good points. Your whole blog is like that guy from the movie Network. You say so many good things, and you do get us riled up and inspired. I almost want to just stick my head out the window and shout "Im mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!".

Thanks again for a great blog, and again for making a post about my comment. Sweet.

susan said...

I just saw on TV that "District 9" is opening in the States tomorrow.



Just seems weird given this conversation.

Toole said...

The Iraq war wasn't planned very well.

Anonymous said...

German for "Shit Ghost", right?

Author said...

Zeitgeist would translate as time ghost or spirit = spirit of the time.
Coincidentally, I recently fell on the following site 'Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth.' They think the buildings look like they were demolished by explosives.
http://www.ae911truth.org/