Zeitgeist Opinion

Total Drag
I was listening to a weekly address* by Peter Joseph, producer of the Zeitgeist films and he depressed the fuck out of me. Why? Because he regurgitated the same problem analysis from his films, but when it came to elucidating the solutions, that shit was thin and dispassionate.

The conspiracy theorists exhibit this same behavior. I was a fan of Alex Jones, then fell off because his shit got repetative. I watched all the films about the Boheimian Grove, the Bilderberg Group, FEMA camps and of course the classic interview with Aaron Russo (RIP).

Again, alot of critique of the system by Jones and then ads for canned meat that lasts fifty years, shower head water purifiers... Sooo, the solution is the new world order is your sponsers?!

Thats when it donned on me, preachers, conspiracy theorists may start out with a love for the game, wanting to educate the people, but as soon as some bills or profits becomes part of the equation, the message and thinking submits to that gravity.

Now, I'm not saying the Zeitgeist Movement is like that, Hell, I haven't been to my first meeting. It's just that without as much time being spent on the solution in Peter's lectures and easy answer is a home water purifier.

Then Again...
Perhaps the answers lie with the local chapters. Maybe the answers shouldn't come from Joseph at all... if they did, it would be too easy for this movement to become a cult of personality. Maybe the bridge between Peter Joseph and Jacques Fresco is the people in the Zeitgeist movement.

A resource-based economy, which is the ultimate goal far as I can tell, of the the Zeitgeist movement seems alien. I mean like really, like little green men type alien. I'd be willing to bet my Loose Change DVD that visitors from other planets needed to get to that kind of social organization just to allow the creativity and innovation to evolve enough to develop interplanetary travel.

I'm so frustrated with the beligerent problem ananlysis that it drives me to find the answers on my own. I hope I make it to a Zeitgeist meeting soon, but if most of the time is spent fundraising and not finding solutions... well, God Bless, meet you at the circular city or the Rally to Restore Sanity, which ever comes first.

*http://www.blogtalkradio.com/peter-joseph/2010/10/13/101310--peter-joseph-8-lectures-3-a-profile-of-col

Photo: ZipCar I rent sometimes. Taken with onboard photo app in my iPhone 3Gs, edited with PS Express app.

Elevator Conversations

There is a meditation I use from time to time; after centering myself with slow deliberate breathes, I imagine an elevator.

In this elevator I press the sub-basement button, then I feel the downward sensation of the car. At each floor, the doors open and a wise man or prophet gets on and we chat; Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, my Grandmother and so on.

On a good night, before I get to the bottom, I become so captivated by the conversations I lose track of time and my body.

During one meditation session, once I reached bottom, there was no elevator. I looked "down" and saw stars. I decided to go to one of the stars. I would move toward them and they seemed to move away from me. It was beautiful and frustrating. I had little awareness of my body, but felt the need to escape from it through one of these shiny portals.

I did escape eventually, but not this time. For now, I'm just moving through space chasing stars.

Photo: taken with iPhone 3Gs & Hipstamatic app (Lens: John S, Film: Pistil, no Flash)

Remember

Waiting.. Waiting is like being stuck in someone else's dream until they wake up. I've been waiting for myself to wake up for years now.

Sure, I go through the motions: work, fatherhood, friendships, but I don't really feel awake - only when I write. Only when I make love with words do I feel... really feel conscious.

There are moments though, like the one I'm waiting for right now, when I get epiphanies like Pop Rocks: when my children whisper secrets from a past life, when I help someone who can't repay me or when someone reminds me that I am sleeping.

photo: street corner in Alexandria, Va. iPhone 3GS w/ Hipstamatic app: John S/Ina's 1935

Red States, Blue States, Jaded States

In management you learn that alot of decisions are made before any jobs are posted, any meetings held, before any memos go out. I'm a manager and at times changing the system is antithetical to career advancement, so pick my battles. Enter the Politicians.

Before s/he is elected, most of the policy decisions have already been made. You can predict how much "change" the candidate will bring by looking at their major donors. Change is antithetical to funding next campaign, so they pick their battles; usually small ones that make good press, but don't challenge the system.

Winds of change many times comes from CEO's asses: more surveillance, more austerity, class warfare. When it rains it pours and every four years we vote for a new Weather Man. Dig?!

Thats why I like the Zeitgeist Movement; individuals free of religion, embracing technology and see class labels for what they are, a means to divide and conquer. With a mentality like that, voting is not looking sexy right about now.

All the angst and anger I had toward the Right; all the disappointment I have with the Left; leaves me with the notion of walking away from them both. That energy is better spent focusing on my business interests, family & friends. What makes me happy is election-proof.

There are some political activities that do appeal to me, one is total boycott and divestment in Israel. The Jewish State is this generation's Apartheid South Africa.

Going Green is something I'll work towards, not because of human induced global warming (don't agree with Gore), but going green because we can. There were electric cars in Henry Ford's time, guess oil had a stronger lobby.

"Net Neutrality is the First Amendment issue of our time" to quote Senator Al Franken, I agree. If the ISPs get their way, independent media and other non-establishment content providers will become the UHF of the Internet.

I enjoyed being apart of history by helping to elect the first African American President. Just didn't know the Powers That Be were integrated long before the Whitehouse. They will fund a Martian if he pledges to keep the status quo. Mr. Barak Hussein Obama may be the last President I vote for, but if my political action is multiplied by others, this won't be the last time I make history.

photo caption - taken w/ iPhone 3GS and Hipstamatic app

Brand Loyalty

iPhone 4
I soooo wanted to drink the Kool-Aid! Steve Jobs was Jim Jones and I wanted that iPhone 4. Didn't want to think about Antenna-gate or how the screen size is still the same or why video chat only works on wifi? I wanted to pinch my nose and down another 2yr bid with AT&T.


But, in the end, after numerous visits to the Apple store temple, I couldn't do the deed. Surrounded by zombies and ditto heads, I couldn't partake in their bliss. The new iPhone wasn't delivering on it's promise to "Change everything all over again". I've had this feeling before.


Democrats
Mr. Barak Obama is the iPhone 4 of the Democratic Party. Again, promised to change everything. I remember watching President Obama's speech at West Point. He was sending 3,000 more troops to W's war in Afghanistan. Apparently 8 years of troop deployments wasn't enough, more blood was needed for the arid soil.


But the zombies and ditto heads in the Democratic party would say "See, Obama is tough on terror. He has high resolution speeches and better apps than the Bush Administration." Again, I was lost. This is just like the old iPresident! Wars without end, erosion of civil liberties, only now the Patriot Act has a back facing camera and if you hold the Democratic rhetoric the wrong way, you lose clarity - the Democratic Death-grip.


This all brings me to the poignant question I want you to consider, is Brand Loyalty something intelligent people should be participating in? Whether is a device manufacturer or a political machine, if their aren't continually providing real value, then they don't deserve our support. Now here's the tough part, that means the real change we are looking for comes from us, not Apple or Obama. We have to make different choices and let the establishment follow.

Change is scary, but it doesn't have to be EVO.

Photo - African mask taken on iPhone 3GS with Hipstamatic app (John S, Alfred Infrared, Standard)

Chitterling Reefs

This ark I was building for my ambition and to save my family was threatened by this hog. She kept kicking up mud and making my work place disorderly. I decided to kill the pig.

One problem, my co-workers fancied her and would have no parts of it. The pig would slip through my hands, idle were they, offering no assistance. They would even condemn my actions as rash and insensitive.

More mud on my shoes. The pig is dancing and my team looks the other way. PETA members all. I guess one pig doesn't stop a ship from sailing.

One day, I got some mud in my mouth. My frustration with pork and my team set my mind on fire. My attempt at ending the pigs life starts to alienate not only my team, but the crew as well. I feel like the pig.

One morning, in the mirror, I saw an Engineer who spent his time chasing livestock instead of building ships. I knew then I had lost my direction and was crashing on chitterling reefs. Picking up my tools, I began to work on the ship.

One afternoon, while resting in the boiler room, my lunch fell from my lap to the floor. I woke up to find a trail of crumbs where a hoagie been. I took out a piece of cake and felt the heavy eyelids again, a cold furnace got the cake and the crumbs I gathered from the floor. Thoughts of a clean ship comforted my sleepy mind.

A wonderful smell of protein woke me. I went to the ships kitchen to compliment the chief, but no one was there. I asked my colleagues who had ordered food. "None" they said. Curious, I asked how was the furnace working? They told me, they quietly turned it on an hour ago, tipping over my sleeping body. Maybe the smell came from there.

We all ran down below. Through the door we could see my foil wrapped lunch in a charred hog's mouth. She must have snuck in there after my food while I slept. I didn't feel bad since my colleague started the fire.

Alls well that ends well.

Photo taken with iPhone 3GS, edited in PS Mobile

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