Are we "the masses" being completely manipulated?

[Dan Steely]

This is a link to a very compelling film. Well worth watching in my opinion. http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/

[Woowoo]

I've seen this a while ago. My summary:

PART I: Christianity is a culmination of many "pagan religions" that preceded it, based on astrology, sun worship, and other seemingly anti-Christian concepts.

PART II: The official story of 9-11 is full of more holes than swiss cheese.

My review:

I agree with both premises. However,

Part I fits into the category of "true but trivial." Even Christian scholars will explain that many pagan concepts were incorporated into Christianity in order to sell the religion to the heathens who needed to be converted.

More compelling is the concept that the Christ story was one of a long line of stories of the same nature. To the thinking person this might cast doubts on the entire story. But Christians believe through faith, not through historical analysis, so I doubt this is going to change anybody's mind about anything.

In Part II I think they did a very bad job presenting any compelling evidence, and did present some evidence which can be easily refuted. They relied a lot on the "quoting random idiots out of context method" which I find insulting to my intelligence, just like a Michael Moore movie. There are some great documentaries about true conspiracies which are effectively blown wide open by critical examination, but this just isn't one of them.

Also, I think its a weird mish-mash of ideas. It would have been better as two distinct documentaries.

I'm not upset that I watched it though, it was entertaining even if I didn't buy it hook-line-and-sinker.

[nick]

Why is it so hard to believe that a bunch of pissed off arabs crashed planes into buidings? Sorry,but I'd rather go with occam's razor than try and find somekinda post modernist epihany moment.

[Dan Steely]

Yeah I didn't buy it hook line and sinker by any means. The part that I found the most interesting is that which dealt with the central banking system.

[Dan Steely]

Why is it so hard to believe that a bunch of pissed off arabs crashed planes into buidings? Sorry,but I'd rather go with occam's razor than try and find somekinda post modernist epihany moment.

Not hard to believe at all and has been my assumption even after watching this film.

I also though have become so jaded over time though that almost nothing would surprise me, especially since Cheny's life's work has been centered around trying give the presidency unfettered absolute power.

[rockbottom]

if you believe (without question) what you read or see in the media . you are being manipulated. its even hard for me to withstand media blitzez. (damn i Really need that) advertizing is getting so powerful, subliminal?:cool:

[nick]

if you believe (without question) what you read or see in the media . you are being manipulated. its even hard for me to withstand media blitzez. (damn i Really need that) advertizing is getting so powerful, subliminal?:cool:
Two words.....fox news.

[Seedy]

yes, completely, our enslavement to capitolism has lead humanity to a dead end

[Junkindatrunk]

I'm sure you all will hate me for saying this but fuck 9/11. I don't believe anything anyone has said about it so far and to be honest, it doesn't matter anymore. What matters now is that we get off our asses and stop analyzing and start DOING SOMETHING about it.

People think 9-11 changed everything (especially fox news). It changed nothing. We haven't done anything except bomb the people we were planning to bomb anyway. Kids starved in Africa before, they are starving in Africa today.

People hated out country before, they still hate it today. Even if the 9-11 truth movement is completely right, they will never win. Besides, what would winning consist of? The administration wont admit anything, and even if 99% of the population realizes they are full of shit, it wont make them suddenly not full of shit.

This would be meaningless, because 9-11 already happened, and these things will happen again. I think we need to step outside ourselves, especially the good folks who made the "9-11 truth" movement so compelling, and take that energy to put towards a movement that we have a chance at winning. Like feeding people.

Maybe if we sent aid, food, and money to all the terrorists who "hate our way of life" so much they might not be so compelled to attack us hmmm?

Maybe I'm just nuts.

Either way, 9-11 sucked, I mean no disrespect to anyone who was directly affected. But these 9-11 truth people can do SO MUCH MORE.

and so can we.

But I'd rather get high. :cool:

[Dan Steely]

Just to be clear. The movie is not a simple a 911 conspiracy theory. That is just one part of a much broader picture that the film maker is trying to get across. It is much further reaching than being about that one incident.

If that was all it was I would neither have watched it nor recommended it.

The film certainly is not without flaws but it is thought provoking and interesting.

[Junkindatrunk]

I remember seeing it awhile ago. The 9-11 part stuck with me, the rest was like..."duh". Of course there's a giant secret conspiracy going on behind the curtain that all the major people in power are involved in. This is how the world works!!!

It also makes the internet an interesting place to look at weird theories too:D

[Dan Steely]

You're weird!:p

JK and I like your philosophy of killing them with kindness.

[Seedy]

Here's a film from the 70's: people have been trying to get this messsage across since the beginning.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=449294564876413449&q=conspiracy&ei=4PdBSOfzKovSrgPf6M2ECQ

[Dan Steely]

Thanks seedy. I'll check that out.

[HistoryofMadness]

some of you guys know i have a bit of experience with 'perception management' campaigns from my younger years. i was brought in to work with a military contractor during the homeland security launch. all i can say is that wars are being fought in our minds, and have been for a long time.

but counterspin campaigns like '9/11 conspiracy' etc are part of the whole bag. don't get too caught up with either side. be a radical moderate and you'll be the worst thing for the power mongers that run this joint.

besides we don't have the intelligence in the federal government to conspire to such atrocious and grandiose things...

so no, we aren't being 'completely manipulated' but there is a very powerful Echo Chamber out there and from time to time the wrong hands get hold of it. we are in one of those times now.

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

I remember seeing it awhile ago. The 9-11 part stuck with me, the rest was like..."duh". Of course there's a giant secret conspiracy going on behind the curtain that all the major people in power are involved in. This is how the world works!!!

It also makes the internet an interesting place to look at weird theories too:D

I agree with that ^ guy

[Opiyum]

Before we start feeding the starving kids in africa it would be nice to give food,clothes and housing to the homeless children living in our country. After all they are our resposibilty and it is our fault that we have so many homeless people and homeless kids with aids born addicted to drugs.
How can we save another continent when we can't even take care of the people in our own country.
I too...would rather get high than deal with or think of all this.
I think that is the feeling a lot of people here have.
Are we any better or worse or just as worse as the multi-millionaire, white collar button down CEO's who only full fill their selfish needs?
Sure they are in a better position to help others but it's not how much a person can help that matters it's that they do it at all.
We are all a bunch of selfish assholes is the point I guess and conspiracy theories are just a stupid distraction. Created by instigators who have nothing better to do than point fingers and spread fear. Like someone in this thread said. Go do something instead of making stupid movies. Movies don't help people and they don;t change the world but they do increase the number of hits one gets on his website.

At least we are enjoying ourselves on our way down. No?
Ignore me....Im just a little high.