2013, Society  -   90 Comments
Ratings: 7.24/10 from 70 users.

This is a film based on the book "Death of the Liberal Class" by journalist and Pulitzer prize winner, Chris Hedges.

It charts the rise of the Corporate State, and examines the future of obedience in a world of unfettered capitalism, globalization, staggering inequality and environmental change.

The film predominantly focuses on US corporate capitalism, but the the author hopes that the viewer can recognize the relevance of what is being expressed with regards to domestic political and corporate activity.

It was made completely of clips found on the web.

We're not only dreamers but also doers. We believe in actions not in violence; we believe in collaboration not in segregation. Numbers, figures, and hash-tags are labels to help us organize this chaotic world. Stories, however, give meaning to our lives and unite us to the shared visions.

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90 Comments / User Reviews

Leave a Reply to Paul So Cancel reply

  1. J Miller

    Hey,Hey, can you hear? We are cooked and the futures already here. It's not our fault, you can hear the cheer. And all the while the end is near.

    Bye bye homo sapiens, you will not be missed.

  2. kr8

    The important content of this film is lost on most Americans, because of the mumbly fast british speaker.. I could only think how effective this would be with a strong american voice, like a Brad Pitt or James Earl Jones or Peter Coyote voice. With all the damn screechy techno noises deleted, it is horrendous and completely detracts and distracts the message. Sad as this was prescient..

  3. Stan

    Though what he says is interesting at times, i couldn't finish it.
    Good god that annoying techno/drum & bass in the background ALL the time gets me. And why the hell is half of the doc in negative colors? Who thought that would be pleasant to watch? Triggers me because if it had normal editing/sound this could be quite great.

  4. Hank Spinko

    Fascinating to see the corporate drones (aka 'sellouts') ignore the facts of this serious documentary.


    Explain this "awaiting" bit.


    The comments are quite revealing. Unsophisticated and/or uneducated persons revealing their limitations. I put my trust in Chris Hedges and his collaborators , very much aware of what they are doing here and just how they convey info in a breakthrough way to dim media addicts stuck in linear schoolkid comprehension.

  7. Jacqueline Lunger

    I appreciate having a three year period in which to compare the films messages to current time. I am very annoyed by the background sounds.

  8. Hemelskonijn

    My ears ... by god the amount of trash some might call music one can putt in to 50 minutes is unbelievable. It is really painful to try to watch this especially on laptop's who are easily distorting the horrid noise in to even more horrid noise.

  9. Steve

    nice documentary.

  10. Cassie

    A bit wimpy. I think this film needs a clear viewpoint.
    Kidding! - very thought-provoking but perhaps too pessimistic. While I despise many of the attributes and dangers of the internet, I am encouraged by the amount of valuable sharing done by those who are truly concerned about our future. For example, in my research today about new forms of sustainable energy, and new kinds of batteries to store it (even organic batteries!) I do feel there are amazing new developments coming very soon, coupled with individual's growing perceptions that change is needed now, that will revolutionize energy and thus make massive changes to the world's power structures! Human consciousness is changing among those who are sensitive to it . Do not underestimate the quiet wave, the undertow of power of people with noble intentions over the loud Hollywood-style blaring of the coarse and spiritually ignorant power-mongers. We will surprise them with our resilience, as people in the 60's did when the boycotted all the products of Nestle to force them to stop peddling baby formula to 3rd world countries. Just when they think we no more than grass under their feet - POW- grass roots power!

  11. DHD


  12. Greg R.

    I suspect this "documentary/recruitamentary" is aimed at the youth in society. No serious documentary would drown out their own narrative with dubstep. But if you're young and used to the trance/rave scene I could see it impacting someone compromised or willing to be compromised. To the rest of us this little more than a psychedelic screen saver of inverted 4 screen negatives and a mixed tape of trance music with a splash of fearful newpaper selling taglines. Here's a little advice, EVERY politician creates a brand during an election. No politician is going to change business/corporations. If you REALLY want to change things, then vote with your wallet, it's the only thing that will force change. Nothing gets a corporation's attention like dwindling sales. And always remember, that "fear" is tool used to short-circuit critical thinking. It feeds the "fight or flight" response that supersedes higher thinking.

    1. Ah

      Ah, you focus on the music. And yes, 'every politician is doing it', therefore [ ... ]. Keep the system, just don't buy 'their' goods — nice one! Cue some elevator music (I'm guessing it's more to your taste) — nothing to see here!

  13. aicram62

    join the GREEN party, form cooperatives hurry you're late!!!

  14. elbow on knee fist on chin

    some interesting views in this...the real question is..is our society REALLY heading into this direction?

  15. Luís Pinheiro

    love the soundtrack. does anyone knows the music names?

  16. Dave Igoe

    back to the hills people ! self government , people just have to start getting smarter to the world they live in , understanding marketing is a start

  17. Vexst Junglist

    i found this very strange to watch, the music was overpowering, i fell asleep and was woken up by the end when he starts shouting, it invoked an odd sinking feeling in me, i did not follow it very well thanks to the music, i do like the music but it was abit full on, as for the subject matter, ill have to watch it again to give any inteligibale opinion.

  18. Salini

    I agree that the quad screen, negative look and yukky music were almost a no go for me. But besides that, there were some good points. I haven't read Hedges' book so I don't know if he is as pessimistic as this film is. It seemed sophomoric & hopeless which I don't think he is.

    Although I"m not a "right wing Christian" who lives in illusion as the film suggests, I am a spiritual being whose experienced the miraculous in life available to those who let it in.I believe we have other options than just blind rebellion against massive military forces arrayed around us. I also know that even the darkest among us have moments of light and we must encourage more of that everywhere we go.

    I agree we must stand up to evil and forces of oppression, but we can't win the physical force game. The time has come for a spiritual revolution of the likes never before seen. We must meet military force with soul and heart force so united, collective and unbreakable that it will move the hearts, minds and souls of those who have lost their way and are enslaved to the corporate juggernaut. They will want to join us because the alternative is so soul-killing that they will leap to opportunity to reawaken their hearts. I have hope, and I will share it with you all very soon...

    1. Cherie Gray Lester

      Incredibly well put!!

  19. Jerry Michaud

    2. The perfect example can be somewhat illustrated in the lord of the fly . in any giving country take a a random group of people or even better , assemble a multicultural group of people and place them on a deserted island , island capable of all the need to grow and feed the people . leave them there for a year and you will see the same establishment of the world we live today, give them as a ultimate goal to create the perfect utopia and nothing more then what you see in our society will occur , you will find a leader, subordinate and the little people , some will expect to be taken care of while other will control them as a reward of doing just that. NOW take infant without any knowledge of society ,and like animals they will again create the same results but with a harshest system, as in the lord of the fly. int he end the reality is in front of our eyes . we need this , and yes it will auto destruct itself but we will perpetually rise again and repeat the same mistake. war will never end ,exploitation ,bigotry,and power hunger will always be who we are as in the fable of the scorpion and the frog. We simply for the past 20 years been offer a means to open our eyes to who we truly are and the awakening is tougher then expected.

  20. Jerry Michaud

    I have been to the end of the enternet! I have watched every single video on the subject ,and all have the same , they offer all of the same, "full description of the problem ,non of the solution " we could do this but then .... from what i have intensively studied of human history i can honestly give this one conclusion, we strive to be controlled , we have gotten the power to be free individual but like teenager we refuse to be accepting the consequence and responsibility of such dream. we want to go and party , but expect clean cloths a free roof over our head and a good meal and please let me borrow the car.

    the ideal utopia means that we do get our hands dirty , we need to stand up to tyrannical regime, for example , the people of Palestine, still under the oppressive Israeli , the Iraq people still under the thumb of the American, the native still being crushed by the white man. all this from a Caucasian point of view , but the list is endless, the one thing that was said in this video that only made true sense was that for this to change, the society had to die to be reborn. like the society of old, maybe like the pre-sumerian civilization. but then the cycle will again return, the need for gods,mythical parents .until one will realize that in our true nature we are and will remain sheep begging to be controlled, and amongst us the dreamers and romantics that will again rise and speak of freedom and the rejection of what we have been asking for:"control" so that we feel protected from the boogy man, the thump in the night and tell us comforting story of where our love ones go when they die.

  21. Jerry Michaud

    great doc on a lyrical way, but dam does the visual has to be so annoying? and the music is freaking annoying.
    information (message) 85% the medium 5%

  22. sum41

    Standard left-wing liberal propaganda that quickly escalates from economic woes to total state collapse under the current political system yet never offers a credible alternative except for, a never explicitly mentioned, communism. The current system is flawed and all political models are flawed but it is simply a numbers game. The majority must take precedence over the minority, a few must suffer for the majority to live happy lives.

  23. william

    SMH at the obnoxious overly done production. Four minutes in and Im done.

  24. octavio

    This is scarier than the news,i feel we should go to war with those at the top, lets get rid off the rich by force thats the only way

  25. Michael

    This is not a documentary, just an op-ed and one with absolutely zero supporting facts. It does manage to make a few decent points, but they're completely lost in the jungle of garbage.

  26. Aron Mason Greenspan

    While I found myself generally agreeing with this documentary, I wish the author had a basic education in Marxism. I found the lack of the use of the term 'exploitation' disappointing. This documentary ended up being, mostly, another "things are bad" film. Yes, a lot of us know that. What concretely do we need to do? I wish someone would outline the framework of an alternative society.

    Here are some starter points:
    Community based, bottom-up, decentralized infrastructure and government.
    Energy independence for communities.
    Agricultural independence for communities.
    Water independence for communities.
    Abolition of or alteration of our notions of property, currency, and commodity.
    The creaters of the surplus value in the economy control the distribution of it.

    1. james

      very well put...certainly some good starting points.

  27. Declan Walsh

    GAaaHh! The music/and or random sounds are so frack'in distracting. Frustrating as heck, I just want to hear the hopefully insightful information without having to focus all my attention on trying to hear the actual presenters voice.

  28. CarimboHanky

    its a nice documentary but the fact that the "split screen" effect and the "white on black"(picture negative) effect were used on 47 of the 52minutes of the film it makes it super annoying to watch.

  29. John Dread

    So basically what this guy says is: "We're f*cked, but don't worry about it. Ok, you can worry, but under no circumstance should you do something about it."

  30. Randy Morris

    The quad video split really became annoying early on.

  31. Terry Beaton

    The doc. comes off more as a Prophet's visions than an enlightening discussion of any of the issues raised. If you're stoned, it might be fun.

  32. luluigia

    I read/experience this doc as saying that our only hope or expectation of a reasonable existence is a moral one achievable through personal resistance. I don't see much suggestion that there is a broad based or plausible solution to overturn the direction in which humanity is moving. As well, it appears obvious that this is the case and this based on what I have observed and experienced over the 72 years of my life. Human existence is not eternal but rather temporal. No argument there. This doc points how how our extinction appears to be evolving. Either obey or resist. It is a choice which many do not even recognize they have.

  33. CrowdoBaggins

    After reading through all of the comments here, some people have complained that the movie gave no solutions for the future, and none gave any solutions at all.
    Everyone is waiting for a hero, everyone is afraid to stand up.
    And when one does? He is mocked and ridiculed and discredited.
    Humans want to be cared for. They are forever seeking the love of a parent.
    So, let's come up with an idea right now, and get everyone in the world to do it.

  34. Buzz Knapp-Fisher

    Don't obey question all especially energy toxic banking

  35. seamus watson

    What a dire outlook. This is a person or group that has lost hope. They seem to have a very low opinion of people. Could this be an NWO attempt to lower our resistance.

    1. Salini

      My thoughts exactly. It is a despair enhancing exercise without mention of spirituality or the good movements going on. As though there isn't anything we can do and we must fight or die. As a spiritual person who was told I was going to die, 4 times, by doctors, all of whom were wrong, I don't get scared anymore, I get busy. I'm writing a book about solutions. You will see it all soon....

  36. Mercenarry ForHire

    Interesting documentary.

    I always imagine humanity going through phases and options endlessly till it cant do it anymore.

    Flipping the table is always a option during any experiment.

    I found myself looking at the right side of the screen a lot.

  37. kalzal

    This video gives me the impression that the presenter just read his first Chomsky/Pilger book and felt obligated to shoot off on a tangent to warn the rest of us about the bloody obvious. He talks of 'what will happen' while being seemingly oblivious to the fact that he is prophesying trends that have nearly always been part and parcel of the human race. He decries a social system that takes power out of the hands of politicians, while placing it in incorporated interests, yet fails to mention that humanity's experiments in alternative power structures have failed due to their own shortcomings.

    I in no way disagree that we as a race have a moral imperative to tirelessly search for ways to bring the greatest benefit to the greatest number. Unfortunately, it seems that soapboxing about our imperfections is more painless and popular then finding realistic ways of achieving that goal.

  38. steviecomment

    Love the music

  39. Paul So

    I agree with the general framework of this documentary insofar as very powerful corporations use public relations to influence public opinion and perhaps to the extent that we live in an inverted totalitarian state.,

    However, the documentary is vague and uninformative, it focuses way too much on rhetoric. I'm surprise that the documentary doesn't really define its key term such as "Obedience" and it hardly explains why we live in an obedient culture. Conventionally, obedience just means responding to commands from authority, but so far I don't really hear any media commanding us to do anything; I think it's encouraging, tempting, requesting, and asking us to buy products, but I hardly hear anything that has any semblance to commanding.

    It keeps on talking about "corporate elites", "corporations", "media manipulation", etc, but it doesn't give us the facts, evidence, and sources at all. It doesn't clarify who the corporate elites are and it doesn't specify the methods being used to manipulate the populace. This documentary looks way too half-ass in terms of informativeness when I contrast it with Adam Curtis' documentaries. The thing I love about Adam Curtis is that he uses his sources, gives details, provides facts, and takes time to gradually build up to the conclusion. This is why most of his documentaries come in series, because Curtis knows that he needs more time to gather as many information and sources as possible to gradually build up to the desirable conclusion. While the documentary seems to focus more on its cinematic and artistic qualities, Curtis focuses more on gather information from actual historical figures.

    Another problem I have with this documentary is that it is disproportionately preachy. It keeps on condemning and make value judgments on anything, but doesn't inform it's audience. I don't have problems with condemnation and value-judgments, but we need more facts and information. It encourages us to be rebellious out of pure moral conviction, but doesn't provide even the sketchiest plan on how to improve or revolutionize society. I hate zeitgeist, but at least Peter Joseph provides a dubious plan on how to improve society, but this documentary just simply says "Just rebel by refusing to listen." end of the story.

    There is too much rhetoric and less clarity, precision, and informativeness. I consider myself to be a liberal, but I'm getting tired of other liberals preaching by condemning the system and giving really vague instructions on what we should do. I like the overall message of the documentary, but it is too poorly executed. For all I care, the intellectual quality of this film is too elementary or even worse preschool.

  40. Philip Fong

    bad choice of music.

    1. GOD

      Good choice, because we'll all be controlled by robo dicks soon. Think I Robot.

  41. cookie

    Although I agree with the film's premise, I feel that their choice of the "enemies" are very limited as well as archaic and prejudiced in scope.

  42. Feudi Pandola

    I could not take it after five minutes of mind numbingannoying raging imagery accompanied with headache music. I wanted to rip my eyes out.

  43. Cap

    I think were already there... The corporate power structure has us by the short hairs. I agree that the infotainment production style is crap. But this message needs to be spread far and wide.

  44. harold durant

    The negativism in this documentary is as annoying as the negative imageary and the 4way split screen does nothing but destract a viewer away from the dialogue. Continual negativism with no suggested solutions
    to the delemmas we may eventually face makes this documentary a waste of time to watch and serves no purpose other than to vent about something the narrator cant do anything about.

    1. Peter Wilson

      It is interesting how blatantly presented were the solutions, and how resistant you must therefore be to taking responsibility. Here's the secretly-encrypted solution presented: Stop obeying; start resisting. Don't obey; rebel. Organize meaningfully and purposefully with others, and ...rebel, resist. You don't like that? You prefer "write your congressman"? Or "volunteer to help 'get out the vote'? Or are you looking for the next "great American Hero" like Abe Lincoln or FDR to further expand the power of the Federal Govt? Or maybe suggestions like "get the Fed to lower interest rates ...raise interest rates...?

  45. Richard

    Chris Hedges is so very right on...read his books...start with Empire of Illusion...you will be astounded and a bit enlightened...cheers all...

  46. Bob Jones

    Pointless documentary. Doesn't bother to examine what “freedom”
    might actually look or feel like. Also various digs at corporations, but who ever put the documentary together seems to forget they did so with a Sony HD Camera, maybe edited with an Apple Imac, and so on.

    Only good point, was about how the current political system in the west offers little choice. Part of the problem is a lot of people don't agree on what an "alternative system" might look like. In the UK its pretty easy to stand as Independent MP/councilor/make your own political party. Its just £500($762). Its getting people to VOTE for you that's the hard part. In the UK most people up don't even bother to read a parties manifesto, they just vote for whatever party their parents vote for.

    Only good news in the UK is that UKIP has gained ground, (lots of things bad about the party, but its against the E.U super-state and has been very critical of E.U subsides to farmers in the E.U). **basically E.U subsides means it harder for an African farmer to grow crops.

  47. Phill Pelling

    The only way to stop the corporation; is to stop purchasing products from them, our money is what gives them all the power.
    only purchase products from independant murchants not linked to corporations.

  48. Guest

    the biggest problem in the world today? too many people are making documentaries.. nah just kidding,but he should let go of the annoying music and special effects. an army of video editors and movie makers will get us nowhere.

  49. Luyang Han

    The video effect and background music really irritates me.

    1. misterwong

      Regretably,I have to agree.Interestng provacative content presented in a stark pedantic hard-to-watch format.damn

  50. jon jenkins

    ok how many ppl thought the video was messed up for a second it was in negative for soo long i couldnt tell if it was on purpose any more

    1. pwndecaf

      I thought the fireworks in negative was cool, but that was about it.

    2. Salini

      I agree. They were trying to be cool and say things are negative by making it look negative. I thought it was a mistake for awhile too, then realized the filmmaker was a newbie playing with his editing program.

  51. Neil Phillip Melly

    you wont find true happiness in
    all instant gratification
    its all types of technology
    sex booze drugs gambling and money
    this is a world of temptation
    that offers many ways to sin
    all pleasure is temporary
    what you touch taste smell hear and see
    you never will be satisfied
    even when you are gratified
    with pride wrath sloth also envy
    plus lust malice and gluttony
    it will just leave you wanting more
    the rich the middle class the poor
    at least the ones who have a hole
    that cant find GOD deep in their soul

  52. Johny Murgas

    It's hard to believe that humans have been here for thousands of years and this is all we can accomplish, hate and death. I'm glad i'm going to die and not have kids, the future looks boring and full of sociopaths and superiority complex. Life could be so much better, way better than this, thousands of years with the same shit...hate death sociopaths and superiority complexes, and it happens in all races and colors, if the wipe one color out they start a new problem just to please their sickness, humans can be sooooo much better than this or they can be a cancer.

    1. Chris

      I agree with you completely. I Feel like one of the few sane people left among a growing virus of crazy, fearful and fear spreading morons. What is most incredible about this growing tumor of people, is that they are COMPLETELY void of any originality whatsoever, but this doesn't stop them in the least. They are also growing less and less intelligent every day and pulling the rest of society down to their level (further and further). I agree with you about the having kids and living - because what exactly CAN thrive in this environment - other than the petty ignorance that concurs with their stupid ways of doing things - which is the only thing they ALLOW to thrive at all? It's slowly killing us and getting stupider each day.

    2. ~Oliver B Koslik Esq

      That is the power of control they are under.
      Its not their fault.

      Unfortunately there is no i*iot police yet... just the civilian "cops". Who unfortunately, often cause more problems than they solve.

    3. rg57

      Thousands? Try hundreds of thousands.

    4. ~Oliver B Koslik Esq

      Its 100% a "Sandy Secret"
      Our culture is knee deep in it, but refuses to admit it.

      Trouble is that there are people that exist in society that have "mild" sociopath or psychotic tendencies. These people escape diagnosis, and can often move on into positions of power.

      Collectively influencing their environment, weather it be: The media, government, even police, there will always be those who abuse and corrupt to feed their "one of thousands" of minor personal dysfunctions.

      Sadly enough, it is far to common for these people that have lost faith in doing good, to band together as "Brothers in Bad" in creating some of the greater tragedies of modern day.

      Now we know...
      And knowing is half the battle!

  53. iStateOfMind3 iii

    'There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious,
    makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part! You can't even
    passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears
    and upon the wheels…upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've
    got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run
    be prevented from working at all!' - Mario Savio
    People seem to be content to sit back and hope someone else is coming to save us, it's just not going to happen folks. You are the someone else and you don't seem to realize it. If you are wondering how to change the world, start by refusing to follow unjust laws. Refuse to fly until body scanners are removed. Don't buy the products that were once made in America and are now made abroad. Stop watching the media that is owned by the same people that make the very weapons that are raining down missiles in countries we are not even at war with. Withdraw all your energy from the corrupt system and it will become irrelevant. Most of all, think for yourself.

  54. Geoffrey Grekin

    Interesting documentary....
    Although its kinda artsy, anarchic, and genuinely pessimistic.

    It nevertheless represents an emerging shift in the thought process of disillusioned individuals less interested in the outline or surface concerns of capitalism (elite structures, banks, 9/11, Mexicans etc) rather at its root causes and its continued deterioration from within.

    These views reflect a collective awareness that something is inheritable wrong with the increasingly deteriorating infrastructure in which capitalistic idealism lies. Instead of finding a solution to this problem, they suggest that the system needs to be brought to its knees and remade from scratch.

    While this is a legitimate view, to solve many of the inherent and ingrained problems within the core of capitalistic ideology, the cost of such an action would be unbelievably devastating.

    We have as a population, society, and psyche become so dependent and addictive to the manner of life we live, that in depriving of us of some form of order would not only kill billions, but may spawn unknown chaotic consequences in which would be entirely unattended, (like nuclear warfare for example).

    I just don't see a pleasant outcome for this destructive train of thought, perhaps we humans have merely reached an evolutionary cul-de-sac in which our mutual destruction is inevitable.
    :-/ Lets hope there are more hopeful alternatives than the one advocated in this documentary.

  55. Imightberiding

    Aaaarrrggghhh! A brief moment of calm between 8min & 13min. Now, aprox 16min along & I want to run outside & scream at some kids walking across my lawn! Oh yeah, & pull your pants up & tie your shoes you d@mn crazy kids!

    The kid with the new editing program suffering from Ritalin withdrawal has beat me this time. I admit I am obsessing now but I just can't get past these chaotic visual effects.

    O.K. Deep breath. I'm going to resort to my wireless headphones, calm down, quit my sniveling, leave the room & just listen to the rest of it from a safe distance while I do some dishes or go outside for a "closet" smoke to calm my nerves. I hope, for my sake as well as theirs', I don't see any teens with video cameras while I'm outside.

  56. Imightberiding

    After two minutes I almost stopped watching this film. So annoyed was I at the overuse of the quad split screen & negative images. Alas, it finally came to a welcome end . . . for a brief moment. I almost screamed when it started up again. Forced to stop for my own sanity I'm now venting in the comment section before giving it another go.

    I'm now 5 minutes in & quite frankly I am having a devil of a time trying to listen to the narration whilst not going completely mad with the redundant use of the ridiculous editing program this child with ADHD has got his hands on.

    I would like to watch this film. I'm not entirely sure why I am so bothered by this. I am generally a fairly relaxed fellow. This one is just getting to me somehow. I'm going to give it another try. Hopefully the editor will soon get bored with his new toy & calm down a little so we can all focus on the content. Well, "Here we. Here we. Here we f#@kin' go!"

  57. arlo

    Wow Ive seen the light. Now, to be "disillusioned" and "obey" this documentary.

  58. Patrick Adrien Varencaus

    dream on with a human solution!! wahwahwah!;/the answer is out of this world!(aint talking about E.T.)

  59. ~Oliver B Koslik Esq

    I think someone with enough public weight and
    momentum needs to release the "intrinsic secret" behind
    our destructive culture, even beliefs.

    It theoretically stands to topple corruption, or at very least de-rail it.

    The crux of How & Why we are all brainwashed so effectively; doesn't
    end with nasty businessmen men.

    You know...the secret hanging above, in front, and under, all of
    our noses!

    How were these people that have corroded our system, conditioned in society... whats the secret behind their "faulty morals"?

    Its not only starring us in the face, its smacking us around with delusion, and psychotic undertones.

    Great Doc!!

  60. Simon Gramstrup

    While i totally agree with any doc that attacks the 'established' way of organizing our self, and highlights our group behavior, I cant help ask:

    Why (oh why) must they all be so f* weird ? I love the thoughts behind this one, zeitgeist and the likes, but why cant they just make an informative, rational, non-annoying doc ??

    1. terrasodium

      “The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and
      opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.
      Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an
      invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
      ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas
      live together as a smoothly functioning society. ...In almost every act
      relatively small number of persons...who understand the mental processes
      control the public mind.”

      Edward L. Bernays,
      from the book
      Propaganda (nephew of Sigmund Freud, progenitor of modern public relations)

    2. Imightberiding

      I most always read through the comments prior to watching the docs on this site. I find them more often than not to be entertaining & informative on a level comparable with the doc itself.

      It seems I missed your comment in my earlier brief perusal & left a comment of my own a few moments ago. I certainly share in your frustration regarding the weirdness factor & level of annoyance in this production . . . at least so far. I'm only 5 min in & hoping it becomes less painful as it continues.

    3. Ryan Turner

      I completely agree, some of them have even put me off or put a completely wrong view of the film in my head, so I had to stop.

    4. ~Oliver B Koslik Esq

      I'd like to field a reply to this one:

      One must consider (with a grain of salt) that the people often
      behind these projects have gotten to do so because of their
      individualistic & independant views.

      There are some great "human movements" in society today.

      However, naturally, along with the pioneers, there will be those
      who ride their wake.

      These are the people that create shitty documentaries.

      If your as focused on absorbing content, as I am, perhaps you
      would be inclined to check out a written copy of the films
      dialogue. Thus completely avoiding the bow tie its packaged in.

      Food for thought

    5. Simon Gramstrup

      hm.. "Disqus" didnt show this reply..

      I agree about the great movements in the world, and accept that the 'antics' - as described in the next comment by @disqus_VZuN9tkt44:disqus - often are on the forefront of movements.

      I just had an urge to air my frustration :)

      Re: reading. I agree that the textual form are more 'pure' from bias - without the video and audio layer on top - but 'projection bias' and 'confirmation bias' could then fill in the gaps and keep you within a certain worldview. Hope it made sense, but yes food for thought.

    6. DG

      I don't think this is possible with a big picture analysis, because to be strictly factual (ie lacking conjecture or supposition) and tightly focused means, obviously, a much smaller and more specific focus. There are many such documentaries but of course they naturally tend to focus on specific details, and tend to be rather dry. For example: the documentary "Enron, the Smartest Guy in the Room". It's strictly factual and quite rational but its focus is tight, there's no room for a bigger picture, and it doesn't really weave the facts into a coherent narrative - it simply presents them. Thus it is no more than a glance, which is about the best a documentary such as you describe can manage.

    7. seamus watson

      I didn't really see the attacking of the establishment as much I heard that guy tell us we were useless and it was pointless fighting back. Resistance is futile.

    8. lau

      They're not 'made' and 'they' had nothing to do with it...

      These guys are weird because they went through some weird stuff to get to where they are, and to have discovered what they did. Pioneers of our age, (and historically) were not 'normal' sheeople, So pay attention to the antics, if there are no antics then there is no truth. Just repeats of people calling each other weird. Embrace the weird.

    9. Simon Gramstrup

      I have to agree with you. I will just have to adjust my 'roomlyness' level - again :)

  61. gert2222

    I would love to see this guy's crystal ball, it must be a good one.

  62. FlatBaroque

    Any doc that discusses mankind's current state of disillusionment without focusing on the destructive intent of the ruling class does not get it for me.

  63. X23

    Im sick of documentaries telling you what you think instead why you should think . documentaries that give statement after statement without examining any of the information it provides . or documentaries that start with preconceptions that it assumes you already have . I know some of these things are unavoidable , especially when you tackle a subject as broad as this. but there is no excuse for having your whole documentary done like that .