The Zeitgeist Movement
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Resource Based Economy
A Resource-Based Economy is a system in which all goods and services are available without the use of money, credits, barter or any other system of debt or servitude. All resources become the common heritage of all of the inhabitants, not just a select few. The premise upon which this system is based is that the Earth is abundant with plentiful resource; our practice of rationing resources through monetary methods is irrelevant and counter productive to our survival.
Modern society has access to highly advanced technology and can make available food, clothing, housing and medical care; update our educational system; and develop a limitless supply of renewable, non-contaminating energy. By supplying an efficiently designed economy, everyone can enjoy a very high standard of living with all of the amenities of a high technological society.
A resource-based economy would utilize existing resources from the land and sea, physical equipment, industrial plants, etc. to enhance the lives of the total population. In an economy based on resources rather than money, we could easily produce all of the necessities of life and provide a high standard of living for all.
Research Center
The Venus Project operates out of a 21.5 acre research center located in Venus, Florida. It was formerly a tomato patch that was transformed into a lavish landscape boasting a network of streams, lakes, and ponds, all beautifully lined with palm trees. The structures that occupy the various different parts of the property are all dome shaped, the designs being engineered with efficiency in mind. Domes require the least amount of material to enclose a given area, and when they are built properly, they can withstand high winds, earthquakes and fire. The concrete materials also prevent termite and rodent infestations. The property contains 10 structures in total: three residences, two shops, two single room domes, a dome with two extensions, an office and a storage area. It is currently for sale.
Technologies
The Venus Project has a wide body of work, showcasing new forms of vastly improved technology which would be implemented in a resource based society:
Transportation
- Maglev trains, which operate on the principles of magnetic levitation, are the proposed method of high speed transportation. Capable of exceeding speeds of 4000mph in evacuated tunnels, this would likely be the preferred method of long distance travel for both people and resources. Whether or not it is practical over seas is debatable.
- VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft would be used for emergency medical vehicles, as well as personal travel.
- Automobiles would be redesigned with accident prevention technologies in place, operating solely on abundant electricity. Sonar and magnetic repulsion could be utilized to detect, and effectively repel other automobiles from collisions. A simple pendulum could be put in place to detect drunk driving, and initiate the override of manual control to an automated system.
- Seacraft would most likely be utilized for the transportation of resources and people across the oceans, where it is potentially impractical to build Maglev systems, and for undersea exploration.
Cities
- The Venus Project proposes that it would be much easier and require less energy to build new cities than to update existing ones. These new cities would implement a circular design.
From the thevenusproject.com:
The Venus Project's Circular City arrangement is comprised of the following:
1. The central dome or theme center will house the core of the cybernated system, educational facilities, access center, computerized communications networking systems, health and child care facilities.
2. The buildings surrounding the central dome provide the community with centers for cultural activities such as the arts, theater, exhibitions, concerts, and various forms of entertainment.
3. The residential units, apartments and the design centers are beautifully landscaped in natural surroundings, adjacent to dining and other amenities.
4. Areas are set aside for renewable clean sources of energy such as wind generators, solar, heat concentrating systems, geothermal, photovoltaic and others.
5. The agricultural belt, with many transparent enclosed buildings, will be used to grow a wide variety of organic plants without the use of pesticides (, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and inorganic fertilizers).
6. A circular waterway for irrigation and filtration surrounds the agricultural belt.
7. The outermost perimeter is utilized for recreational activities such as biking, golfing, hiking and riding, etc.
- Also, The Venus Project advocates building cities in the water along coastlines and out in the ocean to combat the problems of land based overpopulation.
Energy
Energy would primarily be obtained through modern renewable technologies, with collection, storage and distribution methods being constantly updated as innovation is discovered. These modern technologies include:
Activism
Zeitgeist Resources
Zeitgeist Resources is a social networking website. The purpose of the site is to gather a virtual collection of resources, both commodities and various skill-sets from the individual members of the site. These resources are meant to be used towards the common goals of the Zeitgeist Movement.
The Fresco City Project
The Fresco City Project is a group of dedicated individuals working to develop a test city to showcase the capabilities of a resource based economy.
The Venus Initiative
The Venus Initiative is an in-development project planning and social networking website that is aligned with the ideals of the Venus Project and the Zeitgeist Movement. They propose that the key to making a resource based economy a reality is individual activism and group support. The site is meant to network individuals and groups together with the goals to create sustainable living conditions for themselves, their community, and to work towards resource abundance. This is a grass-roots effort to help bring awareness to the vast potential of the Venus Project with a non-threatening, progressive and action oriented methodology.
Support
- Make a donation here
- Sign Aaron Vannatta's Petition for The Venus Project here
- Have money donated every time to you search the Internet
Criticism
Criticisms have been presented informally through the discussion of the project. Some people are suspicious of the implications of The Venus Project. Despite the project's advertised goals of human liberation and the abolishment of dominant institutions (government, money, religion), they believe that The Venus Project aligns with the New World Order, and that their true goals are to dominate and control people through a cybernetic society. However, this criticism is considered to be based on an inconclusive conspiracy theory.
Some other concerns have been raised regarding the fair allocation of resources, the problem of allocating and sharing truly scarce resources, and the validity of the environment's impact on human behavior.