A conversation between Abby Martin and Peter Joseph

Peter Joseph is the founder of the Zeitgeist Movement, a grassroots, worldwide organization that advocates an alternative economic system based on sustainability, cooperation and human need. His most recent book, The New Human Rights Movement delivers a startling exposé about the violent oppression that defines our economic order, while issuing an urgent call for global activism to unite to replace it.

In a conversation with journalist Abby Martin, Peter Joseph describes the contradictions and crises of capitalism and what he advocates to save the future of the planet from catastrophe. Joseph describes the disappearance of humanity—real people—at the hands of those seeking to maximize profit and power. If we pay attention, we can see the slow but steady dissolution of our own humanity as a result of abuses by advertising, manipulation of stock markets, and a systemic subjugation of common people. Ms. Martin elicits descriptions of many of the topics covered in Mr. Joseph’s most recent book The New Human Rights Movement: Reinventing the Economy to End Oppression.

Some of the topics addressed in the video include:

• advertising and consumption-based society
• technological efficiency requiring generation of artificial demand
• the true nature of the stock market (83% of all stocks are owned by 1% of the population)
• “dead peasants insurance”
• the presence of artificial intelligence within the economy
• the money making-machine and your retirement funds
• debt-based currency
• influence of the financial sector on political control

For many of us, these topics seem dry, obscure, too technical or just plain boring. Yet have you ever considered, the relationship between advertising and humane behavior, for instance—behavior you expect in a civilized society and yet which is lacking with regard to you and the way you and your loved ones are treated? Without a lot of technical jargon, Mr. Joseph paints an infuriating picture of abuse by the wealthy and corporations. This abuse is not aimed at somebody else, at those other people, but at you—at most of us.

If you are not angry already, perhaps you should be. The video lasts about 45 minutes. Take your time. Listen repeatedly. Get the gist of what he is saying. As an example, if you have never heard of “dead peasants insurance” that concept alone should have you reaching for your pitchfork. In general, presuming Joseph’s story is accurate, decide if you really want to be the victim of such systematic cruelty.

You can listen to a talk from November 2017 given by Mr. Joseph in which he speaks about his ideas about the “new human rights movement”. Additionally, you might also want to take a deeper look at the Zeitgeist Movement. This movement, founded by Mr. Joseph in 2008 advocates a transformation of society and its economic system to a non-monetary system based on resource allocation and environmentalism. You can also download The Zeitgeist Movement Defined (PDF).