Newsletter #1
Sept. 2010
We are here.
The Miami Chapter of The Zeitgeist Movement
Hello Miami and the world! This
newsletter is put together by
participants in The Miami Chapter
of The Zeitgeist Movement, a global
effort facilitating fundamental social
In this Issue... change towards sustainability.
The Venus Project is the vision we
advocate wherein we have gained
- We are here 1 perspective on the fundamental
problems we face. Addressing
these findings as objectively and
- H ow M o n e y carefully as possible with the best
Restricts Life’s that science and technology have to
offer, a world has emerged in which
Pleasures 2 the standard of living has increased
tremendously for the entire
population of the planet. We realize
- Resource-based that anything short of the unification
Economy 2 of our species while aligning with
natural processes will forever
condemn us to living a stratified and
- Food for thus stressful existence. Life is a
Thought 3 package and everything is related.
Who are we to deviate from it
though we are dependent and
- Care to Not surrounded by it? It's simple.
Play 4 Exemplifying the wide spread
“coming-into” of this fact we have
grown to over 420,000 people
- Miami ZM 5
- Letters to
Miami 6
world-wide creating 46 official
country chapters and over 200
regional sub-chapters
internationally in just 2 years. We
are not the creators of this change
we are a product of a harsh reality
pushing it's way forward towards
something much more pleasant.
The Venus Project holds a
comprehensive analysis of this
movement and proposes a radical
alteration in the ways we operate so
that we may all pursue our highest
potential.
With everyone contributing, thanks
to the freeing up of human labor by
technology and giving access to the
necessities of life, an era of
unprecedented growth in all sectors
of life will begin. When we are
provided with the essentials of living
the reasoning and desperation to
commit a majority of crimes are
ended. All that energy can become
a part of the education and
awareness in the imperative of
cooperation. It can be transferred to
learning about ourselves and how
the mechanism of this global
human organism functions with
www.MiamiZM.org
greater focus, efficiency and health.
The discussion and
experimentation is continuous. The
principles to living holistically are
understood more now than ever
and with the advent of immensely
powerful machinery and computing
surpassing human capability, we
can apply these tools to free us
from drudgery and monotonous
endeavors that require little
creativity and passion.
We bring you this newsletter to
contribute to the awareness that
another life is possible. These are
our findings. Can we hurry up and
realize our common ground and
stop all this nonsense we see in the
world.
We are rather lovers, writers,
painters, dancers, carpenters, fliers,
drawers, poets, travelers,
adventurers, dare-devils,
innovators, filled with compassion,
intensity, curiosity and all the rest of
it. Enjoy the ride.
- Miami ZM
 How Money Restricts Life’s Pleasures
from Psyblog: Understand your mind.
It's a mystery why money doesn't make us
happy, because it feels like it damn well
should. With money we can buy whatever
we want, go wherever we want, even be
whoever we want. Surely that should make
us happy?
And yet study after study shows that in
affluent societies money might bring
satisfaction, but it doesn't bring much
happiness.
Perhaps, as people become really rich, they
don't choose more enjoyable activities (I.E.
they stay in the office working)? Perhaps
material goods just can't make us happy?
Or perhaps there is always someone richer,
spoiling the party with their more
impressive wealth?
Failure to savour
There's something missing from these
accounts, though, and it's the old argument
that when you live in luxurious
surroundings, have experienced the best
restaurants and received the most lavish
gifts, it becomes more difficult to savour
the simple things in life.
Supporting this account, a new study
published in Psychological Science has
found that participants were less able to
savour positive emotions both when they
were richer themselves and when they were
prompted to think about wealth by looking
at a picture of money.
In a second study participants who were
cued with the idea of money didn't enjoy or
savour a chocolate bar as much as those not
reminded of money. When participants
looked at a picture of money beforehand,
the average time spent eating the chocolate
went down from 45 seconds to 32 seconds.
Levels of enjoyment reported afterwards
also went down, from 5 to 3.6 on a scale of
1 to 7, where 7 is maximum enjoyment.
And this is only the effect of looking at a
picture of money for a few seconds. Think
what our society, with its constant
reminders of opulence in both public and
private, are doing to us. It's a wonder we
can enjoy anything.
Relativistic psychology
This is just one facet of our mind's habit of
comparing everything with everything else,
from complex concepts like money right
down to the most basic perceptual level.
Like when you open your eyes in the
morning, or turn up the volume on your
mp3 player; for a moment the senses are
overloaded but soon the contrast fades as
the mind acclimatises.
It's easy to forget that things aren't 'loud' or
'bright', they are just 'louder' or 'brighter'
than something else. Money is just one
more thing that our minds treat in this
relativistic fashion.
Economics
“A Resource-Based Economy” - by Stuart Dobson
A Resource-Based Economy - Jacque
Fresco’s idea of a system where all goods and
services are available without money, credits,
barter or any other form of debt or servitude is
a paradigm shattering concept. The idea
changes the focus of how society works on a
fundamental level, causing a ripple of profound
implications to permeate all of society. For
many, removing the corruption of the monetary
system is a logical step, which will manifest
our inner-most hopes and dreams, revealing a
beautiful ideal world. Yet, much of the vision
of a Resource-Based Economy is in the future.
Obviously, the implications of adopting a new
society mechanism will take some time to
propagate.
2
So spare a thought for the super-rich, the
poor darlings can't appreciate a tin of spam,
a lump of coal or a cardboard box in quite
the same way that you and I can. It's not
much of a silver lining I'll grant you, but it's
something to hold on to.
JULY 20, 2010
www.spring.org.uk
However, the underlying aspects of these
thought processes are very much relevant to
the present. The idea of a Resource-Based
Economy is based on logic and grounds
itself in reality. Looking to the essence of a
problem, the simplest and most effective
solution is arrived at. This is not some
futuristic goal. It is simply a way of looking
at problems from a reality-based perspective.
A Resource-Based Economy is simply an
extrapolation of solutions arrived at by
thinking in this way. We can all do this now,
today. Using the scientific method and in
accordance with nature, we can develop
solutions to our problems that will exhibit
Continued on page 3
 “A Resource-Based Economy”
Cont. from page 2
efficiency and thoughtfulness. Working with
reality is a lot simpler and more effective than
working within the constraints of an illusion such
as symbolic resources or falsely perpetuated
scarcity. In doing so, we reach many incredible
conclusions.
Jacque Fresco’s designs are the result of looking
at a problem from outside the efficiency-
crippling, profit-obsessed, people-manipulating,
environment-disregarding corruption of the
monetary system. Efficiency, simplification, and
thoughtfulness are natural by-products of this way
of thinking, which result in further benefits such
as innovation, kindness and peace.
So you see, a Resource-Based Economy is not
some far off, futuristic notion. It is a fundamental
shift of our focus that results in profound benefits.
The amazing visuals of the technological wonders
of the Venus Project, and the dream of a world
without corruption and pain, are what The Venus
Project can be.
Technology 3
“Food for Thought” - anonymous contribution
The technology to build a fully automated
(robotic), solar/wind/fuel cell powered, self-
sustaining, 10 story hydroponic vertical farm
building exists right now, today. This represents
the equivalent of 400 acres of farm land on just
a 1 acre plot of land, feeding about 200,000
people per building (depending on crops grown
of course).
Consideration: According to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, one acre of land can
grow 20,000 pounds of potatoes.
Potatoes are typically sold in 5 pound bags
(for a family). So by those numbers, one acre
supplies potatoes for 4,000 families.
Therefore, just one vertical farm building with
a 400 acre equivalency would then supply
potatoes for 1.6 million families.
The average family size in America is 3 people,
meaning 4.8 million people would be fed by
this one potato building.

However, we can individually achieve the ideals
of a Resource-Based Economy without wondering
how to achieve the incredible world that Jacque
has already portrayed for us. All we need to do is
become our own proliferation of rationality-
crafting simplicity, efficiency and kindness.
This one building would provide potatoes for
the entire city of Houston, TX, plus a decent
portion of the surrounding area.
(As of the 2008 U.S. Census estimate, Houston
had a population of 2.9 million within an area
of 600 square miles. Houston is the seat of
Harris County and the economic center of the
Houston – Sugar Land – Baytown metropolitan
area — the sixth-largest metropolitan area in
the U.S. with a population of 5.9 million)
Either way you slice it and add other
factors our capabilities cannot be ignored.
Just something for you to chew on.
Find more info @
www.OmegaGraden.com
www.VerticalFarm.com

For the sake of argument, let's assume only

50% of the yield is actually possible for a
building. Okay, build two buildings and take up
just 2 acres of land. Now, consider all the
vegetables you can grow this way and the yield
potentials. Meetup with us through:
www.Meetup.com/MiamiZM
 Community 4
“Care to Not Play?” - by Joshua Alba “New Fortunes” - anonymous

We are here just as you are here. Since you want a better life, observe
Having been raised from childhood we've life.
absorbed myriad values and habits. We Listen with your whole being. Give your
replace and switch between these entire attention to what is going on.
collections and gravitate towards others
who think like us. And we play endlessly. No “breaking down” or elaboration, or
This is the game. thought of how or why. See beauty.
While playing the game we forget that in
fact that it is a game and that at some Observe the being, that is, the reality of
point we have entered it and hence we what is around and within you.
somehow can get out, should it become
necessary. Listen, with all your senses, that clear
Most have been playing so long we don't mind in attention. Intelligence.
know we're even in one. Some know but
are caught in the confusion and fear that Do not compare. Knowledge is
that uncertainty brings. Others remind us convolution, though have “know-how”.
and make effort to get out. Sometimes
we end up not able to play anything at Have fact, not opinion.
all.
So as we are tired and struggling in this See simply, expansive. Not busy, narrow.
game where the playing has lost all its
fun, it seems logical to leave the game
altogether and perhaps not play anything “Specters of the Streets” - by Michael J. L.
as we have seen many games come to The streets to some a place to walk
an ugly end. Care to not play?
For some a home among the concrete and lines of chalk
Battles day to day in a society of decay
Stuck in a bad dream trying to survive in any way

Humans we ignore and forget

Equality is the mission Poor from sickness or debt
Education is the ammunition Living off the kindness of others
Learn that in our hearts we are all sisters and brothers
This life is our flute and we
are the musician Souls forced to wander the world alone
Silent Stories desperate to be known
- Chelsea-Storm Slumbering under the cosmic light of every freezing night
Warmed by the polite, hopeful for a world where everything will be alright

Hard to think what to do if you didn’t have love to get you through
Would you have the strength to live if it were you?
To have humans live like this is an utter defeat
In this world they will forever remain specters of the streets

-Dedicated to the homeless of our world and the hope for an end to their suffering…
 5
The Miami Chapter of The Zeitgeist Movement (Miami ZM)

Since the start of the chapter back in The past 38 meetings have produced
December of 2009, we have grown to canvassing rounds handing out
over 50 members signed up to the TVP/TZM material. We have held our
Meetup site with many faces entering own booth at the Miami Going Green
and leaving as our lives steadily Festival, joined a music concert
change. We have had the powerful advocating awareness on the Federal
opportunity to speak with one another Reserve's fractional reserve banking
in an ever nurturing environment system, held our own monetary
honing the understanding of our world economic seminars, posted signs,
through taking a look within ourselves. talked with hundred of our common
In this way we are becoming ever concerns and what we propose, car-
alert and attentive to the ills of our pooled up to the Venus Project estate,
society. We are developing the insight held documentary nights and are
into the scope of the problem by engaged in so much more.
observing the fundamental blocks that
have constructed our own psyche There is a unified community emerging
affecting change within that translates in these streets, look out for us. Even
to our community. better, learn about us and join in!

Upcoming
The creator of “Zeitgeist: The Movie” and “Zeitgeist: Addendum”, which introduces
the general premise of the movement, is releasing the third installment called
“Zeitgeist: Moving Forward” in October of this year. It will take a look at the relevance
of the political structure, document the destructive path of the Free Market system,
the role of science and technology in modern society, and
will extensively support the feasibility of The Venus Project model, the Resource-
Based Economy with technicians and scientists from various fields. It will be available to
watch and download for free. A public screening is in planning, email us at:
Info@MiamiZM.org

www.ZeitgeistMovie.com
 Letters to Miami
Thoughts and concerns of humans in Miami
Dear Miami,
I wonder with all this money
going around on South
Beach, downtown and other
obvious areas, how it is that
we live with and see so
many homeless and
impoverished neighbors
with scant groups making
any significant change to
the root causes of their, and
essentially, our plight?
Do we enjoy being robbed,
asked for change, walking
and driving in fear of one
another because “God
forbid” for whatever reason
they're living in the streets.
I've seen so much of this in
the U.S, why here in
beautiful Miami. Where's the
compassion, the humanity?
Where's the next community
block party absent corporate
sponsorship? Oh yeah...
there isn't one. Oh my, how
the mighty have fallen.
- Miamian
6
Dear Miami,
Dear Miami,
An innovating and daring
Why aren't parks, streets,
transportation system must
avenues, gardens and all
be constructed. The Metro
public places lined with
Mover must be extended,
cherry, apple, plumb, grape,
the “cars” made of higher
apricot, peach and pear
quality materials, with
trees? So that all people
cleaner technologies for
can enjoy free food from
motion generation and
them? In Malaga,Spain
breaking systems that
there are orange trees
require little maintenance
growing in the city, for
than that which is currently
people to pick, freely. Why
installed. Google it.
- Miamian
can't people do something
so simple, so altruistic, so
We talk about civilization as very civilized, everywhere?
though it's a static state. There are no
civilized people yet, it's a process - human
that's constantly going on...
As long as you have war, police, prisons,
crime, you are in the early stages Contribute to the Newsletter?
of civilization. Email us!
- Jacque Fresco
If you would like to get involved
with the Miami Chapter contact us at:
Info@MiamiZM.org
Ask us what we are up to!
www.TheVenusProject.com
www.TheZeitgeistMovement.com