The actual definition of "Zeitgeist" as a word (according to Wikipedia) is
"...a German language expression literally translated: Zeit, time; Geist, spirit, meaning "the spirit of the age and its society". The word zeitgeist describes the intellectual, cultural, ethical and political climate of an era or also a trend. In German, the word has more layers of meaning than the English translation, including the fact that Zeitgeist can only be observed for past events.
"Zeitgeist" refers to the ethos of an identified group of people, that expresses a particular world view which is prevalent at a particular period of socio-cultural progression.
Zeitgeist is the experience of a dominant cultural climate that defines, particularly in Hegelian thinking, an era in the dialectical progression of a people or the world at large....
The spirits of individual nations are both the articulations (Gliederungen) of an organization and its realization. The spirits of individual nations represent a segment of the World Spirit out of which emerges the unlimited universal spirit. A comparison is introduced here between the status of an individual and that of a nation's spirit. In the process of his formation the individual undergoes various changes without, however, losing his identity. As a part of world history, a nation—exhibiting a certain trend expressed in its Volksgeist— plays its part in the total process of world history. But once it contributes its share to world history it can no longer play a role in the process of world history. The submersion in the total process prevents a people's cultural rebirth, because it has exhausted its creativity in the historical growth of its guiding spirit. It is for this reason that one of Hegel's disciples, Michelet, considered the idea of a renaissance of the Jewish people as philosophically impossible."
By reading this definition after watching and contemplating the movie, it is easy to see the correlation between many factors and the worlds clash of powers, movement toward war, and the movement toward socialism that our United States of American is progressing to in present day.
Another contemplation, when studying the definition of the word "Zeitgeist", is the realization that Mahmoud Amademajad, the Iranian President, calls the Nazi Holocaust of European Jewry a "myth".
"...one of Hegel's disciples, Michelet, considered the idea of a renaissance of the Jewish people as philosophically impossible.-Wikipedia"
"They have created a myth today that they call the massacre of the Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets,"Amademajad said, when on live TV, he called for Europe or North American - even Alaska - to host a Jewish state, not the Middle East. This as reported by BBC News on December 14, 2005
When I recall the scene where a person is given a Holy Bible and then someone, evidently government related, drapes an American flag over the top, it brings me to our current issues that have been brought about during this Presidential Election. When it comes to religious freedom, or freedoms in general, I am afraid that Obama will likely take much of what we hold dear away, if he becomes the next U.S. President. You can see what he believes through his religious clergy, whom he has sought advice from and listened to sermons each week from, Reverend Wright. Racism, that 9/11 was orchestrated by our government. How could our government pull off such a big operation? It takes a complete meltdown of the economy for the government to even get together on any issue and attempt to solve any problems. What makes someone believe that the U.S. government could orchestrate 9/11 when it would either blab about it, and therefore "let the cat out of the bag", or screw it up completely.
"...once it [a nation] contributes its share to world history it can no longer play a role in the process of world history" - Wikipedia on "Zeitgeist"It's funny that someone would think that American could no longer play a role in the process of world history. People will fight the pull toward a socialist nation once they understand the consequences. One of the freedoms we all hold dear, even those who are not religious, is that of worshiping how, where or what we want. When this nation's people find that they have to hide their religious works in order to read them, they will understand what they had been given by their forefathers. So, mock religion and/or Christianity all you want, as they do in the movie, but you will miss it when/if it disappears from plain sight.
Freedom of religion is a constitutional right.
Wikipedia Link - Click Here
"Freedom of religion is a guarantee by a government of freedom of belief for individuals and freedom of worship for individuals and groups. It is generally recognized to also include the freedom not to follow any religion. Freedom of religion is considered by many in many nations and people to be a fundamental human right."
"In a country with a state religion freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers in other faiths."
While I respect the freedom of speech and that includes the anti-religious establishment language utilized throughout the Zeitgeist Movie, it blows my mind that, even those who are not believers in God, would choose to be so harsh.
Fear is definitely guiding our country at this time. Again, I don't give the U.S. government that much credit, as it could not stay on one campaign long enough to utilize a single resource, such as fear, to control its own people. I think that fear does move things to occur, such as the gigantic bailout voted in by our Democrat majority congress. As for fear being used in Zeitgeist the movie to move its viewers to a certain anti-establishment, anti-religion, anti-U.S. government opinion, yes it was used quite well. The way that the creators of Zeitgeist loop the separate devastating scenes together to create a constant barrage of violence and bloodshed very definitely creates a feeling of unrest, at the least.
Zeitgeist is definitely a creative work and it utilizes the Freedom of Speech, the Freedom of the Press, the Freedom of Religion, and other freedoms, stretching them to new levels. I guess this is an example of the utilization and acceptance of those freedoms in our daily lives. Once they are gone, those who create such works will definitely see that they were taking their freedoms for granted.
Sources:
Zeitgeist the movie
Wikipedia
BBC News
Federalist Papers
U.S. Constitution
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