Power of an informed public

Written By: - Date published: 9:50 am, March 15th, 2014 - 5 comments
Categories: class war, film, sustainability - Tags:

I just stumbled across an alternative film club in West Auckland; The Peasants Film Club.  On it’s Facebook page it says this:

The greatest threat to freedom and well-being everywhere is corporate ambition: the greatest threat to corporate ambition is a well-informed public

I came across it while looking at the programme for the EcoWest Festival 2014.  The Peasants Film Club has a screening of I am (2012) this coming week on Thursday 20 March, at 7.30 pm.  Venue is Waitakere WEA, 9 Henderson Valley Road.  The promo says this about the film:

I Am (2012): After nearly losing his life, actor Tom Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders about what’s wrong with our world and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it. (77min).

I Am film

More generally about the film club, it says this:

We show documentaries that explore complex global issues: environment; health; dispossession; money; democracy; empire; land use and community. Our events are free and open to the public. It is an opportunity to get a more in-depth perspective on many issues which mainstream media avoids, and an opportunity to meet the people who are making a difference.

The IMDB entry for the film, I Am, lists a number of people who are interviewed including Naom Chomsky.  The Website for the film has a preview video, and information about many of the people appearing in the film, including Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ghandi,

Showing on Thursday 27 March, The Economics of Happiness:

(27/03) The Economics of Happiness (2012): The world is moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, the rampant consolidation of corporate power through globalisation; on the other the cultures and communities coming together to re-build on a more human scale. Focuses on the situation in Ladahk – ‘Little Tibet’.

And Thursday 3 April: Resonance: Beings of Frequency:

(03/04) Resonance – Beings of Frequency (2013): Showing how the natural frequencies of our planet are absolutely integral to health. But mankind has submerged itself and all living beings in an ocean of artificial frequencies. An eye-opening documentary which reveals the harm we all face.

It’s great to see something like this in my backyard, putting information out there about the massive challenges we face for the future.  I will be aiming to go to them.

However, it’s a pity that, mostly only those who already understand something of the issues will go to the screenings.  Partly we can help to spread the word about such events.  But we have a long way to go to get a truly informed public.

I am 2

5 comments on “Power of an informed public ”

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  2. captain hook 2
    15 March 2014 at 5:27 pm

    the greatest threat is greed combined with criminality. Everybody wants stuff. do a personal inventory of your habitat and add up all the stuff you got. Then think of estates in the hamptons, superyachts, rare animal hides, ivory, rhinoceros horn, precious jewels, trphy women and the creeps who will murder to get this stuff because they need to keep the score. i.e. it is not useful and only ever played with once.
    the world is fucking crazy karol. trying to put some sort of boojwa face on it doesn’t wash anymore.

  3. papa tuanuku 3
    15 March 2014 at 8:43 pm

    the issue isn’t getting others to the event. its making the messages mainstream, widely dispersed to the audiences, nit getting the audience to come to us.

  4. Foreign Waka 4
    16 March 2014 at 9:34 am

    Good luck with the general NZ public, glazed look after 20 seconds is all they can offer. Next question that comes out is: How’s the rugby, want a McDonald?