Expression of concern about TZM’s infrastructure and public image: pseudoscience and grand conspiracy thinking abound
There has been growing concern within a significant portion of The Zeitgeist Movement’s (TZM) membership about the lack of adherence to and understanding of the scientific process amongst many of the more vocal members within the organization. This includes the founder, Peter Joseph, himself.
While TZM proclaims to be about “the application of the scientific method for social concern”, there is a significant prevalence of pseudoscientific views and conspiratorial thinking that are displayed by such prominent spokesmen for the movement.
While this problem has existed for some time within TZM – in no small part catalyzed by the first “Zeitgeist” film of the documentary trilogy, as well as similar but more muted problems with “Zeitgeist: Addendum” – the problem has become most apparent after now-former global lecture team member, Matt Berkowitz, released a lecture called “How to Know What’s True: Assessing Scientific Research”. The comments section of the video (now removed dictatorially by Peter, and subsequently uploaded to a different channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tc0_NulJx0) displayed the general misunderstandings and projections of science of many TZM supporters.
Recent events have forced Matt Berkowitz to stop his activism under the TZM umbrella. It is clear that a rigorous standard of scientific evidence and understanding of the scientific process is not embraced by the administrative body of TZM. And despite constant efforts to improve and reconcile this situation both privately and publicly, no resolution has been reached.
This letter is simply being published to express the extreme concern that many current and now-formerly active TZM members share. The signatories below indicate such people who are no longer capable of or will have great difficulty in associating with TZM, not because of the general content it puts forward, but due to the infrastructural, administrative, and PR problems expressed here. We warn that if the administrative body of TZM continues to operate with such pseudoscientific / anti-scientific / conspiratorial overtones and associations that the movement will continue to not be taken seriously by any reputable person or organization. There is additionally the problem of alienating the more scientifically literate members and overall decreasing the quality of the membership base as a whole, which has already occurred.
What we recommend for TZM to reform itself (even though many of us feel this unlikely at this point):
1) There needs to be more quality control: both within the administrative body of TZM (for example, the Global Chapters Administration) and within public speakers for TZM. This may be accomplished by enforcing some sort of science competency / critical thinking test as a prerequisite for participation.
2) When supporting the “Natural Law Resource-Based Economy” (NLRBE), rely on the most robust, high-quality peer-reviewed evidence possible, embracing scientific consensus wherever it exists, and not avoiding issues that are socially contentious but not scientifically contentious, especially when they relate to the sustainability goals of an NLRBE.
Adam Lucas, TZM UK
Adam Moloney, TZM Maidstone, UK Coordinator
Ahnaf Habib, TZM Toronto
Alessio Campus, TZM UK
Alfonso Basulto, ex-TZM Tijuana, Mexico Coordinator
Andrew Lenberg, ex-TZM ASU University Chapter Coordinator
Andrew Ponton, ex-TZM Brisbane, Australia Coordinator
Andy Keel, TZM UK
Axel Cantón, TZM Argentina
Carlos M. Arias Moreno, TZM Spain Coordinator
Casey Davidson, TZM Australia National Coordinator
Christopher Gray, ex-TZM Louisiana Coordinator
Christopher S. Jannette, ex-TZM Global Moderator
Ciarán Ó Floinn, TZM Ireland
Cuauhtemoc "Nick" Flores, ex-TZM Dallas
Dan Smith, TZM UK
Dany Ehrenbrink, TZM Ireland Co-Coordinator
Dave Thawley, TZM UK Coordinator
David Tonner, ex-TZM Edmonton Coordinator
David Zwolski, ex-TZM Australia National Coordinator
Dean Langley, ex-TZM London, UK
Dean Kearns, TZM Ireland National Coordinator
Derek Patrick, [ex-]TZM Malaysia
Drayton Brown, TZM UK
Elad Amir, TZM UK
Exel Zeitgeister, TZM Argentina
Gabriel Sebastián López, TZM Argentina
Garry Aird, TZM UK
Glen Miles, TZM Michigan
Gustavo Garay, TZM Argentina
Ian Massey, TZM UK
Isabel Cristina, TZM Colombia National Coordinator
James Hill, TZM Australia Coordinator
João Carreira, TZM Portugal
James Costello, ex-TZM Ottawa, ON
James Exarcopoulos, TZM UK
Jamison Small, TZM Arizona Coordinator
Jared Wright, TZM Wisconsin
Jason Lloyd, ex-TZM France National Coordinator
Javier Rodriguez, TZM Argentina National Coordinator
Jeremy Butts, TZM Texas
Jim Hammell, TZM London, ON Coordinator
Joaquín Aramendía, TZM Argentina
Jonny Queen, TZM UK
José Llanes, TZM Argentina
Josh Hanchar, TZM Indiana
Josh Tewell, TZM Texas
Joshua Lossner, TZM Iowa
Kari McGregor, ex-TZM Australia National Coordinator, ex-TZM GCA
Karri Ojala, TZM Finland
Leo Eddie Riveron, TZM Illinois
Leonardo Falaschini, ex-TZM Argentina
Mads Tofthøj Rasmussen, TZM Denmark
Marc Rice, TZM UK
Marío Coss, ex-TZM Arizona
Markus Nylund ex-TZM Finland
Matias Castro, TZM Argentina
Matt Berkowitz, ex-TZM Global Lecture Team and ex-TZM Vancouver Coordinator
Matthew Szczublewski, TZM San Diego
Miguel Oliveira, TZM GCA (currently inactive)
Miles Ransaw, TZM Edmonton
Niels Böge Nothdurft, [maybe ex-]TZM Denmark
Noah Herbst-Aylesworth, TZM Calgary
Nole Mailey, ex-TZM GCA
Olivia Tarasewicz, TZM Calgary Coordinator
Oskar Gonzalez, ex-TZM Texas Coordinator
Paul Fenley III ex-TZM Oklahoma Coordinator
Pete Cullen, TZM Northern Ireland Coordinator
Pieter de Beer, ex-TZM South Africa
Philip Blair, TZM UK and Northern Ireland Coordinator
Rachel Yapp, ex-TZM Vancouver Coordinator
Rasmus S. Rydstrøm-Poulsen, TZM Calgary Coordinator
Richard Mergler, TZM Austin
Rodrigo Alcocer, TZM Bolivia National Coordinator
Ron Joniak, TZM Illinois
Rony Macarone TZM, Cornwall, Ontario
Ryan Salisbury, ex-TZM Research Team
Saget Agrawal, TZM India
Samora Tomás, TZM Azores
Sérgio Fontinhas, ex-TZM Portugal
Steve McGarry, TZM UK
Victor Lara, TZM Argentina
Victor Liste, TZM Argentina
William Griffin, ex-TZM San Diego Coordinator
William Liddell, TZM UK
If your name is not on here and you would like it to be, please e-mail: mattb(at)zeitgeistvancouver(dot)com.
More background on this whole affair (questions by Teemu K of TZM Finland, answers by Matt B) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sy8HODBLtKo2TE8G2tlwRCIeI1sCi_BLPmG-1sPxWXc/edit
Update (Nov. 4): “Due to recent events and the letter of concern about TZM’s infrastructure and public image, the GCA (Global Chapters Administration) is inviting all concerned members to come to the next GCA meeting this next Tuesday (Nov 11) on Team Speak at 21 UTC (GCA room) to discuss solutions to the issues raised by the letter.
We advise everyone to come prepared in order to keep the meeting short, civil & effective."
Update (Nov. 11): The meeting occurred and while there was initial agreement that the problems identified in this letter are legitimate, there was little indication that the GCA is willing to make the necessary broad structural changes. Time will tell if they will.
