This is a letter I never imagined I would write. However, I am inquisitive of my environment, and I understand things about TVP now that many others before me do as well. I only wish I had been wiser and did not need to feel the flame first hand.
Firstly, I do think that The Venus Project (hereafter known as TVP) is putting out a lot of thought provoking content about an alternative way of managing the Earth's resources and applying the scientific method to human society so I still encourage people to learn about the possibilities. However, the organization itself is not going to advance beyond its current level without serious reorganization, from top (Roxanne) to bottom (TVP-Activism(A)), which I see as highly unlikely, but necessary.
The document you all have been asked to “sign” by Sue, seems to be a direct attack on me, Steven Black, and also to a lesser extent a ‘warning’ to the group of people I’ve been collaborating with. This becomes rather evident since I was removed from the Skype and FB groups without any warning, notification or even an explanation after the fact. Below is a copy of a msg thread between Sue and myself:
There has been no further response from Sue and none of the other admins have made an attempt to clear this up with me either. As such, I no longer feel a need to point out everything that is flawed with TVP and TVPA. Rather, it should all be obvious to anyone with a critical mind. My suggestion is that everyone becomes very inquisitive. Ask questions until you can’t think of any more questions to ask. Questions are only viewed as a threat to authority. However, questions are necessary for creating a world of access and abundance, where every human can have their needs met and reach their full potential.
“I have a lot to consider and think about, and I want to research and look into this more deeply and come to my own conclusion about it after studying it for myself, and if I come to similar conclusions or arrive at new conclusions then I want to try and articulate that as best as possible and improve upon and evolve my understandings. I want to know it so deeply that I can explain it to other people and share with others in society. We ask ourselves, “Why is the world the way that it is”?” - The ThinkerConsider the following questions and how you would answer them as a POC with regards to TVP and TVPA: What values would people of an RBE have and how would they be described? How are we going to get to an RBE? Are there other directions we can take and also achieve success? How are decisions made in TVP? Who is going to make decisions regarding the development of an RBE? Can we simulate an RBE environment now? What is the purpose of teams? What successful approaches were there in developing teams? How large are the administrators’ teams? What are the backgrounds of the admins? Are they qualified to facilitate learning about the variety of topics required to understand an RBE? Are there other approaches we should consider regarding XYZ? What are existing sustainable communities doing, and is there anything we can learn from them? Why is it that an idea as great as RBE has gone nowhere in the past 40 years? Why do people keep quitting/leaving TVP and TVPA? Are Jacque and Roxanne really the best people to run this operation/organization? Who else would be great to have involved in this project? Have they been approached? What were their responses to the Aims and Proposals of TVP? Why do Jacque and Roxanne keep kicking out people who are the most serious about this direction? Is it sane to keep trying the same thing for 40+ years? Has technological development during this time allowed for more up to date and improved solutions? When were the last updates to the TVP city made? Are there even official blueprints of the cities being proposed? Or are these just concepts? Why doesn't TVPA use any of the TZM educational materials? Is The Zeitgeist Movement's Natural Law/Resource Based Economy so different than TVP's? If so, how?
These are some of the many questions I have thought, and asking any of them is likely to upset some people. These are rational and logical questions that are important for our advancement forward. You all should be able to add hundreds more if you know how to think. I can go on for hours about what else needs to be asked and answered before we attempt to build a “test city”. A city with the purpose of discovering questions/answers that can be asked/answered now is a waste of resources and will likely do poorly compared to dealing with them now.
If TVP is trying to change the world’s value orientation, wouldn’t it seem logical to foster a collaborative environment rather than a competitive one? Yet, the environment in which TVPA has created for us to grow and learn in, closely resembles that which we are trying to get away from, and the predictable negative behaviour is manifesting as a result. How can we change the world when people who want to create a collaborative world cannot even work together? We all have a long way to go in updating our value system. What is the detailed value system TVP proposes? This is going to be a lifelong process for all of us, which is especially difficult to achieve while participating in modern society. This is part of the motivation for creating small communities now. It will allow us to more easily rediscover ourselves.
Consider the following:
“One of the first thinkers that tried to provide some distinction between philosophy and sophism was a man named Isocrates. Isocrates wrote a piece called, “Against the Sophists” where he elaborated upon several criticisms that he had of what the sophists were doing. In “Against the Sophists” Isocrates claims that these people are essentially charlatans who were making promises upon which they could not deliver -- they claim to be much wiser than they actually were. Isocrates questions why they would demand payment up front if they were so wise and confident in their ability to teach virtue and justice. He asks why they would not simply take payment in one sum at the end. Isocrates points out that it is far easier to teach a person a few strategies of rhetorical trickery than it is teach the real, solid rules for filtering through to a greater approximation of truth and the communication of that truth through clear visual language.” -Excerpt from another workI do not intend to attack TVP or TVPA. These questions should help advance the project. Additionally, I think that what TVPA is doing is a fine introductory program into understanding a new economic system. I would rate it at level 0-1. But once you clear level 1, what are you going to do next? We don’t need more hosts. We need Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to spread the information efficiently. This is another proposal/suggestion that was viewed as an attack. Our goal should be to eliminate all “work” within the group. Eliminate the need for admins, not create more. Automation, automation, automation ‒ until there is nothing left to automate. I have offered to lead all the of the project proposals I have created, so it would add no work to the other volunteers.
So, who the hell am I to say these things and to think I understand RBE? I have been studying science, engineering, statistical trends, nature, among many other things since I was a child. I had been developing social solutions, studying many of the alternatives that exist for economies, long before I discovered TVP, the organization, not to be confused with the solution. The ideas are not as unique or original as some people believe. They use Resource Based Economy, I use science, sustainability, access, need-fulfillment and community. Semantics.
I am not interested in recruiting anyone from TVP[A]. Most people I am working with have approached me with questions and concerns about TVP[A]. When you reach the point where you have learned as much as you can from TVP[A], and you are starting to get frustrated, then you’re ready for the next level. I have proposed solutions to TVP and TVPA. However, those attempts were often rejected without explanation. This is very typical. You are likely to be ignored if they are not interested in what the part that approaches them is saying or proposing. If we are wrong in our thoughts or directions, we would like to be shown where, so we can make necessary corrections. We are not trying to create an alternative, but simply offer a more complete and improved solution that we can work towards. From the beginning I have said that I will support/advocate for TVP as long as it is the most complete and logical solution. If I find something better, then I will change. I have since found a more complete solution for which I am now helping to advance. If I did not, I would consider myself a TVP cult follower because I would be denying reality.
Jacque has contributed so much to the world and I have no intention of saying anything negative about him. It is just important that we all realize our weaknesses. Learn what you can from TVP, but don’t shut yourself off from the rest of the world. There are thousands of sources of useful information out there. Many organizations trying to bring about the world, I feel/think, we are all envisioning similarly (in more romantic language, “save the world”). The more information we have, the better the solutions will be.
I picked up some useful skills during my time with TVPA and I hope I have had a positive impact on some people’s futures here. While I am no longer allowed to participate, I do not attempt to restrict (nor could I, as a matter of fact) those that work with me from continuing to work with TVP or any other organization or personal projects for that matter.
I am working on a podcast series called, “Inside TVP” that shines light on how the organization works, and gives viewers an idea of what it may be like to work with them. It will, of course, be from a limited perspective. However, I have tried to be as objective as possible, and do not wish to create an inaccurate image of TVP. I started this series before my removal. The goal is to point out areas for improvement and remove the delusion that TVP is our “savior”, but rather another organization with good intentions and ideas, that is faced with serious limitations, both internal and external. I am willing to cooperate with capable people who share the common purpose of creating a thriving world of abundance for all.
I hope to see you all in a better world,
Steven Black
Skype ID: blackst6
www.stevenblack.co
