FILM REVIEW: "The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom"

British documentary maker Adam Curtis has made three powerful BBC documentaries: The Power of Nightmares, The Century of Self, and his latest (2007) "The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom" ...a brilliant exposition on the consequences of "Game Theory" and "Economic Systems Theory".– Adam Curtis provides a thorough historical analysis, from R.D. Lang's influence on Psychiatric practice, to Princeton Prof. John Nash's (portrayed in the film A Brilliant Mind) contribution to economic  rationalism, "Game Theory" which led to the Rand Corporation's 'experiments' and to the US military approach to management of the cold war, and to James Buchanan's "Economic Systems Theory" which Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton championed as the ultimate socio-economic  equalizer, while keeping public order in a "FREE" society.

The hidden consequence is that people are (still) encouraged to succeed by cheating, altering statistics, etc. both to keep their jobs, and to maximize profits, which led to the extreme levels of corrupt accounting we've witnessed over the last couple of decades – while everyone is expected to focus on themselves first, on their own needs and ambitions, above cooperation.

You can watch the three part film online.

http://www.rewtube.com/?film=the-trap&gclid=CJna4ofRlpUCFSAUagodXhqUPA

And, learn more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trap_(television_documentary_series)

A friend - a top line corporate marketing consultant, says it is very hard for her to think in terms of sustainability, but she knows she must.

I've heard said when the vast population of intelligent corporate employees see the genuine need to change their approach, we will see the changes we need. Perhaps they will need to reach a stage where such levels of personal "freedom" to consume 'stuff' become a total BORE for themselves, as it is for the rest of us who must live with the consequences of their choices!

Meanwhile, the 'rest of us' simply must keep on promoting the 'holistic' approach.

In addition, I've always been enthralled by the fact that key advocates of the Mayan callendar say it predicts that we will see a vast expansion in personal BLISS by 2009. When enough people realize that the economic approach over last 100 years was 'a mistake', I imagine new levels of liberation and relief from accumulated stress will lead to heightened sharing of BLISS.