Image
© Unknown
Owned & Operated is a new documentary about the struggles we are facing as a global humanity. For the most part, it's a decent film - especially the first hour. The way it incorporates hundreds of different sources to corroborate the overall feelings sweeping the globe is certainly nice and refreshingly unique. And the tone of the film in general is appropriately forceful and motivating. I agree with many of the points made (but certainly not all) and suggest it's viewing with your critical-thinking cap on.

Unfortunately, like most all films of this type today, Owned & Operated overlooks a great opportunity to assert some very key points. Most especially, it expresses nothing about the vital importance of Self-Work as individuals - of coming into an applicable Realization of the Authentic Self - which is tantamount to the discovery of a healthy society. Nor does it discuss the FACT that problems with our governments stem most-principally from an affliction of psychopathy (marked by character traits of insatiable avarice and total lack of empathy) in key players of the ruling elite - not just ordinary greed and corruption.

At minute 49:18 of the film, there's even a short blip from Cory Doctorow - Canadian-British blogger and science-fiction writer - insisting that it's just too sad and dissatisfying a prospect to face the fact that our governments and corporations are "owned & operated" by twisted, evil people! Well, Cory, science-fiction isn't the same thing as actual science and reality. We don't get to refute the science of ponerology and it's reality just "because it's fundamentally a council of despair." That's why it's called FACT!

Image
© Unknown
Without an acknowledgment of these points, we cannot begin to move from our place of oppression and entropy to one of a healthy, functioning humanity and economy - no matter the basis of that economy. What most people still do not understand or will not look at is the Truth that psychopathy in positions of power has permeated and metastasized throughout our culture to such a degree that society has become morbidly complacent and effectively stripped of its natural Rights and much of it's power. And if we cannot do the Work to face facts objectively and Realize our True Potential as Authentic human beings - ridding ourselves of this abject individual and social ignorance and egoism - bringing real change that could ever matter will be, at best, an unrealistic and highly unlikely prospect.

That's why all these so-called movements, including Zeitgeist and the Venus Project (which are presented in the latter minutes of the film as viable ideals) are never really able to disclose or present any kind of applicable transition between where we are now and what needs to be done to realize these fantastical ideals. I agree these ideals - of a living in harmony in a resource-based economy, without the need for money, in magnificent futuristic cities - are really special and lovely, and I'd love to see them in place as much as most people. But without a fundamental change in the quality of humanity, wherein each individual actively takes the responsibility to Work, Awakening to the Reality of the True Nature of the Authentic Self - to effectively enter into a new paradigm (not just a new idea) - which also involves the personal constitution to reject the current establishment by becoming immune to the pathocratic control system and engaging in noncompliance - the world will not significantly change for the better, and films like Owned & Operated will amount to little more than another over-hyped, fluffy distraction, keeping people blindingly hopeful and without viable direction.

With this in mind, watch and enjoy the film - and take from it the very valid points the film does make. Just don't get caught up in quixotic hopes that, just because we're all mad about the way things are going, that suddenly it's all going to become a utopia - it isn't. Awareness is important, and the film may well help in that respect, however awareness and disillusionment alone will not solve the problem, appropriate action is required. And so-called solutions are presented in the film, unfortunately, what is needed to get from here to there is starkly absent.