Skeptic Project

I think Jacque Fresco himself would fail this test

Sky, I suppose the point is to mess with Merola.

But according to this thread even right answers don't make a difference.

I imagine if current members were forced to take it, many would actually not pass.

It looks like they're commenting on this thread and you, domokato.

What I don't understand is why so many of the questions have nothing to do with what they claim its for.

They claim:

"The following test is to gauge your understanding about The Zeitgeist Movement and The Venus Project."

So what does this question have to do with that?

Q: When social values are not in tandem with progressive technological changes, this is termed:

+ Culture lag
+ Traditional paralysis
+ Luddite demeanor
+ Traditional flux

How does knowing any of those terms really help? Why make a test so specific and advanced just to "gauge your understanding about The Zeitgeist Movement and The Venus Project"

Or there's this one:

Q: Who made the following statement: "The role of humans as the most important factor of production is bound to diminish in the same way that the role of horses in agricultural production was first diminished and then eliminated by the introduction of tractors."

+ Albert Einstein
+ Buckminster Fuller
+ Roxanne Meadows
+ Wassily Leontief

You would think that if they wanted to make sure people understood the Zeitgeists Movements ideas the question wouldn't ask WHO said that quote, but rather ask questions that shows they UNDERSTAND the CONCEPT of technological employment rather than memorising who said what, or understanding complicated terminology that is ultimately irrelevant.

Maybe its because Peter is so stuck up he thinks this makes him look smarter.

I gotta love Thunder on that thread, who claims he took the test 3 times and got 20/20 each time. What a load of crap.

Q: Who made the following statement: "The role of humans as the most important factor of production is bound to diminish in the same way that the role of horses in agricultural production was first diminished and then eliminated by the introduction of tractors."

+ Albert Einstein
+ Buckminster Fuller
+ Roxanne Meadows
+ Wassily Leontief

Albert Einstein must have said that one in 1972. Hahaha

Here's another stupid question:

40% of the annual deaths worldwide are caused by:

+ Disease and malnutrition
+ War, poverty and genocide
+ Water, air and soil pollution
+ GMO foods

The right answer is clearly either "Disease and malnutrition" or "War, poverty and genocide"

What makes this question stupid is that poverty stricken countries is where you will find disease and malnutrition. People that aren't living in poverty don't have a problem with malnutrition and disease.

So the right answer really is both, but now we are left guessing which one THEY want you to pick. I would guess that it would have to be the first one as the second has the word "genocide" and "war" which seems out of place.

It should have been written like this... "Disease and malnutrition caused by poverty".... and then the next option being "war and genocide".... That would have made sense and you wouldn't be left playing this silly game of chance.

@Ed, for what it's worth, the answer according to their materials is indeed Water, air and soil pollution. It claims disease and malnutrition result from that.

@Ed, for what it's worth, the answer according to their materials is indeed Water, air and soil pollution. It claims disease and malnutrition result from that.

Do you know where I can find the exact part where they say that?

Because according to what you said I'm still correct. The answer is still "disease and malnutrition".

You say you are dying of cancer not dying of smoking, know what I mean?

I finally got an 18. Let's see how long it takes for me to get banned without causing any harm.

That's true. The info is found on page 34 under Natural Law 1

http://thezeitgeistmovement.com/The%20Zeitgeist%20Movement.pdf

This is interesting actually...

1. So it really is about memorising everything. Though this question is hardly the worst offender.

2. The source he quotes is this:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-08/cuns-pc4081307.php</p>

Which does indeed say that:

About 40 percent of deaths worldwide are caused by water, air and soil pollution, concludes a Cornell researcher.

But what else does the article say?

David Pimentel, Cornell professor of ecology and agricultural sciences, and a team of Cornell graduate students examined data from more than 120 published papers on the effects of population growth, malnutrition and various kinds of environmental degradation on human diseases. Their report is published in the online version of the journal Human Ecology (available at http://www.springerlink.com/content/101592/, to be published in the December print issue).

"We have serious environmental resource problems of water, land and energy, and these are now coming to bear on food production, malnutrition and the incidence of diseases," said Pimentel.

So the answer "disease and malnutrition" is indeed correct. That is what is killing people.

But, "poverty" is also a correct answer... It explains in the same article...

* Nearly half the world's people are crowded into urban areas, often without adequate sanitation, and are exposed to epidemics of such diseases as measles and flu.

"half the word's population" is obviously referring to the third world, where we know such terrible cases of "disease and malnutrition" exist.

But continues in another point in the study:

With 1.2 billion people lacking clean water, waterborne infections account for 80 percent of all infectious diseases. Increased water pollution creates breeding grounds for malaria-carrying mosquitoes, killing 1.2 million to 2.7 million people a year, and air pollution kills about 3 million people a year. Unsanitary living conditions account for more than 5 million deaths each year, of which more than half are children.

Again, this is obviously referring to the third world. Places like Dubai are a rich country and the upper class are not lacking in clean water or sanitary living conditions. And places like America or the UK wouldn't have a malaria problem.

While it does indeed talk of other contaminates resulting in sickness in the western world, it seems the main focus of the study is on the third world - ie. people living in poverty. That is where most of the deaths are occurring, because they are living in poverty which makes them susceptible to disease and malnutrition due to poor living conditions, which is made worse by water, air and soil pollution.

It ends with a quote:

"A growing number of people lack basic needs, like pure water and ample food. They become more susceptible to diseases driven by malnourishment, and air, water and soil pollutants," Pimentel concludes. He and his co-authors call for comprehensive and fair population policies and more conservation of environmental resources that support human life.

So there are at least 2 legitimate answer's to the test's question after reading this source.

1. water, air and soil pollution
2. disease and malnutrition

And the third being, "poverty" which is also correct.

But no you have to learn their material off by heart like a parrot. It says "water, air and soil pollution" so you have to choose that one.

You shouldn't even look at the sources for help as that will actually confuse you as demonstrated here.

Again, I support the idea of an entrance exam. I do not agree with black and white answers to grey questions, however.

Another mistake has been corrected thanks to a Zeitgeister on irc.

I take it I'm the troll he's referring to:

http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_kunena&Itemid=99999&func=view&catid=231&id=264550&limit=10&limitstart=150#266382