Ethos
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Ethos

2011, Politics  -   183 Comments
8.28
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Ratings: 8.28/10 from 145 users.

EthosEthos, a powerful new documentary hosted by Woody Harrelson, is an investigation into the flaws in our systems, and the mechanisms that work against democracy, our environment and the the common good.

With a stunning depth of research and breadth of analysis, this film delves deep into the inter-connected worlds of Politics, Multi-National Corporations and the Media.

Most of us have wondered at some point how we have arrived at a situation where democracy is touted as having created an equal society when all we see is injustice and corruption.

Politicians openly deceive the public with the support of major corporations and the mainstream media. Wars are waged, the environment is destroyed and inequality is on the rise.

But what is the source of these institutional mechanisms which - when we scratch the surface - are so clearly anti-democratic, so contradictory to the values we hold in common and yet so firmly embedded that they seem beyond discussion?

Ethos opens a Pandora's box that has it's roots in the cross-roads where capitalism-meets-democracy, implicates every power-elite puts profit before people and finally offers a solution whereby you - the viewer - can regain control using the one thing they do care about - your cash.

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Abraham
Abraham
5 years ago

OK, what to tell about movie?
Movie and Woody tell us WHAT, but what missing is WHO!
Average watcher get impression, yes there are some people who work behind wall against all of us, but this you get impression who are those people?
NO!
Why? Because if you spoke against them you are anysemith, speach of hate etc.
Yes, since 1910 USA is in hand of so called jews. And yes all bad in your contry which is just one big company led and ovn by jews.
You american people read what Henry Ford write about jews and then tell my am I right.
All evil on this planet come from this half rase people, and only way to resolve this problem if you american people open eyes and fight your enemy in your country.
Did you ask yourself how come that you work all that is in interes of israel?
Think twice!

importare
importare
8 years ago

Good film. Bad grammar. Its, without an apostrophe, is the possessive of the pronoun it. It’s, with an apostrophe, is a contraction of it is or it has.

Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas
9 years ago

Does anyone know where any citations or sources can be found from the movie?

Douglas Forrest
Douglas Forrest
9 years ago

so what can you do to fight against corruption in our government?

Larry Dean Moore
Larry Dean Moore
9 years ago

What if i told you that this documentary is a piece of the puzzle; an instrument of fear.

ChefBryn
ChefBryn
9 years ago

We are in a man made matrix designed by the greedy, power hungry elite.

DIMOJABE
DIMOJABE
10 years ago

We need an e-government. I would happily come home 2 nights a week and vote on whatever my government needed me to vote on.

I bet it would take us 2 years of bi-weekly voting to get out of the mess they've put us in... but think how cool it would be. The whole family could get involved and discuss what vote to take.

Kids would learn straight up to research, listen, and think critically.

We do not need a congress any more... and especially not this one.

Kathy Edwards
Kathy Edwards
10 years ago

I am tired of them controlling what we buy. Everything is so cheaply made it falls apart almost as soon as you buy it and of course then you have to buy either another one or something else that is just as bad. I want more manufacturing plants back in America and good quality things that don't fall apart just so you have to go buy another. You can't even buy a decent razor to shave with that last as long as it did 20 years ago. They want you to spend and spend and spend. TIRED and FED UP!

pamela carper
pamela carper
10 years ago

I have spent 20 yr travelling this beautiful plant.
I lived in Isreal in 1989/90 when Bush started his Space wars
I was in Borneo in 1997 when the rainforest was being slash and burned. When I was there 70℅ was virgin rainforest, like Brazil half is gone in a short time and soon it will all be gone. The forest are the lungs of our planet.
I have swam in the Pacific Ocean when I was sailing from Japan to San Francsico in 1998. Now it is a graveyard a sad quiete place since the power station disasters.
If we do not make change now, what will be left for a children and our children's, Children.
Why are we living on this planet as if we have another one to go to.
We can make a difference and it has to be now.
I am asking everyone on ground level to stand up in the street for 5mins. For a life time of peace it is not a long time.
The difficult part is getting everyone to understand the importance.
At a certain time on a certain day, we all stand up, it would be like a wave of positive, peacefully energy continuing due to the different time zones, but the impact would be incredible, the energy would be overwhelming. It has to be a globe stand from the ground up it will not work (as proven in 2003 when millions apon millions stood up and yet the war went ahead) if we don't all stand together.
We have only 5mins of our busy life to lose and so much to gain.
Please "like" my status if you are prepared to stand up against these warmungering misers.
We need to stand up and say enough is enough.
The world is a life cycle and we have stopped turning we need to do the full cycle and the opotunity is there if you have the courage to stand up.
Once the hole world is one. The date and time will be set.
Please have faith in yourselves, courage in your heart and a willingness to change.
Like my status, make a change
Thank you and Thank you Woody :-) x x x

SL909
SL909
10 years ago

very disappointing end to the whole idea being portrayed. Whoever believes that choosing to spend your money ethically is "active citizenship" is fooling themselves into inaction. Real gains will have to mean real battles. In the market but more importantly in the political arena

South_One
South_One
10 years ago

World inequality is not on the rise; world wise inequality is falling.

IwantMyFreedomBack
IwantMyFreedomBack
10 years ago

i have watched so many documentaries and the evidence is so uncanny, so true, so realistic and the people that fight against this truth is because they are in FEAR. They do not want to believe that we all are a prisoner...we live in an invisible prison cell that always has eyes on us....my ONLY CONCERN is that this movie DOES not tell us the only real solution to this chaos and pain and attacks on HUMANITY, not just Americans....the answer is

we have to go back to agriculture based society.

we grow the food ourselves...in your backyard...people like living comfortably where they don't have to work hard to get food BUT they rather be a slave at a job they despise and constantly be poor when they get make their own resources

PEOPLE please read ISHMAEL BY DANIEL QUINN

a quote that i absolutely adore from this story:

“There's nothing fundamentally wrong with people. Given a story to enact that puts them in accord with the world, they will live in accord with the world. But given a story to enact that puts them at odds with the world, as yours does, they will live at odds with the world. Given a story to enact in which they are the lords of the world, they will ACT like lords of the world. And, given a story to enact in which the world is a foe to be conquered, they will conquer it like a foe, and one day, inevitably, their foe will lie bleeding to death at their feet, as the world is now.”

Lindsay
Lindsay
10 years ago

I am currently watching it. I didn't feel this was so legit, especially about the Federal Reserve System, so I did some research and there really is not straight forward answer. Is it best to remain ignorant and die careless or learn all conspiracies and sleep worried? I don't know but it really increases my perspective so I can make a strong opinion one day.

Michael Fournier
Michael Fournier
11 years ago

At the end of this movie they suggest we can make a difference by what we choose to spend on. Well there is a HUGE problem with that. here is one example: Right now I am heating my house with Natural Gas I have NO choice where that gas comes from or if i agree with how they got it out of the ground. I can not afford to put in a off grid solar system and even if I did I am sure the company that manufactures the solar cells and the batteries needed is polluting. Then there is the problem that if you look close enough ether the thing you bought or the somewhere down the chain or the manufacturing process it is bad in other words if you live in the system you are not part of the solution but part of the problem the only way to remove yourself from being part of the problem is remove your self from the system. And move to where you can live in a substance lifestyle problem is there is NO way the massive population we have today can all do that. No matter hom much I would love a change the more I look in to it the more I have to say it is NOT going to happen. ONLY a complete destruction of our society will change it. I just do not see how at this point anyone can change it you can't buy anything or spend a dollar on anything without being part of the problem. IN FACT our monetary system itself IS the biggest part of problem. When we create money it is creating debt greater then there will every be to pay it off. Why because the reserve banks create and loan and the amount of that loan is equal to the amount of money the treasury can print but we have to pay it back plus interest where does the money come from to pay back the interest? No where. You can NEVER pay back the debt as to get the money to pay back the first loan plus interest you must take out a even bigger loan to create the money to pay the interest but now there is MORE interest and so on and so on and so on until the debt grows and grows to the point it exceeds the GDP completely then you have no money left except to pay the interest. The whole debate about how to pay back the national debt is stupid as the truth is IT CAN NEVER BE paid as long as we are trying to pay it with money that was itself just created out of more debt.

Spanky_77
Spanky_77
11 years ago

I personally have thought this ( everything in the documentary) for awhile, and I think that the majority of you (yes you the person reading this) have too. I do believe that we the people do have the power to change the government, it is going to be tough and quite frankly expensive.
A new avenue to look at- The new gun laws! Our so called government is trying to tell us what we can and cant have. In the Constitution on the 2nd amendment it states that The people have the right to bear arms and that right will not be infringed upon. They have been infringing upon that right for longer that I have been alive(39 yrs). Who are we to let them do this? If you are reading this and getting upset because of my thoughts or beliefs stop to think for a second, If that gunman was not able to get the guns and kill all those beautiful children, He most probably would have gone in to the school and killed with another weapon. He was a sick person and (from what i understand and have been able to gather) thought about doing this for a while. He tried to buy a gun before that tragic day and was denied so he went and got one another way. More people are killed by way of a baseball bat knife or even with bear hands than are killed by guns each and every yr. All in all this is just another way that our GOVERNMENT is trying to control us so we can not fight them. I am ready to fight and will!

Russell Poley
Russell Poley
11 years ago

The reason we experience all of these problems is because society is based on the unspoken principle of scarcity. That is, there is not enough to go around so, if you want something you must deprive someone else of it.
Because of this assumption, competition takes precedence over cooperation, fear over trust and profit over ethics.
I am quite prepared to demonstrate that scarcity is (and always has been) an illusion and that there is plenty of everything to go around. You see the problem is not one of sufficient resources but rather mankind's ability to efficiently utilize these resources.
Finally I believe that the ultimate expression of the (net neutral)world wide web will be to make representative government largely obsolete by the evolution of direct vote democracy.

Nick Baober Payton
Nick Baober Payton
11 years ago

if we make an excuse then you haven't watched this you have to act we are many they are few, so what is the problem lets start to organize by just passing this link and start by just being open that something will start to change. knowledge is power and this is giving you the power to act by passing this on to as many people as possable and ask them to do the same, that is the start then a world wise boycott one day where we dont go to work we dont buy any thing that one day will cost our goverment's billions they will sit up and listern if we can give up one day that's all you will be suprised call it ethos day start a face book page pass on this idea.
it will change the world our world we live here not corporations we have created this monster we can tame it .

Erin Edlow
Erin Edlow
11 years ago

This is an interesting perspective. The problems of cronyism and corruption are just coming to head now in the U.S, but the wealthy have always been in control of every major society in every country, past or present, and probably future, even since the conception of the U.S. The Founders were all wealthy aristocrats. We preach the rhetoric of democracy-that everyone is created equal, everyone should have a say in how their govt is run, etc...but humans are like inherently greedy, just as any other species on the planet. There are so many socio-economic problems because we don't practice what we preach. We talk of fairness and equality and justice, yet the entire system is built to be unfair, unequal, and unjust. To be equal goes against nature. Consider the theory of Social Darwinism. Survival of the fittest. If democracy is going to succeed it will take an immense amount of selflessness and self-discipline to fight mother nature.

marbenit
marbenit
11 years ago

We all need to do our part, one person at a time. That is all we can do.

William Millsaps
William Millsaps
11 years ago

This is all well and good, but unless a large majority becomes involved, all is just a futile expression of our sense of injustice. Nothing more...

Piper Lindeen
Piper Lindeen
11 years ago

I would add that new businesses would also help in structuring their businesses as cooperatives. It is my opinion that the reason that corporations go so wrong is something close to why a mob goes wrong, or when things go wrong in high school. Everyone is feeling like they need to go along with the group, but no one wants to, so they give up their feelings of accountability.

Rev Rain
Rev Rain
11 years ago

We need to work together to overcome these evils coming our way for some time now. Let's stop shopping. Lets barter our services instead. Rain

Linda Slack
Linda Slack
11 years ago

thank you for this documentary! If more of us would open our minds to a truth that we must seek to know, there will be a major shift in the world paradigm...New thought leaders are communicating this message ~ Stop educating yourself on lies from television b/c it is designed to wash your brain and program you for failure, struggle and poverty!

Heather Eric Wassil
Heather Eric Wassil
11 years ago

its about time! I dont agree with it all but its so true in so many ways! Im 35 years old and **** was starting to get crazy when i was a kid so i thought. Then my viet nam veteran father and activist mother started educating me about the corruption of our great nation, i made it a point to research things before passing judgement. guess what? The only truth about the U.S. is that the pres. doesnt actually run things! Ask J.F.K or his brother Bobby. MONEY DOES!!! And thats why they were excecuted! They were already wealthy and didnt need special interest money to run the country! Until someone steps up and challenges this corporation control of our politicians very little will change.

Ujackme
Ujackme
11 years ago

An Opinion is a verb; An opinion is a selfish desire to express one's own ignorance. We as a society must define what is our own ignorance and how best to express our desire to best live our own lives. Without having to encroach on the opinions of other individuals and Societies, we must define Life for our ownselves and how we choose to live it.
Life is a noun; Life is the shortest distance between two points. The longer you live the shorter that distance becomes. Living and dying is synonymous.
We die a little every day until the day comes when we die no further.
Companies are no different eventually they all have an end. We, like Companies must always be vigilant and wary for the day will come when the distance between the two points will no longer exist. Living is for those that have come and gone before us. Life is for those of us that have been left behind and must afford it. Whose face is on the American Quarter?
I say " Give Washington what is Washington's and give American's what is America!"

DrKull
DrKull
11 years ago

Kull’s Five Freedoms for the 21st Century:

Freedom to learn and become informed (Can Not)
Freedom to behave as one wishes without harm (May Not)
Freedom to pursue happiness and create value (Will Not)
Freedom to have access to resources (Have Not)
Freedom to choose what to say and do (Which Not)

Happy Halloween!

George Michailow
George Michailow
11 years ago

What Every American, especially voters should see. View free at this link. “Those who know the least obey the best.” George Farquhar late 17th Century Irish Playwright also known for for "Necessity is the Mother of Invention" So, If you ...think you know, maybe time to consider that you don't know what you don't know. Get Informed. Avoid Mainstream media.. They have a clear agenda and it's to divert your attention and sell you what they choose to make "News and Information" QUESTION EVERYTHING

Rap Tor
Rap Tor
11 years ago

Ethos on #LinkTV Everybody needs to see this.

Gina Tidwell
Gina Tidwell
11 years ago

I went to the website and all I see is the page for the provider. I want to know what things we can do to stop big business. I want to get this information to the people I know and all of us start taking the steps. I have already taken a few steps. I make my own laundry detergent, shower gels, and fabric softeners. I eat garden vegetables when available. Greenhouse is next. I want to get off the power grid at some point and use well water. But that will be in the near future I hope.

james
james
11 years ago

This video rings true in so many ways. Thank You for connecting the dots it all make sense now.

peppersmom
peppersmom
11 years ago

@Alan Brezin...with all due respect to my elders. I was trained to respect old people. But I think you missed what Stephon was saying. Read it again...

peppersmom
peppersmom
11 years ago

@ Stephon J. Graham...AMEN!!! That's what I went to bed thinking after I watched. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace...
Great movie though. Too bad people buy into party politics. Just think what we (meaning ALL the people) accomplish working together. But we won't do it...too many hang ups because we have been trained to hate each other. Come soon Lord Jesus.

peppersmom
peppersmom
11 years ago

@ Stephon J. Graham...AMEN!!! That's what I went to bed thinking after I watched. Thank you Lord for your mercy and grace...
Great movie though...

Stephon J. Graham
Stephon J. Graham
11 years ago

Powerful movie! Even though I hope everyone here has the sense to know and understand that the only real way that all these things will be fixed is by the Almighty JEHOVAH GOD. That is the only way. Strong Movie good job Woody!

LivingwMS
LivingwMS
11 years ago

the website is down..?

IamForever1
IamForever1
11 years ago

What bothers me here is the lack of communication. There are not enough people discussing these issues. The news sites are booming with activity, that is not the case here. I don't have the personal power to move this information into the mainstreams of thought. All I can do is say what I see and acknowledge when things are not going well.
There is one thing that comes to mind, quit worrying about what to call a body of politics. People are so ready to get uptight over names. Those who control the masses don't even worry about those things, they just do what they're going to do and damn those who oppose. (To those who question wind up dead... go figure.)

B806G
B806G
11 years ago

I don't think you mean 'socialist.' that is an econmic system. Tyranny, and having decisions made for us is Fascist. Which is what we have now in America.

Jeana Marie
Jeana Marie
11 years ago

Socialism works in small doses, but on such a large scale as America...we'd be drowning in insurmountable debt within a year. If it's truly to work, we'd have to divide the country up smaller sections (which would of course require several civil wars), close our borders to anyone looking to become a citizen (all while alienating our allies), and raise the taxes up to at least 90% (causing everyone to become fully dependent on the government alone) just to support every existing citizen in America today. It's a great idea on paper, but in practice...not on this scale, not the most brilliant of ideas. No matter how much I actually agree with Socialist doctrine, I'm not going to deceive myself into believing it can be done without great sacrifice on the part of EVERY American Citizen. Take Sweden for Example, a Socialist country possessing some of the greatest musicians and physicians in the world. Truly, they pay over 75% tax rates, and with that revenue the government pays for their schooling, medical care, lodging, and will even support an unemployed worker until he is gainfully employed again. Sweden is the size of what, New York State? Try implementing such tactics in a country the size of America, and see how far you fall before becoming a permanent additive upon the pavement of reality.

Truthseeker
Truthseeker
11 years ago

It seems the movie has been removed??!??! Does anyone know where i can i find it online?

Meghanfionna11
Meghanfionna11
11 years ago

Wonderful and telling. Let's all try the solution.

Pnr1
Pnr1
11 years ago

Remarkable that this film not only points out the problem, but more importantly, the solution. Thank you for that.

shoboli
shoboli
11 years ago

in freedom to facism Aaron russo before his murder he was planning more of the films.which woulda been great .am glad for this film ethos its kinda like a part to.i know 9-11-01 was a job the the goverment knew was going on just like pearl harbor or the war in europe it was staged to get us in it.
kennedy was getting out of vietnam which got him killed to much money to be made. my father was a advisor in vietnam or indo china at the time he said it was a unwinnable war with a no win for united states

NoBodyScanners
NoBodyScanners
11 years ago

I was very happy they included Aaron Russo's statement about Nicholas Rockefeller telling him 9/11 was going to happen a year before it did.

9/11 *WAS* an inside job.

Elizabeth Huff
Elizabeth Huff
11 years ago

What is it going to take for US, common Amerikan ppl, to come together and not only be heard, but be a force to be reckoned with? WE as a whole should have the power. NOT the Boob Tube, Politicians, or Corporate. Really what do we do? We all see these things right in front of us and no one agrees with 90% of it. Yet we sit and do nothing. Sometimes I feel that even if we did do something, there is that overwhelming power that will veto all of US.

As far as the end of this movie...Remind you of the Mark of the Beast. I had to pray that me and my family do not see the day that this makes it's way into our lives as a law.

jeannie
jeannie
11 years ago

I have taken my health into my own hands. I no longer feel helpless on what I eat. I only buy organic and have quit eating meat. Next for me is my own veg garden.
Watch Forks Over Knives, Meat . Org, Food Inc. and it may change how you feed your family.
I am going to stop buying all those cleaners too. Vinegar and water and baking soda is all you need to clean. Google it.
Informing ourselves is up to us. We have an unlimited amount of information at our finger tips.

valerie
valerie
11 years ago

"The End" will come for war mongers, pollution, the Fed, unhealthy food, dysfunctional Governments, and all things unsustainable, based on the definition of 'UNSUSTAINABLE' I wonder when the puppet masters will understand this.

Phillip Blackwell
Phillip Blackwell
11 years ago

"has it’s roots in the cross-roads where capitalism-meets-democracy". Can anybody explain to me when the U.S. switched from a Republic to a Democracy?

palmharbor
palmharbor
11 years ago

The "answer' is there is No answer. Its the golden rule...he who has the gold, makes the rules.

NormanR1984
NormanR1984
11 years ago

"With a stunning depth of research and breadth of analysis..." Really, REALLY?

Look, I did like the film and it does put the responsibility where it belongs, which is with the consumer. That is to say, with you and I.

However, what many don't understand is the "consumer" also borrows money for college and advanced degrees, borrows money from banks for homes she or he can't afford, buys "cache" luxury products made by companies such as Apple which are manufactured in factories in countries overseas which don't have OSHA or regulation and which seem to be one step above the problems which spurred novels such as "The Jungle" in this country in the early 20th century. These same people routinely max out their credit cards to get a latte and the latest goods and fashions. Many of these people drive cars they can't afford, refuse to recycle or combine trips to conserve precious resources and "save the planet."

I could go on, but why waste my time?

Okay, so who is really responsible here?

Mia Velazquez
Mia Velazquez
11 years ago

I love this documentary it should be translated into many languages: spanish, Freanch, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic....etc.