Library
Filter
View
181-240 of 1,046
The Social Dilemma
We tweet, we like, and we share— but what are the consequences of our growing dependence on social media? As digital platforms increasingly become a lifeline to stay connected, Silicon Valley insiders reveal how social media is reprogramming civilization by exposing what’s...
Take Back Your Attention From The Social Media Algorithms
"Take Back Your Attention" is a short compilation with clips from several Rebel Wisdom films, and featuring visuals from the recent Netflix film with Tristan Harris, "The Social Dilemma".
The Man Card: White Male Identity Politics from Nixon to Trump
For years, right-wing politicians and pundits have repeatedly criticized the left for playing “the race card” and “the woman card.” This new film turns the tables and takes dead aim at the right’s own longstanding – but rarely discussed – deployment of white-male identity...
Generation Like
Social media gives teens new platforms for self-expression, validation and even potential fame — but at what cost? Today, thanks to the internet, teens are able to connect and engage with their culture, celebrities, movies, brands – in ways never before possible. But is that...
How the Modern World Makes Us Mentally Ill - Dr. Jonathan Haidt
Dr. Jonathan Haidt explains how good intentions and bad ideas are setting up a generation for a failure.
Trump, QAnon and The Return of Magic
This mini-doc is a deep dive into the topsy turvy world of Trump, QAnon, 5G, Covid, vaccines, Satanism and more. You'll also find out about the epic clash between Magical Thinkers and Evidence Seekers.
America's Patriotism to Fascism Pipeline
There have been plenty of videos examining the YouTube far-right radicalization machine, but far fewer looking at the effect of Fox News and conservative talk radio hosts on older generations. This video by Second Thought is an attempt to explain why so many people from our...
Are You Really "Free" Under Capitalism?
For decades, Americans have used the words "capitalism" and "freedom" as synonyms. In this video by Second Thought, we'll explore why capitalism not only fails to provide the freedom it promises, it also actively suppresses real freedom. 
How Dark Money Convinced You to Vote for Monsters | Peter Geoghegan
The story of George Soros, fake news & the Americanisation of far right politics. 
Noam Chomsky: How the Mass Media Manufactures Consent
Summary of Chomsky's analyses on how the corporate media functions. Excerpt from the documentary Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (1992). Watch the whole thing here.
Theory of Enchantment 101
The Theory of Enchantment course provides educators with a world-class social-emotional learning program (SEL) that integrates pop culture with developmental psychology. This program helps educators transform the lives of their students and motivates them to maximize their...
Racist Statues and Revisionist History
A lot of people seem to think that taking down racist statues or monuments to problematic historical figures is "erasing history." Let's talk about that. – Second Thought 
How Southern Socialites Rewrote Civil War History
The United Daughters of the Confederacy was a significant leader of the “Lost Cause,” an intellectual movement that revised history to look more favorably on the South after the American Civil War. They were women from elite antebellum families that used their social and...
United States of Distraction: Fighting The Fake News Invasion
United States of Distraction chronicles critical media literacy and faculty experts, students, and media makers who provide contextual analysis for understanding the current rise of the so-called “fake news” phenomenon.
Project Censored The Movie: Ending The Reign of Junk Food News
"Project Censored The Movie: Ending the Reign of Junk Food News" takes an in-depth look at what is wrong with the news media in the U.S. today and highlights the work of 40-year veteran media democracy organization Project Censored and their commitment to media literacy...
Black Lives Matter & The Question of Violence | Gary Younge
“Riots are often justified, what’s the French Revolution but a riot blessed by history”
As the George Floyd Protests Continue, Let's Be Clear Where the Violence Is Coming From
Using damage to property as cover, US police have meted out shocking, indiscriminate brutality in the wake of the uprising
Yes, the Looting Must Stop
Looting is the word of the day, on the lips of every newscaster, the president, and elected officials across the country.  And, indeed, looting is a major problem in America.
Don’t Fall for the Myth of the “Outside Agitator” in Racial Justice Protests
Whenever mass protests of any kind kick off, defenders of the status quo immediately accuse protesters as being duped by “outside agitators.” Don’t fall for it — the lie of the outside agitator is designed to weaken protests and downplay our widespread anger at injustice.
Astroturfing: How To Spot A Fake Movement
If the Reopen America protests seem a little off to you, that's because they are. In this video we're going to talk about astroturfing and how insidious it is. - Second Thought
Herman and Chomsky's Propaganda Model of News: An In-Depth Explanation
This 2-part video series offers a basic explanation of Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky's Propaganda Model. In their 1988 book, Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media, they outline 5 filters that critique “the political economy of the mass media," namely...
How Exxon Deceived The World (But Not Their Investors)
A video essay by Second Thought. 
No, We Should Not Condemn Uprisings Against Police Murders Like George Floyd's
The uprising in response to George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer this week has led to predictable calls to condemn looting. But the real looting in our society comes from the military, the police, the pharmaceutical companies, private equity, the landlords...
The Resurgence of Popular Left Media
The American media landscape can be pretty depressing for those with leftist sensibilities, but it's better than it was five years ago! Over the last two decades, a surge of support for leftist thought has culminated in a vibrant new batch of leftist media. From podcasts to...
Beneath Conspiracy Theories, the Class War
The danger of conspiracy theories is their ability to breed apathy and resignation, offering an easy narrative that makes people susceptible to influence and limits social change. There is another way.
The Conspiracy Myth
The other day I was amused to read a critique of The Coronation in which the author was absolutely certain that I am a closet conspiracy theorist. He was so persuasive that I myself almost believed it.
America's Stunted Political Spectrum
There's a whole lot of bickering and name-calling in American politics, but modern politicians have a lot more in common than you might realize. In this episode, Second Thought takes a look at just how skewed the American political spectrum is.
If You Found That ‘Plandemic’ Video Convincing, Read This Too
There’s a video out there that claims to show a scientist being silenced by the government. I keep seeing people share it while saying things like “What do you think of this?” or “I don’t know if this is right, but it’s worth listening to.” If you want to learn more but are...
"Bernie Blackout" Film Director, Pat McGee
"Bernie Blackout" Director Pat McGee Interview. Thanks to Pat McGee! - Matt Orfalea 
Tristan Harris - Downgrade
“The real problem of humanity is the following: We have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions and godlike technology.” Edward O. Wilson
The Bizarre Blindspot in 'Planet of the Humans'
So, was the film “Planet of the Humans” a hit job on the environmental movement disguised by the filmmakers’ phony claim to care about Mother Earth?  Or was it an honest, get real, exposé of its assertion that, “The takeover of the environmental movement by capitalism is now...
Why We Cling to Conspiracies in Times of Crisis
They say anxiety is us weaving conspiracy theories about ourselves. But what if those feelings are already there, and we are actually telling stories to support them? We weave stories to try to explain how something inhuman and awful could happen to us. We also need people...
Introducing the Wire International - A Response to Media Oligarchy
Counteracting corporate media consolidation, the Progressive International has launched the Wire, to disseminate critical perspectives around the world.
Rebel Bass Planet of The Humans Review: A Missed Opportunity
Click Part 2 to watch Rebel Bass' video about renewable energy.
Misadventures in Corporate Media | Jeff Cohen Interview
Misadventures in Corporate Media | Jeff Cohen Interview Had fun speaking with Jeff Cohen about the 5 media filters "Manufacturing Consent" and his own misadventures in cable news. Jeff wrote the book “Cable News Confidential” about his misadventures in Corporate Media. He...
Your Slavery Is Their Freedom | George Monbiot
George Monbiot exposes the billionaire class.
The Great Giving Up (and The Film that Made It Worse)
This is the final in a series on Planet of the Humans. The other posts are here:
Greenwashing. Is It Still a Thing?
GREENWASHING has become such a commonly used phrase that it's starting to lose its meaning in the increasingly noisy stream of information we all receive every second of every day via Social Media. Is it even still a thing or have big corporations finally started to tell us...
Planet of the Humans : Let's Just Have a Think...
On the 50th Anniversary of the first-ever Earth Day, Jeff Gibbs and Michael Moore released a documentary film free on You Tube. The film is called Planet of the Humans, and it proved quite popular. This week Just Have a Think reviews the movie and considers its implications...
BERNIE BLACKOUT | The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Proud to be a producer on this epic new documentary, "Bernie Blackout" on Vice. Premieres 5/13 at 8pm. Check it out! - Matt Orfalea 
Planet of the Humans Is the Media Literacy Exercise of the Year
"In disputes upon moral or scientific points, let your aim be to come at truth, not to conquer your opponent. So you never shall be at a loss in losing the argument, and gaining a new discovery.” - Arthur Martine
The Art of Exploiting a Pandemic: From Propaganda to Profit
Throughout the U.S., institutions that have no real interest in public health are exploiting the ongoing pandemic to benefit their public image and their bottom line. We must recognize and combat these efforts in order to fight the pandemic, directing resources to where...
Normal Was Killing Us
The first crisis point of the COVID-19 disaster was figuring out how to respond, after being caught flat-footed, to the immediate health threat. Now that the death curve in many places has begun to flatten and the scope of economic disaster is hitting home, we are approaching...
Triggered: “Planet of the Humans” & A Call for Emotional Intelligence
For the past few days, I’ve been enveloped in the recently released documentary, Planet of the Humans. After watching the film, I was left with many complex feelings. The overall tone is dark and combative, and the ending that features suffering orangutans was torturous to...
6 Reasons Why Planet of the Humans Is a Disaster of Misinformation
Overview I. Intro II. The problems ——#1. Misrepresenting ——
Corona Crisis Reveals We Need Systemic, Not Just Individual Change
Climate change is not your fault.
Films for Action's Statement on Planet of the Humans
Why we took it down. Why we ultimately decided to put it back up (including this note). Plus our critiques and thoughts on the film.
Forget About Planet of the Humans
SHAME on these filmmakers for making a film like this, full of misinformation and disinformation, to intentionally depress audiences, and make them think there are no alternatives.
Skepticism Is Healthy, but Planet of the Humans Is Toxic
It can be refreshing to watch a true believer taking a deeper look at their own sacred cows. But in his rush to be open-minded about his long-cherished environmental beliefs, Jeff Gibbs has thrown out the baby with the bathwater. He lumps solar and wind power, which hold...
Bill McKibben's Response to Planet of the Humans Documentary
A Youtube video emerged on Earth Day eve making charges about me and about 350.org — namely that I was a supporter of biomass energy, and that 350 and I were beholden to corporate funding, and have misled our supporters on the costs and trade-offs related to decarbonizing our...
Conspiracy Theorists Are Falsely Claiming That the Coronavirus Pandemic Is an Elaborate Hoax
In the midst of a global pandemic, conspiracy theorists have found yet another way to spread dangerous disinformation and misinformation about COVID-19, sowing seeds of doubts about its severity and denying the very existence of the pandemic.
How Do You Escape an Echo Chamber? | Charles Eisenstein
Especially for young people who have grown up in the echo chamber world of social media, how do you deprogram from that and open yourself up to truth?  
Why People Take Things Out of Context | Charles Eisenstein
It's a tactic of war. You take something out of context, you blow it up to be totally outrageous, you provoke outrage and indignation, and you use it as a weapon. Why?  - Charles Eisenstein 
The Great Hack
They took your data. Then they took control. The Great Hack uncovers the dark world of data exploitation through the compelling personal journeys of players on different sides of the explosive Cambridge Analytica/Facebook data scandal.
A Vote Against Bernie Sanders Is a Vote for the End of Human Civilization
Frightening commentary has emerged among liberals committing to a protest-vote against both Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden. Proponents argue that, in some undescribed way, their protest-vote will send to these front-runners the “signal” that they are not entitled to our...
Bernie Sanders and the Establishment Red Scare Meltdown
Here is the major difference between those attacking Sanders and Bernie Sanders: Bernie Sanders has consistently opposed U.S. hegemony. That’s why they attack him. These people don’t care about human rights unless it fits their agenda.
Coronavirus Capitalism — and How to Beat It
Governments around the world are busily exploiting the coronavirus crisis to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks.
Agenda 21: the UN, Sustainability and Right-Wing Conspiracy Theory
Virtually none of the outlandish claims about Agenda 21 are true. Yet, as with all such baseless propaganda, the hysteria over it has had the effect of poisoning any kind of rational discussion of the very real challenges we face — challenges that are essential to tackle...
How Presidential Debates Frame Issues to Support Moderate Candidates
A FAIR study of the democratic presidential debates clearly shows that questions for progressive candidates such as Sanders and Warren were always framed critically, while those for moderate candidates were neutral.
Why Can't We Talk About Certain Topics Anymore?
Everybody's noticing how social and political conversations become more and more polarized, to the point you can hardly call it a conversation anymore. - Charles Eisenstein