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The Venus Project: The Redesign of a Culture
- GenresNonfictionFuturism
56 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
587 people want to read
About the author
Jacque Fresco
11 books303 followersJacque Fresco is an American futurist and self-described social engineer. Fresco is self-taught and has worked in a variety of positions related to industrial design and the aircraft industry.
Fresco writes and lectures his views on sustainable cities, energy efficiency, natural-resource management, cybernetic technology, automation, and the role of science in society. Fresco is the director of The Venus Project. Fresco advocates global implementation of a socioeconomic system which he refers to as a "resource-based economy.
He grew up in a Sephardi Jewish home in Bensonhurst in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. According to Fresco, he had no interest with formal schooling and "dropped out of school at 14." Fresco grew up during the Great Depression period.
Fresco spent time with friends discussing Darwin, Einstein, science, and the future. Fresco attended the Young Communist League. After a discussion with the League president during a meeting Fresco was 'physically ejected' after loudly stating that 'Karl Marx was wrong!' Fresco later turned his attention to Technocracy. In the mid-1930s, Fresco traveled west to Los Angeles where he began a career as a
structural designer.
Some aspects of Fresco's ideas have been compared to thinkers from the nineteenth century. Titles such as The Paradise within the Reach of all Men without Labor by Powers of Nature and Machinery, Emigration to the Tropical World for the Melioration of All Classes of People of All Nations, and The New World or Mechanical System were written in the 1800s by John Adolphus Etzler who has been described by independent scholar, Anna Notaro, as an early forerunner to Fresco's ideas. Likewise, Ebenezer Howard and his book Garden Cities of Tomorrow, as well as the Garden City Movement during the early 1900s has been described, by Morten Grønborg of Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, as another predecessor.
Fresco writes and lectures his views on sustainable cities, energy efficiency, natural-resource management, cybernetic technology, automation, and the role of science in society. Fresco is the director of The Venus Project. Fresco advocates global implementation of a socioeconomic system which he refers to as a "resource-based economy.
He grew up in a Sephardi Jewish home in Bensonhurst in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. According to Fresco, he had no interest with formal schooling and "dropped out of school at 14." Fresco grew up during the Great Depression period.
Fresco spent time with friends discussing Darwin, Einstein, science, and the future. Fresco attended the Young Communist League. After a discussion with the League president during a meeting Fresco was 'physically ejected' after loudly stating that 'Karl Marx was wrong!' Fresco later turned his attention to Technocracy. In the mid-1930s, Fresco traveled west to Los Angeles where he began a career as a
structural designer.
Some aspects of Fresco's ideas have been compared to thinkers from the nineteenth century. Titles such as The Paradise within the Reach of all Men without Labor by Powers of Nature and Machinery, Emigration to the Tropical World for the Melioration of All Classes of People of All Nations, and The New World or Mechanical System were written in the 1800s by John Adolphus Etzler who has been described by independent scholar, Anna Notaro, as an early forerunner to Fresco's ideas. Likewise, Ebenezer Howard and his book Garden Cities of Tomorrow, as well as the Garden City Movement during the early 1900s has been described, by Morten Grønborg of Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, as another predecessor.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2015
The first thought about Venus Project is always "it seems too beautiful to be reliable" and I think this is mostly right. I agree with Jacque on many issues! I like his ideas and drawings. I agree on negative and damaging effects of our political and monetary systems. I watched his lectures and read this book, but I didn't understand how the world can convert into resource based economy? Where is the path to follow. OK let's spread the word, it's important, but then? as far as I noticed he has no vision of definite path which leads to his dream world. And problems seems too serious through the road of Resource based economy. The whole wealth of the planet is in the hands of a few percent of world population. they are powerful and there's not in their interest to share this wealth to anyone. To realize a project like this we need unprecedented coordination and loyalty among people of the earth. We need long term vision beyond our national interests. We must be very smart and fearless. Unfortunately, such people are very few. We still are moved by tribalism, greed, fear, religious fundamentalism, magic and prejudice. The scales of venus project are too big for now.
Also, I have one question that I think is left unanswered - The motivation of ordinary worker. if there's no money, what motivates a worker to do uncreative and boring job? Fresco said in lectures that, every repetitive work will be done by machines and creative jobs don't need any additional motivation. I can hardly imagine the world in this current developmental stage where there's absolutely no need any repetitive and boring jobs.In the future I think it's possible, but today? or in the near future? I don't think so.
But I think it's worth to begin the discussion. Maybe someday this project will look more reliable and real.
Also, I have one question that I think is left unanswered - The motivation of ordinary worker. if there's no money, what motivates a worker to do uncreative and boring job? Fresco said in lectures that, every repetitive work will be done by machines and creative jobs don't need any additional motivation. I can hardly imagine the world in this current developmental stage where there's absolutely no need any repetitive and boring jobs.In the future I think it's possible, but today? or in the near future? I don't think so.
But I think it's worth to begin the discussion. Maybe someday this project will look more reliable and real.
January 7, 2009
No sé si este libro es el mismo que se encuentra aquí:
http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/D...
Yo he leído este pdf de la web, un folleto de 70 y tantas páginas en mi ebook reader de Sony. Me ha resultado un interesante proyecto utópico. Su enfoque racionalista, laico, científico y extrañamente anarco-geek de la tecnología me hace parecer simpático el tipo. Su imaginación del futuro ideal es apetecible.
Pero le encuentro dos pegas principales:
1) Ese tipo de ciudades, si se pudiera hacer, sería para construirlas en sitios como Australia o Canadá, o en grandes extensiones asiáticas y africanas. Veo complicado cómo se podría construir una ciudad con estos diseños en Europa. Y si se pudiera, por ejemplo, en medio de Castilla, ¿qué hacemos con el patrimonio histórico y cultural de las ciudades milenarias europeas y asiáticas? Es un proyecto visto desde la perspectiva de tipo que vive en una nación nueva, hecha de emigrantes y sin un fuerte patrimonio cultural como el de la India, China, los países musulmanes o los europeos, por decir algunas de las zonas culturales pesadas en el mundo. Destruir o abandonar una ciudad americana o australiana o africana no es una gran pérdida, porque no suelen tener mucho patrimonio. Pero no ocurre igual con otras zonas de
mundo.
2) Como propuesta pacifista y apolítica, no explicita cómo habría de darse el cambio cultural hacia esta sociedad idílica. Los medios para lograr el fin, vamos. Difundir la buenas nuevas de la ciencia y la técnica no será suficiente me temo. El capitalismo y el resto de tiranías subdesarrolladas no van a permitir un cambio tan radical. Si acaso en algún país se aventuraran a vivir así y demostraran vivir de modo más eficiente y el ejemplo cundiera... me temo que es una utopía hermosa, pero que todavía le queda bastante tiempo para ser llevada a cabo.
En cualquier caso, su defensa del tren magnético en detrimento del avión a propulsión me gustó, al igual que su defensa de las energías renovables.
http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/D...
Yo he leído este pdf de la web, un folleto de 70 y tantas páginas en mi ebook reader de Sony. Me ha resultado un interesante proyecto utópico. Su enfoque racionalista, laico, científico y extrañamente anarco-geek de la tecnología me hace parecer simpático el tipo. Su imaginación del futuro ideal es apetecible.
Pero le encuentro dos pegas principales:
1) Ese tipo de ciudades, si se pudiera hacer, sería para construirlas en sitios como Australia o Canadá, o en grandes extensiones asiáticas y africanas. Veo complicado cómo se podría construir una ciudad con estos diseños en Europa. Y si se pudiera, por ejemplo, en medio de Castilla, ¿qué hacemos con el patrimonio histórico y cultural de las ciudades milenarias europeas y asiáticas? Es un proyecto visto desde la perspectiva de tipo que vive en una nación nueva, hecha de emigrantes y sin un fuerte patrimonio cultural como el de la India, China, los países musulmanes o los europeos, por decir algunas de las zonas culturales pesadas en el mundo. Destruir o abandonar una ciudad americana o australiana o africana no es una gran pérdida, porque no suelen tener mucho patrimonio. Pero no ocurre igual con otras zonas de
mundo.
2) Como propuesta pacifista y apolítica, no explicita cómo habría de darse el cambio cultural hacia esta sociedad idílica. Los medios para lograr el fin, vamos. Difundir la buenas nuevas de la ciencia y la técnica no será suficiente me temo. El capitalismo y el resto de tiranías subdesarrolladas no van a permitir un cambio tan radical. Si acaso en algún país se aventuraran a vivir así y demostraran vivir de modo más eficiente y el ejemplo cundiera... me temo que es una utopía hermosa, pero que todavía le queda bastante tiempo para ser llevada a cabo.
En cualquier caso, su defensa del tren magnético en detrimento del avión a propulsión me gustó, al igual que su defensa de las energías renovables.
May 22, 2025
Such A Awesome Idea & Story. I Believe They Are Still Working On This Project Also. If Humanity Had This Chance, Everything Would Be So Different, For The Better I Believe. Don't Wanna Give Anything Away, But A Futurist Must Read! Very Interesting Concepts!
June 6, 2020
Again, this is very interesting but a bit too unrealistic. Besides this book and Designing the Future are very similar.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews