Planet of the Humans

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In Planet of the Humans (released on Earth Day, April 21, 2020), Michael Moore and Jeff Gibb courageously unmask the “Green Economy” illusions that industry is trying to sell us. Cinema chains have since refused to show their film, YouTube has censored it (but then rescinded after protests), "Green Economy" gurus have denounced it vehemently. Because it dares to call into question the illusions that industry and finance have been selling us for decades, i.e. that "more and better technology is the only way to beat climate change." It isn't, says this film. The only way is to learn to limit our consumption. "Produce less, transport less, share more", as Daniel Tanuro says.

Of course, that motto isn't good for business and business has now sponsored an all-out crusade to "debunk" Gibb's and Moore's documentary, especially through apparently progressive blogs and apparently scientific journals, recruited for the occasion.

The main objection critics make against this documentary is that it shows too many events in the past, like the unveiling of the first electric car or the launch of the first biomass energy plants: "It's all old hat," they say; "the film shows too few of the most recent innovations in green energy and green consumption." But saying this misses the point. The film deliberately documents the events of the past in order to remind us of how, each and every time, we were sold false claims about how to save the planet. And most of us fell for them (as the authors admit they did at the time). So by debunking past claims, the authors are trying to make us ever more wary of the claims made today. And ever more convinced that better technology, while welcome, cannot be the answer and will always end up insufficient, just as in the past. Because on a finite planet with finite resources -- let it be said once again -- the only real solution is to limit our consumption: "Produce less, transport less, share more".

This documentary is important precisely because we don't have the technical competence to judge thoroughly the claims made by today's "green economy" salespeople. It's like if we were to buy a second-hand car: we don't have the mechanical competence to judge the reliability of the vehicle that the used car salesman is touting to us.

But we do have the ability to bring along with us a mechanic and, above all, to check up on the salesman and his dealership's reputation. And that is precisely what we have to do regarding environmental questions. Listen to various experts and, in addition, learn to judge the "green economy" salesmen as people. This last part is exactly what this film is all about.

Here's a suggestion, for a quick reality check. While watching Planet of the Humans and seeing all the persuasive "Green Economy" gurus extolling their latest solutions over the years, try asking yourself now and then: "Would I buy a used car from this guy?"

Why are we offering Planet of the Humans on our USC4P&J web site?

Because we are responding to the appeal that Michael Moore made two months ago, after his film was rejected by movie chains, then banned by YouTube when he posted it so that it could get out.

(Update: YouTube subsequently rescinded their ban after mass protests and Moore's compliance with a technicality.)

Moore asked citizens to "join the fight against the censors" by hosting the film on their sites.

The subsequent response -- hundreds of postings of Planet of the Humans, all around the world -- "has been very heartening," said Moore. "Having the film available now on a multiplicity of sites will make it that much harder for the people and groups we expose in this movie to take it down."

The USC4P&J site will continue to host Planet of the Humans for an unlimited period of time, to let the film's opponents know that, should they once again try to ban it on YouTube and even on Moore's own web site, they will still face an onerous and time consuming task getting host sites worldwide to comply.