My Top 5: Documentaries

One of my absolute favorite pass-times, especially as the weather starts to become dreary, is sitting down to watch documentaries. As boring as that may sound to some of my more active readers, I find that documentaries are an entertaining way to accumulate a vast understanding of the world around us.
My favorite kinds of documentaries are ones regarding controversial topics many journalists do not report on for fear of losing their careers. These controversial documentaries give insight into our society that is too often driven by the thirst for monetary gain and hyper-consumerism with blatant disregard for the ethical treatment of people, animals, and the planet. After watching these five documentaries I listed below, I found a wildfire of passion within that drove me to speak out on issues I never even knew existed. I hope they have the same effect on those of you who make the choice to educate yourselves and watch.

5. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014): Of all the health-related documentaries, this one is the best to start with in my opinion. It comes at the idea of a plant based diet from a purely logical and humble perspective. Using an environmental framework, it discusses some of the malevolent side-effects of the meat and dairy industries. 

4. Pump (2014): It is no secret the U.S. is addicted to gasoline, but there are some secrets as to how we became reliant upon it and other, cleaner alternatives. 

3. Secrets in Plain Sight (2010): Sacred geometry, ancient history, iconic art and  monuments, religion, philosophy, and architecture...how do all of these subjects intertwine giving us knowledge of the universe? This comprehensive documentary highlights many intriguing "coincidences" found in the world around us that are not seen by the untrained eye. 

2. Zeitgeist: The Movie (2007): This documentary deconstructs commonly believed myths in our culture. Keep an open mind when you view this one as it may invoke cognitive dissonance and be the catalyst in causing you to question your beliefs.

1. Ethos (2011): This documentary is my all-time favorite; it does a wonderful job of synthesizing loads of information into a meta-analysis of current issues plaguing our society. With interviews from some of my favorite activists and educators such as Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, and Bernie Sanders, it stresses the importance of making educated, conscious choices and the power we have as consumers to influence the future of the world.