Among these were abolitionists, advocates for woman’s suffrage and child labor laws, those who practiced non-violent resistance to oppression, and so-called “freedom fighters”. Today we accept without question the achievements of these reformers who faced violent opposition, imprisonment, ridicule, and even death from vested interest and the established order. Unfortunately most people are unaware of the identities of those individuals who helped pave the way toward social enlightenment. Many of our parks have statues of warriors and statesman, but few have any monuments to the really great social innovators. Perhaps when the history of the human race is finally written, it will be from the viewpoint of individuals in an alien and primitive culture who sought change in a world that had great tenacity to maintain things as they were. Conformity in a population makes control of society much easier for its leaders. Our leaders pay lip service to the freedoms that democracy provides, while actually supporting an economic structure that imprisons it citizens under more and more debt. They claim that all have the opportunity to rise to the top through individual initiative and incentive. To appease those who work hard but do not achieve the good life, religion is there to assure them that if not in this life, they will obtain it in the next. Our habits of thought and conduct show the effectiveness of constant and unrelenting propaganda on radio, television, in publications, and in most other media. They are so effective that the average citizen is not insulted when categorized asa consumer – as if a citizen’s sole worth to society was a user of goods. These patterns are gradually being modified and challenged by the Internet and the World Wide Web. Most people expect that our televisions, computers, communication systems, methods of production and delivery of services, and even our concept of work and reward, will continue to improve without any disruption or distress within our present value systems. But this is not necessarily so. Our dominant values that emphasize competition and scarcity limit continued progress. The most disruptive period in a transition from an established social order to an emergent system comes when people are not prepared emotionally or intellectually to adjust to change. People cannot simply erase all the beliefs and habits acquired in the past, which constitute their self-identity. Sudden changes in values without some preparation will cause many to lose their sense of identity and purpose, isolating them from a society they feel has passed them by. Another factor limiting the evaluation of alternative social proposals is a lack of understanding of basic scientific principles and the factors shaping culture and behaviour. The conflict today between human beings is about opposing values. If we manage to arrive at a saner future, conflicts will be about problems common to all humans. In a vibrant and emergent culture instead of conflicts between nations, the challenges will be overcoming scarcity, reclaiming damaged environments, creating innovative technologies, increasing agricultural yield, improving communications, building communications between nations, sharing technologies, and living a meaningful life." -Jacque Fresco, The Best That Money Can't buy

http://thezeitgeistmovement.se/files/Books/The-Best-That-Money-Cant-Buy.pdf