How much longer can industrial civilization last before it undermines the basis of its existence, imploding due to growth and complexity spiraling out of control? Why is this collapse scenario nearly inevitable? These are the questions Yu Koyo Peya attempts to answer. The opening sequence presents a frightening taste of how a desperate world racked by hunger and the breakdown of âorderly societyâ might react to the cascading effects of Peak Oil on the economy in the near future. The narratorâs fate is not predetermined, however; those of us who are bright and courageous and most of all willing will be able to survive the collapse of global civiliation, perhaps even bringing about the florescence of a new age of human culture: the Afterculture. Those of us intrepid enough to follow this path will do so with one eye on our primitive past and the other on finding creative solutions to building a thriving, organic human community in a post-civilizational world.
The main impetus for putting this video together was my observation that although the IshCon forum-folk and to some extent the concerned citizens of Madison were aware of the problem and the implications of Peak Oil, my classmates at the university (even environmental studies students) were woefully ignorant of this looming event. After reading Jared Diamondâs new book Collapse, I resolved to reach out, at the very least, to my Environmental Studies 126, section 303 class, as part of a final project dealing with collapse. A number of things fell into place while I was planning the video, including campus visits by Peak Oil expert James Kunstler and Anarcho-Primitivist John Zerzan. Mr. Zerzan was kind enough to agree to an interview, and I can honestly say that he is one of the most considerate and unselfish people I have ever met; a true friend. The response from my class was very positive, which was a bit of a pleasant surprise considering my misgivings about the dark nature of the film.
My main role in this project was that of an assembler. I compiled Yu Koyo Peya from many sources which deserve more credit than I can rightfully give myself. Most of the footage came from the marvelous social and physical landscapes captured by the filmmakers of Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, and Baraka. The music used in the film comes from the wonderfully poetic Godspeed You Black Emperor! and the enchanting Deep Forest. Thanks to everyone involved with IshCon - both on the forums and at the conference - for their ideas, solid arguments, and inspiration. I canât thank Jason Godesky, in particular, enough for his brilliant insight into the mechanics of collapse. Finally, thanks again to John Zerzan for his expertise, vision, and eagerness to help a poor college kid with a low budget documentary film!
That we may find hope in the coming collapseâ¦
To rediscover the balance and fullness of life we enjoyed for millenia.