Home

The Trap: What Happened to Our Dream of Freedom (2007)
(Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

"The Trap is a series of three films by Bafta-winning producer Adam Curtis that explains the origins of our contemporary, narrow idea of freedom. It shows how a simplistic model of human beings as self-seeking, almost robotic, creatures led to today's idea of freedom. This model was derived from ideas and techniques developed by nuclear strategists during the Cold War to control the behaviour of the Soviet enemy."

Add a comment
David Rosen
Posted 158 days ago
This should be required viewing for political viewers.
Daryl from Canada
Posted 182 days ago
I have read a lot about these issues over the years, the spread of radical free-market capitalism, the loss of equality in society, etc., but it was very interesting to hear about the philosophical underpinnings of these movements and the people who started it all. Check out 'The Shock Doctrine' by Naomi Klein. She explains in great detail the history of the diastrous capitalist revolutions around the world that have spread so much misery, created by John Nash, Milton Friedman, and some of the Chicago and Harvard economists mentioned in this film. Bastards, every one!
al frorm NYC
Posted 208 days ago
Give me a Prozac, I am depressed because I am having an anxiety attack because of the hope of freedom is so scary! I can not figure out what feedom I want.
americanfirst
Posted 208 days ago
Excellent! Why can’t we get programs like this on American TV? Oh I forgot it is the free market.
WHAT NUTS WE ALL ARE,,,lol. We followed them as they follow us then who is leading who whom?
Victor
Posted 225 days ago
This documentary clearly exemplify to what extend we are free. Our own freedom let us even question what we got, a way of living unquestionably better than that of the average of human beings of non western countries.
This documentary is weak and very refutable from the eyes of someone who doesn't depends on everybody else to blame their lack of freedom. Only nihilist pour religious wimps could agree with the views exposed in this documentary.
lolabar
Posted 229 days ago
This series has made me intensely question the definition of freedom. I am free to what? Get a job, not a get a job, get rich, worship who I want, etc. etc. To what end? There has to be something more than just living life to maximize self-pleasure. What is this mysterious freedom that everyone is pursuing? Are we all purblind or delusional? This video really hits the roots of modern western psychology and demonstrates the meaninglessness in consumerism and capitalism.
You tell me what I can do with freedom... but what is this freedom?
Excellent documentary.
Marley
Posted 231 days ago
I think this was a fascinating analysis of the post Cold War political movements, the mutual influence of the U.S. economy and the British Conservative movement of the 70's and 80's which mirrors our political system here in the U.S. today. It is history repeating itself or today's politics imitating politics of yesterday for a lack of better leadership with progressive views on Freedom. Instead we are a society at the hands of corruption and corporate interest.