Generation Zoe : When Money Becomes God 

Netflix recently dropped Illusions for Sale : The Rise and Fall of Generation Zoe and, well, it’s depressing to say the least. It’s one of those documentaries where you know exactly where it’s going from the start, and not just because it was in the news. Literally unbelievable promises of wealth turning out to be a pyramid scheme is a story as old as time, so I don’t know that the documentary was necessary, per se. Still, it serves as an important reminder of something I become more aware of every day : the dangers of making money your religion.

You can see the warning signs from the very first interviews in the story. People talk about how their life felt meaningless and boring, about how they want a “better life” (with all the vagueness that term contains). It’s obvious that these future victims of Generation Zoe feel that something is missing in their lives, and they think they know what they need to fill that hole : money.

It’s almost funny, really. I wonder if they’d actually agree with themselves if you pointed out that by their logic, money is the meaning of life - I sincerely doubt it. But then again, it isn’t all that surprising. Not to be too conspiratorial, but don’t capitalist societies want us to believe that making money is the goal of life? We have to, because if we don’t, I’m pretty sure people would spend a lot more time with their families and a lot less working retail.

If you really think about it, our whole society encourages us to treat money as a god, even from a young age. One of our favourite questions to ask kids is what they want to be when they grow up, and even at a young age they know not to give a John Lennon-esque philosophical answer like “happiness”. No, they know we’re asking them how they’ll contribute to society, and more importantly how they’ll earn lots of money - it’s no wonder so many say they want to be doctors, actors, athletes, and, more recently, YouTubers or influencers.

The problem with teaching people their whole lives that being rich is the most meaningful thing they can do with their lives is that in reality, most people will never achieve that. Nowadays, most people struggle to buy groceries and pay rent, let alone get a personal chef and a mega-mansion.

So just imagine what happens when someone comes along and promises you capitalism’s dream : infinite growth. We'll help you earn lots of money, and guess what? You can invite your friends and familiy to join too! Everyone will be rich and successful and then we’ll have… world peace, I guess!

That capitalist vision of Heaven is effectively what conmen like Cositorto promise when they create pyramid schemes like Generation Zoe. When Illusions for Sale first mentioned that Cositorto had a background not only in ministry, I was surprised. For a second, at least - right until they said he was involved in prosperity theology. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a kind of ministry that tells people that if they’re poor, it’s just because they have a bad relationship with God. Basically, Cositorto has one scheme : sell god, get rich. The only thing that changes is what that god is.

Really, though, the most insidious part of Generation Zoe is the way it provided a sense of community to its victims. Before TikTok and Tinder, people used to find community in their neighborhoods, joining hobby groups, and yes, even religious insitutions. Now, though, community seems impossible to find, and from what I saw in the documentary, I don’t doubt that many victims were extra-attached to the scam because of the social bonds it provided them. The false promise of salvation through money lured them in, but the genuinely meaningful sense of belonging kept them there.

I can’t say that Illusions for Sale is particularly groundbreaking. It has the same vibe as every other Netflix documentary, that kind of faux-gravity that’s watchable but not particularly unique. Despite that, I think it’s worth the watch, if only because the social context has changed. From #Blockout2024 to the cost of living crisis and the general French-revolution-esque societal malaise, we’re all starting to see wealth and power from a new, less forgiving perspective - and I’m all for it. If Illusions for Sale helps even one other person realise money’s disturbingly deific status in our society, it’s worth it.