Reading about freedom
Aug. 19th, 2002 10:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nfotxnReading and listening to what Lawrence Lessig has to say about modern intellectual property law. Why it restricts our freedom and places the power of control of our culture into the hands of few people. Why we're losing the battle to gain freedom and how fundamentally our culture values are being legislated in Washington (yeah, Ameri-centric as usual but hey it does effect us Canucks) without the implications being made apparent to the public.
His speech is available in MP3 format. It's long (30mins) and a big download (7.2mb) but worth the time I think.
There's a reason I don't buy DVD's or many large label CD's. I prefer to support artists by attending performances and buying goods online and at venue. I encourage people to "steal" music and discover new sounds. I personally care about enriching culture and therefore people's quality of life before further lining Hillary Rosen's pockets. Artists will still get paid, they'll just have to do it the way it's been done for a lot longer than records have been sold.
It's called performance.
His speech is available in MP3 format. It's long (30mins) and a big download (7.2mb) but worth the time I think.
There's a reason I don't buy DVD's or many large label CD's. I prefer to support artists by attending performances and buying goods online and at venue. I encourage people to "steal" music and discover new sounds. I personally care about enriching culture and therefore people's quality of life before further lining Hillary Rosen's pockets. Artists will still get paid, they'll just have to do it the way it's been done for a lot longer than records have been sold.
It's called performance.
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Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 02:11 am (UTC)True bro, but you still have to buy a copy of the bible to read it. Heh, Damn you! Actually that's an unfair example you're using there, cause the bible is in public domain, and thus can be accessed online, or you can go down to the airport and find several sweaty people with glazed expressions just handing it out to strangers. The Bible holds a special case because it is often printed with the intention for it to be given away at some point. I'm sure somebody makes money off the printing or something, but I've never bought a bible in my life and I have at least two.
But that does bring me to an important point. The Lessig lecture makes some good points about how the byzantine nature of copywrite law hampers creativity, and yes the Mickey Mouse extension is unfair and unjust, but I fail to see how that justifies you getting free music.
I'm currious how you connect the death of big label music to cheaper music. I can buy a N'Sync album for $15 and yeah it's a total screw job, but If I want an artist on an out of town, indie label I'll have to pay double. You may not dig on Def Jam, but they seem to get product out cheeper than Def Jux can. And I'll be honest, the reason I'm switching over to High Speed internet access is so I can get the FunCrusher Plus album without having to shell out 30 dollars to get it. $30? Fuck that!
However I'm fully aware that while I very much want my $30 and I very much want to listen to FunCrusher Plus a scheme which allows me to have both probably won't be "morally right" and will probably constitute "stealing". But nobody can stop me, so I don't care.
Let's break it down to basics.
If you get something for nothing
It was either a gift or you stole it
period
How many thank you cards do you plan to send out for all
the birthday presents that are cluttering up you hard drive?
Oh and the notion that an intangible experience is more valid a product than a physical object .... That's just wack.
Re: Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 04:51 am (UTC)You're going to spend $40+ to save $30?
As for the conversation - I say steal music. Steal everything. If artists are artists simply to make profit, then they're merely creative accountants.
Re: Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 06:43 am (UTC)Re: Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 06:57 am (UTC)I will always steal music, that won't change. If you don't like that, then stop making it.
Re: Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 07:13 am (UTC)And your retort is incredibly childish. I don't like that you're admittedly stealing music. But I'm certainly not gonna let that stop me from the joy of making music. I can't think of a hotter guy I'd rather debate the topic. (Sorry, my libido is out of control today.) :)
Re: Um... What about the freedom to make a living
Date: 2002-08-20 07:28 am (UTC)As for the musicians out there who I do steal music from, I'm surprised many of them can sit from being punished fucked by their labels on a daily basis. The real crooks aren't people like me who find paying anything above $5 for a piece of plastic outrageous, but the recording industry that holds on to some archaic concept of music publication with little or no regard for the artists.
Artists are no more than the puppets of filthy rich recording execs and the treasure chest of my extensive MP3 collection.
Don't just do something, STAND there!
Date: 2002-08-20 11:02 am (UTC)Ayup. And if the union or organisation that speaks for you (e.g. RIAA) is doing a shitty, hamfisted job of creating market conditions that discourage the freeloading of your work, and is failing to funnel enough of their profits back to your pockets, then it's time to get someone else to speak for you. Simple as that.
Hoorah!!!
Date: 2002-08-20 10:59 am (UTC)BRAVO!!!!!! *thundrous applause*
You're going to spend $40+ to save $30?
Date: 2002-08-20 12:15 pm (UTC)