Discussion of all things related to Public Domain

[Alex <alex AT synchcorp.com>]

Anatoly Volynets wrote:

> > > > We need to get rid of people who would rape and pillage our knowledge
> > > > and creations, and the issue of copyrights would go away on its own.
> > > > And THAT would be a perfect world...
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Alex Heizer
> > >
> > > "Get rid of people" doesn't sound, does it? Think opposite: get rid of
> > > copyright (which is normal task in terms of law) and enjoy wide access 
> > > to
> > > works of art, their derivatives and copies of any kind, whoever makes
> > > them.
> >
> > Again, I don't think most people would want to give up their copyrights
> > knowing that there are those people that are just waiting to abuse their
> > generosity. I'm not talking about myself here, necessarily, although it
> > does make me nervous to think about an illustration with my name on it
> > appearing on a poster put out by some guy in the south wearing a white 
> > hood
> > talking about the virtues of Der Furher. I was emailed by a band the other
> > day who wanted to use a painting of mine for their album cover. I let them
> > use it with no problem (they were very courteous and offered to send me a
> > few copies when the CD came out), but I couldn't help but think of this
> > discussion and the issues involved. Merely saying "get rid of copyrights
> > and it will all be okay" isn't the answer because there's always that
> > spectre there. You're not giving people anything that makes them feel at
> > ease with the idea. The problem still isn't copyrights, copyrights are a
> > band-aid to help stop profiteers from bleeding everyone dry. The problem 
> > is
> > the abuse by slimy jerks that have no creativity of their own who would
> > steal everything from everyone else. If social values don't change at the
> > root level, people will never feel comfortable giving up the 
> > safety-blanket
> > of copyrights. If we push to abolish copyrights without fixing the real
> > problem (abusers) we'll come off looking like the enemy because we forced
> > people into giving up their creations against their will.
> >
> > Alex
> >
> Alex: I am glad you brought in few new points to land the problem on 
> cultural
> fields. You want to control your work to protect it against abuse. You want
> to be the judge.
>
> Imagine, one day A Poet comes on Agora and says:
> Citizens of Athens! I brought in my new play (it never happened this way) 
> and
> want you to judge it. You two ignorants in the first row on the left, close
> your ears: I do not want you to hear it at all. You in the second row on the
> right, please do not say a word: your vulgar speech does not fit in here,
> despite you do understand things. Those three friends in the middle of the
> last row do whatever you want here, but don't you dare to retell my play
> outside: you will forget the major point, I am sure...
>
> The point is that your creation, make a guess... does not belong to you. It
> belongs to me - your reader, listener, and so forth.
> I think I know who are the real and major pirates, abusers and thieves in
> cultural fields: those, who buy works (exclusive rights) out using laws,
> which protect 'rights to make copies'.
> Let's take one example. For me the 'Lord of the Rings' looks like abuse of
> the Tolkien's book. If rights to make a movie based on the book are not
> bought, then other movie, real work of art may appear, otherwise we are all
> stuck to the abuse.
> You cannot control turnover of the great creation. That is why great 
> creators
> never care about it. They are sure in what they want to say to people and
> this is for people to decide what to do with it.
>
> Anatoly

Exactly! I'm glad we agree on how the world SHOULD be. My works are for
everyone, and I certainly hope you enjoy and share them with anyone who enjoys
them. The URLs to do so are in my signature. Just give me credit when you do
share them, please. :)

Since copyrights came about as a response to ignorant people's abuse,
specifically to protect those that have been abused, brought into law by those
wishing to protect themselves, how do we assure those who feel they need to be
protected by copyrights that they would be better off without them? The person
in your example, unfortunately, does exist, in many artists. Artists that have
grown up seeing that some people in the audience WILL mistreat their work,
sometimes for commercial gain, sometimes for bad intents, sometimes out of
incompetence. This is why so many artisits spend hours, days, weeks creating
their magnum opus, only to show it quite secretively to a select group of
friends, and no one else.

My point is only, I am not prepared to have every creative person in the world
resent me for taking away what little protection (real or perceived) they have
based on MY own moral beliefs. I am, however, prepared to work with them to 
help
create an environment that makes them feel free enough to let go their safety
blanket on their own. You can't force someone to be free. That would be every
bit as dictatorial as forcing them to be slaves.

:)

Alex Heizer
http://www.synchcorp.com/alex
http://www.synchcorp.com/alexheizer