4 ms·

> Now, I am sure there will be those who argue that any universal knowledge access system of this kind will inhibit the creation of new work by reducing the rew

> Now, I am sure there will be those who argue that any universal knowledge access system of this kind will inhibit the creation of new work by reducing the rewards people get. But let us note a few facts: first, dead people cannot be incentivized to be creative, thus at least everything ever created by a person who is now dead should be made freely available to all. The gatekeepers to intellectual products made by the dead are parasites the equivalent of a private individual who sets up a gate and a tollbooth in the middle of a road somebody else has already built and starts charging people if they want to pass. This seems wrong. Longer-lasting copyright does incentivize authors more, because it can be sold for more.

Super_Jambo 6y ago
But we are positively drowning in music, video and written words. We don't need more incentives for people to create copyrighted work. We need more effective markets for consumers to judge it.
- dragandj 6y ago
  We are drowning in repetitive shit and crap, I'd say. It is hard to find good new stuff although it is more abundant than ever because people who create it do not have resources to reach the audience through all the noise.
mlthoughts2018 6y ago
Also, an author could write books that are given to some type of trust or foundation with explicit orders not to publish them until certain favorable copyright or distribution laws are available. So it could be possible to “be incentivized” to publish new works even after you’re dead. For the estate of an author that has developed a reputation, say like JD Salinger, this would be a very smart thing to do if you wanted to influence policy beyond your death.
hypersoar 6y ago
The typical copyright term in the US is life of the creator + 70 years. Are potential revenues a hundred years from now really figuring all that much into the price of copyrighted work sold today?

Super_Jambo 6y ago

But we are positively drowning in music, video and written words. We don't need more incentives for people to create copyrighted work. We need more effective markets for consumers to judge it.

dragandj 6y ago
We are drowning in repetitive shit and crap, I'd say. It is hard to find good new stuff although it is more abundant than ever because people who create it do not have resources to reach the audience through all the noise.

mlthoughts2018 6y ago

Also, an author could write books that are given to some type of trust or foundation with explicit orders not to publish them until certain favorable copyright or distribution laws are available. So it could be possible to “be incentivized” to publish new works even after you’re dead. For the estate of an author that has developed a reputation, say like JD Salinger, this would be a very smart thing to do if you wanted to influence policy beyond your death.

hypersoar 6y ago

The typical copyright term in the US is life of the creator + 70 years. Are potential revenues a hundred years from now really figuring all that much into the price of copyrighted work sold today?