3 ms·

Perhaps because laws and regulation are part of the market. And unfortunately even in democracies, small but vocal minorities have proven to be very able to ben

by tda 5y ago

Perhaps because laws and regulation are part of the market. And unfortunately even in democracies, small but vocal minorities have proven to be very able to bend the laws i their favor. I bet there is no democratic majority to support DMCA and indefinite copyright. Still there is no way to turn back these laws, as a few well organized people with a lot of financial interests are for these laws, a and a large part of the general population is (I suspect) somewhat against but mostly indifferent. For most people copyright reform is just one of the many things they would applaud, but not really fight for. Same with climate issues, tobacco industry, opioid crisis... A small, vocal, well organized minority can have it their way and the rest of us stand by and suffer. I would love to hear of a better way, but as it stands, you cannot see this mechanism as a failure of politics alone, and not market, as it are market forces that push the above mentioned minorities to influence the law.

nosianu 5y ago
> Perhaps because laws and regulation are part of the market. To be more precise, there would not even be a market without regulation. Since IP can just be copied, only when "ownership" is artificially enforced by some sufficiently mighty entity with the power to do so is there anything to trade in the first place. While enforcement of ownership needs to exist for everything, as the basis for markets, for these intangible things it is far more important. Defining copying as "stealing" sure is a cultural and arbitrary decision, not something the universe demands of us. The effort necessary to track and enforce ownership for IP is huge and itself not part of the "market". It's much easier for tangible assets. The effort required to create a "market" for IP is on another level.
- indrax 5y ago
  >only when "ownership" is artificially enforced by some sufficiently mighty entity with the power to do so is there anything to trade in the first place. Every instance of funding open software and free content disproves this. The valuable thing is the creation of IP. If you want IP pay for its creation. The market can do that.
  - nosianu 5y ago
    Clarification: When I said "trade" I meant trading the IP, exactly that. Not creation of IP. Different thing.
mikem170 5y ago
> Same with climate issues, tobacco industry, opioid crisis... A small, vocal, well organized minority can have it their way and the rest of us stand by and suffer. > I would love to hear of a better way Democracy! People should have the right to petition for referendum vote on issues like these.
- tda 5y ago
  In theory that sounds nice, but somehow all the referenda I got to participate in asked the wrong questions. I also recall the Brexit referendum... I've heard the Swiss have organised it better, wonder how it works for them. The most promising alternative Ive heard are Citizen councils

by tda 5y ago

nosianu 5y ago

> Perhaps because laws and regulation are part of the market. To be more precise, there would not even be a market without regulation. Since IP can just be copied, only when "ownership" is artificially enforced by some sufficiently mighty entity with the power to do so is there anything to trade in the first place. While enforcement of ownership needs to exist for everything, as the basis for markets, for these intangible things it is far more important. Defining copying as "stealing" sure is a cultural and arbitrary decision, not something the universe demands of us. The effort necessary to track and enforce ownership for IP is huge and itself not part of the "market". It's much easier for tangible assets. The effort required to create a "market" for IP is on another level.

indrax 5y ago
>only when "ownership" is artificially enforced by some sufficiently mighty entity with the power to do so is there anything to trade in the first place. Every instance of funding open software and free content disproves this. The valuable thing is the creation of IP. If you want IP pay for its creation. The market can do that.
- nosianu 5y ago
  Clarification: When I said "trade" I meant trading the IP, exactly that. Not creation of IP. Different thing.

mikem170 5y ago

> Same with climate issues, tobacco industry, opioid crisis... A small, vocal, well organized minority can have it their way and the rest of us stand by and suffer. > I would love to hear of a better way Democracy! People should have the right to petition for referendum vote on issues like these.

tda 5y ago
In theory that sounds nice, but somehow all the referenda I got to participate in asked the wrong questions. I also recall the Brexit referendum... I've heard the Swiss have organised it better, wonder how it works for them. The most promising alternative Ive heard are Citizen councils