> Before copyright was a thing, freely copying and remixing the ideas and stories of others was the default You describe this as something positive without con

> Before copyright was a thing, freely copying and remixing the ideas and stories of others was the default You describe this as something positive without considering that it was basically impossible to survive as an author (or any other creative professional) before copyright existed unless you had a rich patron sponsoring you (who obviously had his own agenda) or were independently wealthy. It wasn't really feasible to make a living by selling your work to actual consumers. I mean just look at Cervantes one of the most popular writers in Europe at the time who died in relative poverty and obscurity and who was basically only able to write and publish what he did because he found a rich nobleman willing to finance him.