Quote:
Originally Posted by wodin
What is it about “art” that makes it different than any other human endeavor? I work, I receive the rewards for that work in the form of a salary, I use that salary to accumulate stuff, I die, and my heirs inherited my stuff. Since I’m dead, I get no more salary. Neither do my heirs!
Why does an artist continue to receive a salary after he/she’s dead? Why do his/her heirs get to continue to receive a salary when mine do not? It seems to me that the heirs should be entitled to the stuff already accumulated, but not to accumulate more stuff.
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Actually, I think you are being a little unfair here. I agree that copyright terms should be limited. But it is clear that there are certain human endeavors that continue to pay off for the family of the individual who did the work.
Consider the following:
I buy a piece of cheap land, be it swamp, forest or whatever. I then spend years working to improve that land and plant a vineyard. My family can then, with far less effort maintain the vineyard and reap profits from the grapes produced long after I am gone.
Likewise, if I build a business, my heirs can continue to profit from that business; Bill Ford is not Chairman of the Ford Motor Company Board because the Board thinks it is neat that he has the same last name as the company founder.
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Bill