Quote:
Originally Posted by kennyc
As long as some can create that with which others resonate
and others can't, there will be a divide
That is the real key and that is what must be considered and addressed in our brave new world.
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Correct.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Information doesn't grow on trees nor does it fall like manna from heaven; it is the product of people's efforts and thoughts. If it is useful and desirable, then it has value and it is up to the creator and/or his/her agent to *individually* determine the terms for access to that value.
It is not up to the consumer, either ethically or legally, to unilaterally determine the terms of access, much less to arrogantly proclaim it *must* be zero. Nor to loftily proclaim that other's creations *must* be made available to them at all.
That is *not* the world we live in.
The world real humans live in is not a world of ideals and unenforceable dictates by fiat but of compromises, of negotiation, of muddling through. Of small hard-fought and sweated gains.
It is a world of regulation and borders and screaming anarchists demanding that others cater to *their* whims without regards to the *needs* of those others. It is a world of muderers and thieves, of ethnic clensing and xenophobia, of slavers and exploiters, of unnecesary conflict and starvation, or willful ignorance and blind hate.
It is a world that has all too few creators and achievers but it also a world of hope and willing giving, of those who worry about actually doing something to leave the world in even slightly better shape than they found it by actually *doing* something of value.
And it is a world where, instead of blindly demanding the impossible and berating the productive, we should be working towards slow but realistic improvement and thanking those that actually do *something* to help.
If libraries aren't up to your expectations, why not look for ways to help?
Most libraries happily accept volunteer help, so why not get involved?
Help them set up links to Gutenberg and Feedbooks and other feee ebook sites. Help them build a local classics collection on DVD they can freely give away. Or store on their website. Help them setup and maintain the website. Or their pbook collection.
Do something of value for somebody else.
Mentor kids, help seniors, work at a local charity.
Or, hey, write a book! See if you can entertain somebody and distract them from the dreary world outside.
It's a screwed up world but fixing it is up to us as individuals, one at a time, in whatever small measure we can.
It's better than cursing the darkness or whatever...
Fair enough?