[leebase]

The "I can stream xyz for free" go to another ON TOPIC snip....but I digress.

People seem to have this notion that an author writes a story and money just lands in his lap forever. And the kids and grand kids get money flowing in forever too.

But no. Billions of dollars are invested AFTER the creation of the story to keep the story in demand. Snow White isn't popular because of the Grimms Fairy tales. Snow White is popular because of the Disney movie, followed by the Disney Theme Parks and merchandising which keeps little girls wanting to dress up like Snow White for halloween decades after the movie.

If you have a little girl and you've taken her to Disneyworld/land you'll know what I mean.

Distribution isn't even separate...it's part and parcel. Companies spent billions running cable all over the country, and sent satellites into space to just be in the game for delivering content. Content that had to be licensed. Content that drove the cable and satellite subscriptions. And now it's just morphing into a different delivery stream...with more billions being poured into the technology and into marketing and promotions.

These kinds of investment can only exist with the concept of intellectual property. And THOSE stories that are being backed by these massive investments...shouldn't be turned over "to society". Society isn't making these investments. Society is BENEFITING from the investments others are making.

That people want to write Harry Potter fan fiction is NOT merely the product of Rowling sitting in a cafe writing a book. It's all the marketing that made the book a hit....and then the movies...and now the theme parks...video games...and all manner of merchandising. And the cable, satellite and streaming delivery.

Continued...ongoing investment and THAT is what drives demand and value. And that value belongs to those making the investments.