Quote:
Originally Posted by Iphinome
I disagree, first I think the name copyright is misleading its more of a distribution right, as that's something that can be enforced while there's no reason or ability to completely restrict the actual copying. You can't stop me from printing 10000 copies of your award winning poem and keeping them in my closet nor is there any reason to even try as long as they stay in my closet but that's a but of a nitpick.
But it is not there for the individual, there's no reason for it. From the standpoint of society if everything is created without copyright there's a big win, the price when there is one comes from the lowest bidder and there's no restrictions at all on creating more things. Can you argue form a consumer perspective that that isn't ideal? No the only justification for not using that model is that the people get a better deal on the back end, they give up that perfect market and freedom to do as they like with what's out there in exchange for an increased pool to draw from in the longer run.
Your viewpoint only works if you want to discourage creation by locking up the resources creators have access to draw from, if you want to restrict the free exchange and expansion of ideas. Our founders in the US compromised on copyright as a necessary evil not as an ideal situation.
I tend to agree with them. If someone can write a book and make money that's great, great for them and when copyright expires great for everyone who comes after them. But every day that book stays in copyright is a day someone misses the chance to expand on it and that's bad. The only good solution in a bad situation is to give copyright protection for as long as it takes to make creation worth the effort and not one day longer.
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Society is not some mystical being. It exists because individuals think they are better off in a group than alone. And what you describe would be blatant exploitation of a helpless minority. Was society better off in the US before slavery was abolished because of all that free labor? All your arguments would also work to support some minority not being paid wages so that the majority can enjoy the fruits of their efforts for free.