Knowledge Is a Universal Natural Resource — And Locking It Up Hurts Everyone
29th January 2012
Mike Masnik points out, at greater length than I have the give-a-shit to do, why the concept of ‘intellectual property’ is a loser.
One of the more important points in understanding some of the fights over the ridiculousness of today’s copyright and patent laws is to recognize how knowledge (information) is a natural resource. It is the input that makes other great things. Economist Paul Romer’s famous research really showed how knowledge and information as a resource is what creates economic growth. Once you recognize that fact, you begin to run into problems when you think about locking up that natural resource. Think of other natural resources. Do we think the world is better off if there’s a greater supply of each of those? An abundance? If we have an abundance of wheat, that’s a good thing. If we have an abundance of energy, that’s a good thing. There may be side effects of such abundances, but the overall abundance is something worth cherishing.
January 29th, 2012 at 18:34
Nobody is saying that you can’t have the knowledge; they’re saying you can’t have it for free.
Would this be a better world if wheat was free? If energy was free? Probably. But nobody would be inclined to go to the trouble and expense of growing or creating it, because there’s no profit in it.
And we all know–as the conservative free-market types love to repeat ad nauseum–profit drives the market, and hence fuels the Invisible Hand.
So what we’re really talking about is that the Freeloaders want someone else to expend the time, trouble, and expense to make a movie/record a record/write a paper/do whatever so they (the Freeloaders) can rip it off.
A fine conservative issue, don’t you think?
January 30th, 2012 at 08:56
This is stupid. Intellectual Capital supports our society and it’s possession is why people strive to get some. Developing a ‘smart idea’ can make you a lot of money but only if you can ‘own it’. If you cannot own your own ideas then anyone with more money than you will just steal it and, with greater development resources, rob you of your idea and your well deserved income.
Only a freeloader is against IP. They prefer to steal for a living like the Obamaville shanty town dwellers.
January 30th, 2012 at 10:19
Sometimes knowledge comes at great cost and risk to an individual or company. Without the hope of significant return for taking that risk, the quest for knowledge would come to a near standstill by today’s standards.
“Would this be a better world if wheat was free? If energy was free? Probably. But nobody would be inclined to go to the trouble and expense of growing or creating it, because there’s no profit in it.”
Or they would wait until someone with enough forethought (hunger) grew some then show up for the redistribution. Same is true for knowledge.