Everything is a Remix by Kirby Ferguson

Remixing is a folk art but the techniques are the same ones used at any level of creation: copy, transform, and combine. You could even say that everything is a remix.

Our system of law doesn’t acknowledge the derivative nature of creativity. Instead, ideas are regarded as property, as unique and original lots with distinct boundaries. But ideas aren’t so tidy. They’re layered, they’re interwoven, they’re tangled. And when the system conflicts with the reality… the system starts to fail.

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Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.

Information liberation – Challenging the corruptions of information power by Brian Martin

A thorough analysis of several socio-political issues: effects of power on an individual and groups, mechanics behind mass media and scientific research, pros and cons of copyright laws or surveillance, the author also describes defamation law and its impact on free speech. The chapters are independent and you can simply read any of them as an essay on particular topic that interests you the most.

The greatest strength of the book is in how the author brings up arguments to defend his views, but also analyses possible counter-arguments, so you are always free to make your own opinions on particular issues.

You can either order the book or download it for free from the author’s website.

• Information liberation – Challenging the corruptions of information power by Brian Martin
• Order the book (freedompress.org.uk)

Intellectual Property Myths

Debunking the most common myths used by the defenders of intellectual property.

1. Intellectual property is an ancient principle.
2. Intellectual property is recognized worldwide.
3. Without intellectual property, no one will produce original work.
4. Intellectual property is necessary to create incentives for the production of original works.
5. Even if people did create works without intellectual property protections, the quality of these works would be substandard.
6. The “best” creators won’t work without intellectual property protections.
7. To take away intellectual property rights is to deny creators the right to profit from their labors.
8. Intellectual property follows directly from the notion of physical property.

• The original article - Intellectual Property Myths (at deoxy.org)

Against intellectual property

Another interesting article I found on deoxy.org is chapter 3 of Information Liberation, Challenging the corruptions of information power by Brian Martin, London: Freedom Press, 1998.

The author challenges what most people consider “common sense” on the subjects such as copyright, intellectual property, but doesn’t isolate the problem and digs deeper into the system to find the true roots of the issues.

An excerpt:

More fundamentally, it needs to be recognised that intellectual work is inevitably a collective process. No one has totally original ideas: ideas are always built on the earlier contributions of others. (That’s especially true of this chapter!) Furthermore, culture—which makes ideas possible—is built not just on intellectual contributions but also on practical and material contributions, including the rearing of families and construction of buildings. Intellectual property is theft, sometimes in part from an individual creator but always from society as a whole.

• Read the whole chapter online on deoxy.org
• Read the entire book online
• Read about copyright on Wikipedia
• Criticism of intellectual property (Wikipedia)
• You can also buy the book online at www.freedompress.org.uk