Homeless Guerillas

“The notion that intellectual property rights should never expire, and works never enter the public domain -- this is the truly fanatical and unconstitutional position,''

- Jonathan Zittrain, co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Harvard Law School

When someone talks of free as in freedom, the listeners usually perceive it in a negative connotation. In fact, many even argue that copyrighting and patenting is a means to encourage creativity - but behind closed doors use pirated Microsoft Office software. Face the facts, for example a money-sucker by name Bill Gates wrote a book called The Road Ahead – and copyrighted it! So any person speaking the English language is not supposed to write a book under the same title. What tyranny! It’s obviously foolish to argue that the authors’ interests are protected, even a child can say that it serves the publishers interests rather than any author – the demmed billing Gates included (Pun intended). It was to oppose this nonsense, the Free Culture Movement began – obviously an offshoot of the more popular Free Software Foundation. To read my article on FOSS click here. Does copying destroy creativity? Overwhelming empirical evidence compels me to say no. The Free Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) movement has produced better software, are valued as better businesses¹ than all its cold, costly and closed competitors. Over to fine arts, the once booming music/movie industry is apparently in trouble. A friend of mine watches most movies before they are released in India. The economic implications aside, I approve of piracy. If they don’t give it, take it! But freedom is more than just piracy. It’s the right to use the work, free from any fear of cops knocking your door, telling you that your tune has been already copyrighted by someone called AR Rahman (as if no one has the creativity that Rahman has) – pathetic! It’s also the right to modify the work and use it. And that’s what free culture movement is all about. Presently, it’s like guerrilla warfare. And interestingly Indian Hackers lead the show. But it needs more support, more voices to join together to oppose this infraction of personal freedom. Our revolution must be an immediate revolution in our daily lives; anything else is not a revolution, but a demand that people once again do what they do not want to do and hope that that this time, somehow, the compensation will be enough.² Obviously, the road ahead (screw Gates) to freedom is not going to be easy. Free Culture activists experience a psychological phenomenon called homelessness – everyone stands away from family members to the government, to college professors; even though they might secretly approve of it. Of course, for those who dream of a world without flags, borders or authorities, homelessness is a natural state.

References:

1. Vance, Ashley. “Valuation Hiccups.” eWorld Business Line. 7 December 2009: P1.

2. Anonymous. Days of War, Nights of Love. Anywhere: CrimethInc, (Copyright?? WHAT???) NEVER!

PS:

Visit www.freeculture.org to learn more about the FC Movement.