This is part 12 of 13 of my reaction to RIP: A remix Manifesto. You can find previous posts here: Part 0, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11.
open source video, online video platform, video solutionThis part of the documentary makes it’s argument clear. Intellectual property is out of control. I am sure the conservatives out there will probably have issue with many of the points made in this section. As a libertarian leaning Independent, I lean towards less corporate control over culture. I see too many negative side effects of tight control by a select few.
Placing patents on life. How has it come to this? We have swung way past a reasonable control structure and into the redonkulous. Patents should be granted only to human inventions, not discoveries. Existing living organisms – plants and animals as well as their genes – are no-one’s invention and should therefore never be patented and put under private control. Vast, unsubstantiated patent claims on DNA also deter scientists from research in areas that have already been claimed by big companies with large legal budgets. This isn’t capitalism. This is corporatism. Corporations should have no ownership over any part of my body. Yet, this is common practice.
The kids rapping really hit home with me. The learning activities they were participating in matches what we are now calling 21st Century Literacy. Learning through these methods help kids gain a sense of global literacy, problem solving, collaboration, innovation and creativity. An open culture of ideas only helps to support learning in an information economy.
The imagery of trademarked logos not being able to be photographed is a powerful one. We are not that far away from it becoming a reality. YouTube can already auto-disable your videos if it contains an infringing song. Adobe PhotoShop will not let you open an image of money for fear you will become a counterfeiter. If we continue on this path, what will become media produced by the masses.
Universal access to human knowledge. What could we accomplish?
