Post
Topic
Board Politics & Society
Re: Intellectual Property - In All Fairness!
by
Hawker
on 30/08/2011, 17:36:36 UTC
So you don't accept the right of people to govern their own society.  Then why argue your point?  You don't need to convince anyone as no-one has the right to self government.

If you join this society of your own free will, and you personally agree to it's terms, then sure, govern away. Just don't force others to be a member of your society. Therein lies the difference.

Additionally, me being born into your society doesn't make me a slave/member of your society either. Children are incapable of binding contracts due to their lack of understanding. Parents can make some decisions about how their children will live, but when those children assert their independence they acquire their autonomy (self-governing).

Freedom of choice vs. Slavery. How many times do we need to say it before it sinks in?

You keep on about slavery as if the prohibition to make a fizzy drink and sell it under the name Coca-Cola was the same as being bound in chains to a galley oar for life.  Its not the same.

All IP law requires is that when someone else has paid for research, you not copy it and resell it for your own profit.  You are free to ignore it.  You are free to make an alternative.  But what you can't do is say "Bitcoin2Cash has developed a cure for cancer.  He put all his savings into it and it works! I'll make millions if I copy it and sell it 10 cents cheaper than him."  That is simple greed masquerading as a desire for freedom.

The core issue here is freedom.  Disease is unpleasant and we want to reduce it.  Life is hard and we want things that make it easier.  Driving is dangerous and we want tobe able to buy safe cars.  Society has given us the freedom to invest and try to achieve these goals.  Society has given you total freedom except you can't take the outcome of someone else's labour and profit from it.  You can't make a car and sell it as Ford Focus with a Ford logo on the bonnet.  So what?  You can't take the list of ingredients that is on a medicine bottle and sell your own copy.  So what?  These are not major losses of liberty unless liberty means the right to profit off someone else's investment.

If you say that your freedom to copy other people research results is essential to your liberty, you are being ridiculous.  Society's freedom to find cures outweighs your freedom to make a quick profit off other people's work.