Unit Objectives:
- Become acquainted with copyright as a historic, cultural and economic paradigm and its value and pertinence to creative works.
- Explore the changing nature of copyright in the context of “Remix Culture”.
- Examine your own and other’s values and paradigms of ownership and authorship of cultural media.
Artifact: The One About Copyright Laws…
Copyright laws as we all know is a good way for people to protect their products from other people copying their ideas and making their own profits off another person’s ideas. While these laws seem to make a lot of sense, there are some who make a case that copyright laws aren’t all that they are cracked up to be. Lessig points out that copyright law, “clearly favors one type of culture over another.” (Lessig, 97). Current copyright laws are significantly favored towards the professional groups of society while it hinders less professional and amateur business groups. The copyright laws almost hindered the evolution of music as well. When music artists began using classic hits to recreate new hits, big corporations began to crack down on the copyright laws that protected the older music. The new wave of music began to generate a lot of following and with that a lot of money, so the corporations wanted a piece of the pie. (Amen Break, 11:30). In the Ted piece, he talks about the Supreme Court case over the use of flight and how some felt one needed permission from the land owner to fly over their land. But Justice Douglas felt that this case must not win because, “the doctrine protecting land all the way to the sky has no place in the modern world.” (Ted, 4:41). I think this sums all of these ideas up. Copyright laws are only benefiting a certain group of society, while it is hindering the evolution and development of new ideas and concepts. Because one group is benefiting in a such a major way, the copyright laws are going to be hard-pressed to change, but the benefits that could come from change, could mean a shift in the way society works together as a whole.
Reflection:
Understanding the nature of copyright laws was something I thought I was pretty familiar with. I had previously believed that, historically, copyright laws were fair and safe ways for inventors or people with original ideas, to protect their products from other people making profits off of them. However, after doing research for this artifact I learned that copyright laws, while they do do what I thought they did, have other effects on people that I was unaware of. My thinking shifted from believing that copyright laws were fair and strong, to believing that maybe they were outdated. As Ted said in his address, “they have no place in the modern world.” (Ted, 4:41).
I believe also that this shows for a need of change. The ways today’s generation can create and evolve things is at an unprecedented level. As Lessig asked, “what harm are the doing?” (Lessig, 95). What harm comes from younger generations today experiencing old traditions in new and exciting ways? I think that this artifact showed me that copyright laws are in dire need of redressing because people complaining about how their product, from years and years ago, is experienced today is something that seems in need of change.
Future Goals:
I do not plan on changing the policy on copyright anytime in my life, but in the future I hope that other people can understand copyright laws the way I do now. Even if I only share my knowledge with one or two people, I feel that I would be satisfied because just those one or two people knowing the limitations on creativity that copyright laws enforce is something I think a lot of people would be surprised to know.
Bibliography: