living in denial

[lagilman]

So, the results of my stance on the "fanfiction: pro or con" panel at Lunacon, and the resulting article in the NJ Star Ledger are beginning to bear fuit. Bitter fruit, at that -- have started getting hate mail.

People, get a clue. When I say that it's illegal, that's because it IS. Really. The courts have so-ruled, and it's been upheld. Argue against copyright. Push the fight to get rid of it, if you really think that's what's Right. For now, it exists. And if the copyright holder does not fight known infringment, they lose the right to claim copyright, which means that can't earn money off thier works. This is called "damaging your own livlihood."


Telling me I shouldn't be looking to make money off my work, because it's depriving you of your 'right' to create fanfic? Let's see you turn that around and hit your own paycheck, child. See how stringent you are about 'freedom' then.

Hell, I love fanfic. I wrote fanfic. I think writing fanfic is a great fannish thing. But keep it lo-key. Allow the official copyright holders to not see it. Don't trumpet yourself where they have no choice but to take note, especially the one-owner material (as opposed to media work, where there's more room to argue against the 'reasonable confusion in the market."). But remember that it's against established law, so when you're told to stop, you have to stop or face consequences. Why are you bitching at me for pointing that out?


Oh. And telling (threatening) me that you're not going to buy any of my books from now on? Hey, that's your consumer's privilege. I'm not about to cower in my shoes and stop speaking truth in public because of it.


But stop to think about what could happen, in a world where writers, and musicians, and actors don't get royalties from their work, and their income drops even closer to nil. You think you're still going to be getting these stories and shows you form fandoms around? Good luck.

Comments

[peggin.livejournal.com]

People are such idiots. They're ignorant of the law, they want to stay that way, and they get pissed off when people try to introduce them to reality. Because, obviously, since you're the one who told them it's illegal, that makes it your fault it's illegal.

I mean, I enjoy reading some fanfic (although most of it is complete dreck) and I even dabble a little in writing fanfic, but I know it's not my "right" to read and write the stuff.

But stop to think about what could happen, in a world where writers, and musicians, and actors don't get royalties from their work, and their income drops even closer to nil. You think you're still going to be getting these stories and shows you form fandoms around? Good luck.

I've had this kind of conversation with my brother, when he wants to know how, as a Libertarian, I can be in favor of patents and copyrights and so forth, since their very existence depends on the government. I'm not sure I can completely reconcile it with being a Libertarian, but to me, NOT having laws protecting intellectual property is just stupid..

Like when people protest the cost of a new "miracle drug" and claim that the pill only costs 5 cents to make, so why are they paying $20 a pill. Well, the second pill might have only cost 5 cents, but the first one cost $50 million. If the drug companies don't have the power to recoup those costs, if another drug company can come along, steal the formula, and start selling those pills for 5 cents, there's never going to be another first pill.

The only real difference with creative works is that creative people will probably still create, but if they can't make money off their creations they're not going to put nearly as much of an effort into finding an audience for their work. Also, since they can't earn a living off their work anymore, they're going to have to find another source of income. This means they'll have a lot less time to do their creative work. So the work will still be there, but there will be a lot less of it and nobody will be able to find it.

I'm not sure I had much of a point with this, beyond my first sentence: People are such idiots.

[lagilman]

Being a Libertarian requires a LOT of mental juggling and personal compromise-making, I've noted over the years. Great theory, tough to live in the real world.

[peggin.livejournal.com]

I think that's true of any political philosophy; they all have flaws. IMO, if you claim to be 100% Libertarian, Republican, Democrat, Socialist, whatever... it probably means you've decided you want other people to tell you what to think, so you don't have to actually engage your brain.

For me, being a Libertarian just means I agree with more of what that party has to say than I do any other party. It doesn't mean forfeiting my right to think for myself.