Defeat the Monsters

In _Sound Unbound_, Bruce Sterling’s essay, “The Life and Death of Media,” truly intrigued me. He claims that we live in “the Golden Age of Dead Media,” where our technology dies as fast (perhaps sooner) than it was created (79-80). Sterling is right on when he notes that paperback books as a medium can outlive the computer I’m using this very moment, and all of the technology associated with it (79). Nevertheless, today the short-lived technology has power associated with it, unlike the archaic but strong and true paperback (79). …which brings me to my first question:

How have our culture’s values changed, if indeed they have, from the paperback era to the PowerBook era? Or, maybe a better question is what values have we adopted because of electronic media advancements, and how will these values influence future media?



My second question, which I’ll attempt to answer, deals with plagiarism and copyright law:

If plagiarism and piracy are “monsters” (33) that impede rather than foster creativity and art, how can we reverse copyright law and reinstate the idea that certain levels of plagiarism can be productive and beneficial? Should we? If it’s ok for Shakespeare and Dylan and Disney, why not continue riffing off others to produce “new”, interesting, entertaining works?

I believe that we plagiarize to an extent even if we do not intend to. We’re naturally influenced by speaking to others, reading others’ works, and our experiences. Even though copyright law is in full force and many people still want financial gain for the sale and reproduction of their creative works, Creative Commons seems to be gaining more popularity, and some authors are publishing their works online for free access (like Lessig). Creative Commons is a great way for authors to establish different copyright terms for their works to ensure that they receive the credit and express the freedoms they wish to be associated with those works. Creative commons gives the authors power over their works as opposed to the rights that are regulated by the government or corporations.

Especially with the capabilities of YouTube and other like programs, people are modifying/adapting existing works, as well as creating their own. These platforms illustrate people’s inventiveness and creativity. These interests should not be cut short because of copyright. We could potentially lose out on enjoying works, like Shakespeare, because of monsters impeding art. Adaptation can be considered art, and if people have the ability to adapt well, they should be able to share their work, just like their predecessors. It seems like many people are rethinking copyright law and its effect on art, and Creative Commons is taking off. I think Creative Commons is a great start to defeating the monsters, and it will be interesting to see what takes place regarding copyright in the future.