Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Battle of Titans
This Pipa/Sopa thing strikes me as a Battle Of The Titans, with no particular reason to believe either side. The Google syndicate vs the Disney syndicate.
In crass monetary terms, I find myself (highly uncomfortably!) on the same side as Disney. My little income depends on the integrity of copyright.
Foreign piracy hurts both large and small operators. I lost a fair amount of money to foreign pirates, and plenty of one-man graphics entrepreneurs had to give up entirely and go back to regular jobs or go on welfare.
The Russian and Chinese pirate sites force you to "go big or go home". Customers who were formerly willing to pay $5 for a digital model can now get it free from the pirates. To make any profit at all, you now have to charge $500 instead of $5 per copy. If your stuff isn't interesting to the very few people who can pay $500 (basically big studios like Disney who have their own artists anyway!), you're out.
SOPA/PIPA is thus a unique exception to the normal course of legislation. Nearly all laws solely enrich the giant monopolies and kill smaller businesses. SOPA/PIPA undoubtedly helps the Disneys, but it would also level the playing field again, making more room for the $5 businesses.
In cultural terms I'm vaguely on the other side, but only because the Google conspiracy is a slightly less obnoxious Gramscian monster than the Disney conspiracy. Google and Wiki are solidly pro-pseudoscience, homosexualist, feminist, and secular internationalist. Both constantly stifle real science, traditional morality, and nationalism.
Hmm. After listing the above, I'm tilting more toward Disney on cultural grounds as well. Disney serves Lenin just as viciously as Google and Wiki, but Disney also makes cartoons (eg Lilo & Stitch, Brandy & Mr Whiskers) that advance common sense and morality.
If these laws make it harder to link certain things from a blog, it will force me to do more original writing and more artwork. Annoying but a net positive.
Conclusion: Definitely worth altering my 'hobby' to preserve my income.
Later thought after hearing On Point discussion: Come to think of it, PIPA's protection of small operators may explain why Wall Street Slaveboy Obama has turned against PIPA. Perhaps his corporate Masters have come to understand that they have a better advantage WITHOUT this law that protects both small and large. ¶ 3:47 AM
In crass monetary terms, I find myself (highly uncomfortably!) on the same side as Disney. My little income depends on the integrity of copyright.
Foreign piracy hurts both large and small operators. I lost a fair amount of money to foreign pirates, and plenty of one-man graphics entrepreneurs had to give up entirely and go back to regular jobs or go on welfare.
The Russian and Chinese pirate sites force you to "go big or go home". Customers who were formerly willing to pay $5 for a digital model can now get it free from the pirates. To make any profit at all, you now have to charge $500 instead of $5 per copy. If your stuff isn't interesting to the very few people who can pay $500 (basically big studios like Disney who have their own artists anyway!), you're out.
SOPA/PIPA is thus a unique exception to the normal course of legislation. Nearly all laws solely enrich the giant monopolies and kill smaller businesses. SOPA/PIPA undoubtedly helps the Disneys, but it would also level the playing field again, making more room for the $5 businesses.
In cultural terms I'm vaguely on the other side, but only because the Google conspiracy is a slightly less obnoxious Gramscian monster than the Disney conspiracy. Google and Wiki are solidly pro-pseudoscience, homosexualist, feminist, and secular internationalist. Both constantly stifle real science, traditional morality, and nationalism.
Hmm. After listing the above, I'm tilting more toward Disney on cultural grounds as well. Disney serves Lenin just as viciously as Google and Wiki, but Disney also makes cartoons (eg Lilo & Stitch, Brandy & Mr Whiskers) that advance common sense and morality.
If these laws make it harder to link certain things from a blog, it will force me to do more original writing and more artwork. Annoying but a net positive.
Conclusion: Definitely worth altering my 'hobby' to preserve my income.
Later thought after hearing On Point discussion: Come to think of it, PIPA's protection of small operators may explain why Wall Street Slaveboy Obama has turned against PIPA. Perhaps his corporate Masters have come to understand that they have a better advantage WITHOUT this law that protects both small and large. ¶ 3:47 AM
