The machine is...

I've posted this before but I think it bears posting again. I have been thinking a lot lately about copyright and sharing and the world. When I see "This video contains X and is unavailable in your region" I get really cross. The internet has no borders, really so why do videos? And more to the point since my money has no borders and I can spend it in any country why does the video I want to watch? If a music / film company wants to encourage me to buy their product allowing me to see it would be smart. Shutting me out due to where I live is stupid and way behind the times.






I post images on the web all the time. They are mine. I created them but on the web they sort of become the world's. I'd rather not see someone take my work and make a lot of money from it but at the same time I can't really control that and I like the idea of sharing with the world.

My first experience with this sort of thing happened in High school where i designed the cover for the High school musical program for Guys and Dolls. Instead of asking me for the original to be reproduced in the year book someone else tried to copy my work and did a crappy job of it instead. I was pissed about that but in the end let it go.

Nowadays I think we've taken the whole copyright thing to the Nth degree and it has become stifling and ridiculous. I buy DVDs and have to sit through 10 minutes of do not steal this dvd infomercials...I bought the thing and I still have to watch that garbage. It's stupid and it is not really user friendly. On YouTube when I want to see a new artist's video to see if I like it enough to buy it I have to wade through dozens of not available in your country blank screens before I find one I can watch. Dear music companies by doing this you discourage me to buy said album. I can live without it, I don't need to give my hard earned money to people like you I will however be more inclined to spend money on companies that I see encourage world wide viewers, or sharing and so on.

Now with all the social media out there sharing has become easier than ever. I learn more about world happenings and new products, films, music and TV through facebook and twitter than anywhere else. I don't watch commercial TV anymore, I also don't listen to the radio either. Too many commercials and too much blah blah blah wasting my time. I have yet to find a radio station ( locally) that plays decent music ALL the time and where the DJs shut the fuck up. Little tip ( Alster radio morning show crew) you are not funny, you are mean and often crude and NO ONE CARES!



So now we have this massive instant way to share everything! Medieval manuscripts are online for those crazy of us who study them and we don't have to fly to some university somewhere, beg for privileges and don white gloves ( not that this would be a bad thing because nothing beats seeing the original) but now we have so much more access to what was once only available to the elite. Now anyone from anywhere with internet access can see the art wonders of the medieval world. And that makes me wonder what Monks would have felt about copyright....after all had it not been for copying we would not have the brilliant works of art to compare and look at today.