Can Lawyers Destroy Our Culture?
from the might-be-a-bit-overstated dept
While the claim seems a bit overstated, apparently, a new book, called Brand Name Bullies presents tons of examples of how intellectual property lawyers have tried to stop artists from producing works because they touch on a company’s trademark or copyright. In fact, it sounds like many of the stories presented have been discussed here in the past as well. In most cases, it’s clear that the person in question isn’t trying to compete unfairly with a large company, but to simply make use of their name or brand within the context of some cultural endeavor — which might lead you to wonder exactly what intellectual property is supposed to be protecting.
Comments on “Can Lawyers Destroy Our Culture?”
well...
what is happening is the struggle for money in the ip domain. Lawyers don’t produce anything, but know how to manipulate the system. So you have little ip and lots of lawyers trying to exponge all the money the can from it. Look at the RIAA and MPAA; if the entertainment industry actually wanted to make money they would provide a solution; instead, their protective, and choose to sue customers instead b/c they think they have a lock on IP. If artist were in charge of entertainment companies we would have much better solutions to the problem rather than just law suits.
What makes me made is that this is america, what happened to capitalism? does anyone really want to make money with content on the internet? all the solutions thus far arn’t working….except for itunes/ipod….and that solution is nothing more than marketing and getting losers to think they’ll be cool after they buy an ipod.
This is a simple issue....
Either you believe in the concept of IP rights or you do not. Without IP rights what incentive is there for any company to invest in R&D, product development etc. If we want pharma companies to invent new drugs, or materials companies to invent new materials etc etc, they have to be allowed to protect the fruits of their investment by preventing freeloaders from coming in and exploiting their inventions without payment.
Re: This is a simple issue....
Either you believe in the concept of IP rights or you do not.
Says who, exactly? Besides, couldn’t you believe in IP rights, but admit that they were being abused in some situations?
Without IP rights what incentive is there for any company to invest in R&D, product development etc.
Funny. IP rights are a pretty modern invention. There was innovation and product development before IP rights.
There is plenty of incentive… just because you can’t think of it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. New business models are being created all the time that don’t depend on IP rights — and which tend to create more opportunity for both the companies in question and their customers.