Philosophy 251: Visions of the Self

             RiP: A Remix Manifesto portrays the war over ideas, and the battleground is the Internet. Since the Internet was created, people have been able to connect, and communicate ideas with millions of people around the world. The downloading of new information, remixing and transforming political and social issues into something different is what makes up our new language today. Consumers are turning into creators by remixing ideas from many different cultures.

            However, many people are considered copyright criminals due to the illegal downloading of sharing music, art or other pieces of culture. The video explains that copyright represents the past in which people are declaring wars on others who interfere with ideas that are intellectual property. Intellectual property is defined as the property over someone’s mind. These big corporations want to make money. They do not allow anyone to use their music, art, videos or other creations. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) want to preserve the business model that has made many corporations rich. As a result, they have sued many people, and have filed lawsuits against people who use the ideas of others without following proper copyright laws. In 1710, the Statute of Anne established the balance between the right of the public and the authors. The statute explained that people could not use the published ideas until after the work had been out for fourteen years. In 1998, the copyright law was rewritten forcing people not to use published work by authors until after seventy years. The law explains that people are not able to use work from big corporations until after ninety-five years. In other words, our culture is locked up, and artists who use the public domain have to find information dated before 1923, if they don’t want to get in trouble with copyright laws.

            On the other hand, copyleft promotes people to shares ideas. They explain that the public domain must be protected to ensure free exchange of ideas and the future of art and culture. This view encourages people to remix music, and create art based on previous generations. Copyleft allows people to download music, and shares files with others over the Internet. Culture jammers and remixers fight for fair use, and the freedom of speech over the art within our culture.

            Larry Lessig travels the world to inform everyone about the sounding alarm of the copyright policy. He promotes fair use, and explains that sharing of ideas is the literacy for a new generation. After visiting Brazil and meeting Gilberto Gil, the former Brazilian Minister of Culture, Lessig encourages people to collaborate, share, act, and remix other peoples’ work. In 2007, Gilberto Gil explains that sharing is the nature of creation, and that it doesn’t happen in isolation. In Brazil, people are able to share and communicate ideas. Without the strict copyright laws, this poor country has provided a better future for many children by pulling them out of the gangs. In this country, people are encouraged to remix music and build on other creations. Since the United States holds such strict copyright laws, many people fear for the future. Without being able to collaborate ideas, the art industry may end up getting nowhere. People are concerned about where we will be in the future if we are not allowed to work together, and share one another’s ideas.

            However, the creator of Girl Talk does not allow the copyright laws to stop him as he continues to create music out of many combined songs. He builds on work before him to create different music in this generation. He makes mash-ups, by cutting up pieces of music and playing them together. The computer-instrument notes he plays are from different genres. This new rearrangement of music is known as remixing. Sampling a single note is ground for a copyright. Since Girl Talk uses music without following the proper copyright laws, this creation of remixing is considered illegal. Girl Talk could be sued for disobeying the copyright laws.

            After watching this video, I agree with copyleft. The copyright laws in the United States have gotten way out of hand. Under these strict laws, everyone in the United States is considered a criminal. Everyone has either downloaded music, art or ideas illegally, taped Monday night football or ultimately, sang the happy birthday song without getting permission to do so. I find it ridiculous that in order to sing the happy birthday song, we have to abide by the copyright laws. Sharing and communicating ideas and art is not a bad thing. Brazil does not abide by these strict laws, and they have been able to do many great things by working together and sharing ideas. Why can’t we?

            Today, the use of technology has made it impossible for one to follow the copyright laws. Everyone has easy access to downloading music, videos, and the ideas of others. I find nothing wrong with this. Everyone deserves fair use and the freedom of speech. Copyright laws are only hurting our future because they are restraining us from using the ideas of others to create something new. Agreeing with the remixer’s manifesto, our culture always builds on the past. We have to rely on the ideas of others before us, in order to provide a successful future. However, since the past always tries to control the future, our future is becoming less free. In order to build free societies, we have to limit the control of the past. It’s us versus the private corporations. We can all work together to fight for equal rights by promoting copyleft.