Two stories of people who might be a wee bit out of touch…
on February 21, 2013 at 10:29 AM
First up on our list of those who might not entirely grasp of which they speak is a best-selling children’s author who claims public libraries are stealing his paychecks. Apart from the vast array of services our public libraries offer (just ask my sister), this gentleman seems to have missed out on the interesting phenomenon of people buying things they’re able to try for free. Not to mention his book series has spawned a TV show, stage performances, etc. so if someone is “stealing his paychecks” to the point where he’d notice financially, he might want to scrutinize his accountant’s bank balance instead.
Secondly, there’s the Montreal Transit Authority that got so miffed over someone designing a Counter Strike: Global Offensive map based on the Berri-UQAM station that they want to fine the map-maker almost $50,000. I’m not sure how many terrorist groups use video games for training purposes, and assuming they did want to target this metro station, it’s not like there aren’t actual maps available, not to mention the station is open to the public. Perhaps the authorities fear some kind of Twilight Zone space-time rip where the matches in the game will somehow take place in real life at random intervals? At least that would make more sense…
Libraries pay for the books they own, AND they pay extra for the license to the publisher to be allowed to loan out those books, so it’s not like he hasn’t been paid for library books, and paid more than a normal sale. The fact that he’s trying to classify reading for young children as purely entertainment in an era where people are desperately trying to convince them it’s worthwhile to read is appalling, particularly as it’s a key job skill. Not to mention the free advertisement he likely got himself starting out (as mentioned in the linked article) when starting out. A money grubbing hypocrite. I hope people boycott him.
Poor Terry Deary, he isn’t getting enough money from his books and blames libraries. Too bad he can’t keep libraries from stocking his books – he’d quickly find out that his royalties would drop dramatically that way. It has been repeatedly proven that more sales result from libraries and other ‘free samples’, as it were. What a maroon.
Western society has a very diseased perception of what copyright really is. It is not a right. No author/producer/artist/etc has the RIGHT to make profits from his work. That’s a totally ridiculous assertion; like saying that they have the right to earn a profit from just waking up in the morning.
Copyright is an ARTIFICIAL CONCESSION to encourage the producers of arts and entertainment to produce more. It is actually a gross invasion of the public’s right to do whatever they want with the things they own and choose to share. Copyright is a LIMITED suspension of Public Rights, solely for the purpose of encouraging authors, moviemakers, etc.
Deary has just jumped on the Crazy Train alongside the Movie and Music Industries; demanding ever increasing suspensions of civil and personal rights for the sake of their profits. It’s moronic. How sharing things you own that you enjoy ever got labelled as “Piracy” is beyond me. Sure, it initially reduces the enormous profits these industries are making, but in the end, people are more likely to buy books, movies, music, etc. that they enjoy, rather than just going for random plunge into the rancid pool of utter crap the Movie and Music Industry is producing these days. Filesharing is resulting in the people who make good stuff getting rewarded with higher sales, and people who produce crap earning less.
Attitudes like Deary’s is why Hollywood is producing nothing but garbage these days; because the abuse of the concept of Copyright is rewarding the people who make crap, encouraging them to make more crap. It’s supposed to be the people making quality entertainment and arts that get rewarded, not the dregs.
There needs to be serious Copyright Reform in the Western world, with people being reminded that you not only have to work hard, but you have to make something good that people actually want to make money. The concept of every single venture turning a profit is ludicrous.
The concept of the Lending Library was a phenomenal innovation that made possible society as we now know it. Libraries led to the invention of personal computers, and the Internet, as well as thousands of other products and services that we take for granted these days.
Personally, I and my non-existent children are boycotting Deary’s books until he comes to his senses, and makes a huge donation to Libraries in the UK.