Does the Entertainment industry still exist? Are Hollywood movies still being made? Are Bollywood? Are artists still recording their albums? And are merchandise still being sold? Do movie theatres still exist? And does HMV/Music World still record profits?
The answer to all these questions happens to be 'yes.'
Online piracy is bad if it leads to a reduction in the production of art: If artists feel they can no longer profit from their work, and hence lack the incentive required to actually produce it. However, I don't think this is the case.
If online piracy hurt these people financially as much as they claim (or so badly that we need to invoke the wrath of SOPA), then their industries would be dying. There should be less films made and less songs recorded. Instead, we have some dunderhead allowing Rebecca Black to make songs. There's still money to make, lots of it.
Last time I checked, Eminem wasn't working in a Burger King to pay his bills.
I don't really have the time/patience to look at figures, but I'm certain people in the Entertainment Industry are well to do. There's still money out there. In fact, I think there might be ever more money out there than they think.. But I'll get to that later. Before that, I must admit, the work of an artist is his intellectual property and he should be able to do with it as he pleases. I won't deny this. But just like how boats changed the economy of natural resources, and the internet changed the landscape for outsourcing, the landscape for art has changed.
Artists still own their IP (Or if they sell it to large companies, whatever). But there are no personal canvases anymore. Imagine Da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa on a public wall on the streets of Rome. It is still his work, but for all the world to see. He can't profit from it the same way as otherwise (by selling it), but he could still theoretically profit from it. When art is created today, it instantly becomes a stream of 0s and 1s. It moves at breathtaking speeds and jumps through all kinds of hoops. That is simply the landscape of the world today.
But there's still profit to be made, as long as the industry changes.
Remember that kid? That kid that would cry, grab the bat and storm off because he couldn't bat first? Entertainment Industry.. Don't be /that/ kid.
In poker, you are either constantly adjusting, or you're losing money. Every hand is different from the last and the games are constantly morphing. It might have been profitable to be a Loose, Aggressive, Fold Equity Loving, Bluffing Machine half an hour ago; but it may be that it is better to play Tight right now. If you don't understand that, and don't see it, your stack will be a lot like the wind (Gone). (Okay, I apologise. That was absolutely horrendous.)
Merchandise sales. Youtube channels with advertising. Exclusive/Additional content for die hard fans (who would pay). Allow the online community to take your work and make it viral (Remixes, and what not can sometimes be much bigger than the original. But will generate interest for the original).
I'm certain if I think about this longer, I could think of more ways to make money off products without actually /selling/ the product. (Ask RayWilliamJohnson, xkcd, southpark!)
I'm not really too worried either way. Even if SOPA is implemented, I'm confident the online community is up to the challenge. Adapt or die, something Darwin might have been proud to say. If they don't, I'm certain we will.
The answer to all these questions happens to be 'yes.'
Online piracy is bad if it leads to a reduction in the production of art: If artists feel they can no longer profit from their work, and hence lack the incentive required to actually produce it. However, I don't think this is the case.
If online piracy hurt these people financially as much as they claim (or so badly that we need to invoke the wrath of SOPA), then their industries would be dying. There should be less films made and less songs recorded. Instead, we have some dunderhead allowing Rebecca Black to make songs. There's still money to make, lots of it.
Last time I checked, Eminem wasn't working in a Burger King to pay his bills.
I don't really have the time/patience to look at figures, but I'm certain people in the Entertainment Industry are well to do. There's still money out there. In fact, I think there might be ever more money out there than they think.. But I'll get to that later. Before that, I must admit, the work of an artist is his intellectual property and he should be able to do with it as he pleases. I won't deny this. But just like how boats changed the economy of natural resources, and the internet changed the landscape for outsourcing, the landscape for art has changed.
Artists still own their IP (Or if they sell it to large companies, whatever). But there are no personal canvases anymore. Imagine Da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa on a public wall on the streets of Rome. It is still his work, but for all the world to see. He can't profit from it the same way as otherwise (by selling it), but he could still theoretically profit from it. When art is created today, it instantly becomes a stream of 0s and 1s. It moves at breathtaking speeds and jumps through all kinds of hoops. That is simply the landscape of the world today.
But there's still profit to be made, as long as the industry changes.
Remember that kid? That kid that would cry, grab the bat and storm off because he couldn't bat first? Entertainment Industry.. Don't be /that/ kid.
In poker, you are either constantly adjusting, or you're losing money. Every hand is different from the last and the games are constantly morphing. It might have been profitable to be a Loose, Aggressive, Fold Equity Loving, Bluffing Machine half an hour ago; but it may be that it is better to play Tight right now. If you don't understand that, and don't see it, your stack will be a lot like the wind (Gone). (Okay, I apologise. That was absolutely horrendous.)
Merchandise sales. Youtube channels with advertising. Exclusive/Additional content for die hard fans (who would pay). Allow the online community to take your work and make it viral (Remixes, and what not can sometimes be much bigger than the original. But will generate interest for the original).
I'm certain if I think about this longer, I could think of more ways to make money off products without actually /selling/ the product. (Ask RayWilliamJohnson, xkcd, southpark!)
I'm not really too worried either way. Even if SOPA is implemented, I'm confident the online community is up to the challenge. Adapt or die, something Darwin might have been proud to say. If they don't, I'm certain we will.
