The Dangers of Corporate Fascism.

[jamesq]

Interesting bit of wisdom about corporations in this article on Youtube parodies (emphasis mine):

"Constantin Films AG is not a person; it does not need to be fed or clothed, or put its kids through college. A corporation is nothing sacrosanct, merely a legal device designed to help society function better. It is certainly not more important than an actual person; it only seems so because we have let it overstep. While Constantin AG’s commercial rights and interests should be recognized and protected to a reasonable degree, the clear and present danger facing us isn’t lack of protections for corporations, but lack of protection for everyone else."

The lesser point, which also needs to be made repeatedly, is that corporations are being penny-wise, pound foolish by forcing Youtube and it's ilk to take down these things. Better to use them as advertising for the original. Pixar gets it, that's why they've allowed this to continue (with an ad for "Up" at the end).

My firm belief is that corporations are like trained, but intrinsically dangerous, animals (think Roy Horn's tigers); useful to have around, but they need to be kept on a short leash.

Comments

[jamesq]

JMS was asked some years ago about what was causing the explosion of new SF/Fantasy related shows on TV, after so many years in the wilderness. It wasn't anything to do with an improvement in SF writing or special effects (Doctor Who certainly proves the point that SF can exist with neither). His theory? All the network executives who had a knee-jerk anti-SF reaction were dying out.

It will be the same with internet-savvy. These guys need to be replaced with people who actually understand the net. And there are very few guys my age who do understand the net. I only get a pass because computers are my business.

The point in the article is that corporations have a weird combination of tunnel-vision and naivety, where their proposed fixes are concerned. They think "If this works, we'll have our way", without once thinking about "but what happens everywhere else if it works, and what happens if it doesn't work.