In a guest post on Lawrence Lessig’s blog, Nelson Pavlosky asks a thoughtful question, “when we speak of taking the free culture movement off the internet and into the streets, how can we avoid looking silly?”
Here is an issue that is profound and critical to many people who deal in ideas and information. Yet the vast majority of citizens could indeed view it as silly, unfair to artists, or driven by a desire for free music.
They’re fighting this battle for the hearts and minds of the other 90% of the public with media corporations which see this as a life-or-death struggle.
A. J. Liebling advised us not to pick a fight with anyone who buys ink by the barrel. But sometimes it’s not possible to pick your fights.
Pavlosky is right to understand that the battle over intellectual property could be seen as a side show not just by bystanders, but by the movement’s natural allies as well.
Originally published on my blog at JupiterResearch.