Pilage and Plunder Online – Theft of Creative Product Has Cause and Effect
“This is an art form. I shouldn’t have to pay for it,” said the well-dressed young man when asked about downloading his favorite music online. If you agree with his point of view, then don’t bat an eye the first time someone walks on one of your invoices, fills a bag with groceries without passing the checkout or illegally misappropriates your product tagline and uses it on their current project. More than a few cultural and ethics professors say this is cause and effect twice–inadequate art education in the USA contributes to moral dilemmas surrounding creative product and proper usage. Theft of creative product deprives the artist of just compensation for his efforts. Coupled with that nasty little idea of “I’m only in trouble if I get caught” this ignorance undermines the uninhibited spirit of free enterprise. Until we learn to respect thinkers and creators, there will always be ethical voids like this cropping up to nip us in the butt. The person who thought up and designed your watch is compensated or you don’t get to wear the watch–that’s easy. We should convey the same respect and value to the source of an idea when it improves the quality of our lives. Milton Glaser, a renowned graphic designer, was interviewed on PBS’s NOW recently to promote his new book, a compiliation of artists’ work. Throughout the interview, as each piece was shown and it’s political impact explained, not a single artist’s name was mentioned giving credit where credit was due. Blame it on a lack of time, but a screen identifier would have mooted the point without using air time or skewing political points. Idea people dedicate the single commodity that is spendable once-time-on a client’s behalf. After your lifetime is spent, there is no refund. More often than not, it is the creative who courts the muses, and spends his “life’s time” dreaming of ways to bring man a step closer to the ideal. Whether this time is spent inventing a better fuel or creating an original painting, the true expenditure and single irretreivable commodity is time. True, we’re not talking about widgets, but the quality improvements, costs savings and strategic advantage of creative product impact American business greatly, and always beyond tangible measures. When a reverence for creative thinkers is imprinted on students in our education systems, to pay or not to pay will no longer be an issue. It will become an understanding, like watering that plant you love so much. If you resist, it will die.
