Why?
Unlike a patent, a copyright doesn’t prevent the progression of new ideas and inventions.
Granted, but I am for 20-year copyrights just because they keep getting longer.
It’s ridiculous to expect two centuries to pass before something goes into the public domain.
Sure it does. If my new idea involves using an identifiable part of your work in a new way (i.e. sampling the bass line of your hit song) then I'm in trouble.
Actually it does. Berkley Breathed found that out when he added “Mortimer Mouse” to his _Outland_ series. Disney had a chat with him, and Mortimer disappeared.