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To: bvw
". Would you have, come brain implants, that every time I remember your song that some electronic transfer makes my account poorer and your own richer? If so we are to fight, and strength, not logic will win out. "

"come brain implants" - Geez, bvw, you're more of a pessimist than I am. But I believe your warnings of violence are moot come that point. ;)

And you probably shouldn't cite a struggle between logic and strength here, since today it is actually the file swapper that celebrates his strength, against the logic of economics, in the most meaningful sense of those ideas. He may, and likely will, win (by force) the battle over the foundations of intellectual markets. But he will probably lose more than he gains in the end.

Creators, by that point, will increasingly be distracted by sustenance labors - doing redundant things (immune from instant theft) they'd rather not do, or they squander their talents by doing. The trend toward dampening the profitablility of intellectual markets will have an effect no different than common price controls. Quality suffers first, then quantity.

I'm not one to believe the basic nature of economics changes with technology, simply because man's physicality is a constant. Until man separates himself completely from physicality as we now understand it, he will always need to eat. He will always need shelter. And if scarce resources required for sustenance need to be allocated among many ( most of whom, among billions, cannot be farmers) intellectual markets need to be preserved, enhanced, and managed as a means of recognizing emerging forms of human utility on an increasingly crowded planet. If we remove that market without first removing the reliance on physical matter, there will be economic danger the likes of which has never before been seen.

Many thanks for an interesting question, bvw.

486 posted on 08/29/2002 10:52:08 AM PDT by Mr. Bungle
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To: Mr. Bungle
I want to continue this but need time to respond, since it is interesting.
487 posted on 08/29/2002 11:58:29 AM PDT by bvw
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To: Mr. Bungle
"I'm not one to believe the basic nature of economics changes with technology."

The nature of economics is to supply the consumer with that which he wants.

People want a new way to obtain music, and the industry will not face that fact.

489 posted on 08/29/2002 2:09:46 PM PDT by Luis Gonzalez
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