What is the fundamental issue here? People expect to get compensation (money) for services rendered - e.g. performing a piece of music, making a movie, programming software, writing and publishing an article, doing research. This is our current society.
When we were younger, money was rarely a motivator. We did stuff because we thought it was cool, impressive, or simply because we've never done it before. No kids wanted to be fighter pilots because of their salary. Kids wanted to be fighter pilots because fighter pilots got to fly jet planes really, really fast. No kids wanted to become an artist just for the money. They'd do that to get famous, to express themselves, to sing and dance. Money didn't figure into things until we got older, more realistic, more entrenched in society, more cynical even.
Now if you're good, other people might want to spend some money on you to see you perform. If you're really good, 'some' becomes 'a lot'. Michael Jackson made Michael Jackson-money because he was really, really good.
I'm under the impression that the most authentic people are the ones not motivated primarily by money. They get good at their craft, because they are, because they care about it, because they like it. They don't get stressed about money, because it is not their primary concern. Their livelihood does not rely on their every single performance, who'd want that stress? That's what I don't get about street performers who say "it's their love, their life, their passion" - but still pass the hat for cash after they perform.
Being authentic doesn't mean you are NOT getting paid. Authentic people are. The most authentic people in the world, probably get the most of all because you actually see them being good.
My performance, my statements, my ideas are public domain. I frankly doubt anyone will pay even 10 cents for one of my articles anyway, so I don't care much about my own work's copyright. (Bill Clinton might have a different opinion about his though.) I don't mind if somebody copies off my work, quotes off mine. I'm actually proud if somebody does. Getting famous or making an impression on somebody who then chooses to refer to something I said or wrote? In MasterCard terms: Priceless. I do mind if someone else gets cash for mine, that's real cash that's not going to the correct bank account. So there copyright makes sense to me. However if I made my work available through publicly available media channels, it's my own damn fault.
New technology can make previously secure media public domain. Television used to be broadcast only, then came VHS, DVR, DIVX etc. Music used to be performance only, then we got records, tapes, CDs, mp3 and youtube. The copyright supporters are using the ways of the law to try to ignore and duck under technological progress - which by the very process of legislation is a pointless exercise. Technology progresses, no matter how many laws you pass. Instead of working in a new reality, these guys pretend the whole stuff doesn't exist. They also expect that the world will do the same for their sake. That's where they wrong, and that's where they feel they need a huge spiked bat for. Enter SOPA and PIPA.
C'mon guys. Don't be a dick. Be authentic.
