It's true. We all do it. Our world is just a remix of everything else in the world. Why do I say this? Well, my eyes have been opened to the controversial topic of "intellectual property and content control" - and if you haven't already heard - it's a DOOOZY!
In short, when copyright didn't exist, people could take anyone else's material and do anything they wanted (pass it off as their own, modify it, use it, or even better - build on it to make it better). That's where we found the most advancements in technology as people were free to build to make the world better. Then, they realised - with everyone stealing everyone's ideas and taking credit - why would people create? So the patent was create
As Boldrin says it was "a way of rewarding somebody for coming up with a worthy idea" - the US Constitution says it "promotes the progress of science by securing ... exclusive right to their discoveries."
Well that's all well and good - very logical. But now - everything is patented and now nobody can create anything without getting down to some hefty legal matters! As Boldrin states: "intellectual property law needs to strike a balance between providing sufficient incentive for creation and the freedom to make use of existing ideas."
So that got me thinking. Our world operates off building off each other's ideas - it's what inspires us. One single person will never have all the answers - but collectively - we just might. As Lessig notes, scientists build upon the work of other scientists - it was a necessity! One may have spent a lifetime discovering one theory... so someone else would have to take over. "Creators here and everywhere are always building upon the creativity that went before and that surrounds them."
And I think that is the way it should be.
Here, I would like to throw in a word that we often use in design: "referencing." Every designer and artist creates, inspired by other works and often "referencing" other works (even if it is subconsciously without knowing). It's just how it works. Nothing is original anymore - we take aspects of ideas and build off it. The first step in the creative process (drilled into us from our design course) is to RESEARCH and find REFERENCES and INSPIRATION. So just like science, art and design NEEDS existing ideas to function. In fact, we have even been taught to "reference" our inspirations as not only a sign of respect but also to give credibility to the work.
In terms of how a balance can be met with the crazy world of copyrighting today in music and more importantly it seems - technology - I'm really at a loss of words. All I can say is that, when it comes to art - I think referencing is fine - great, needed and beneficial - but just plain stealing someone's work without crediting them is just wrong. People need to use common sense and show some respect.
Cover bands and Appropriations of Art is referencing and I love it! It's not stealing someone's work, it's building a whole new meaning around that work.
Examples:
- Mona Lisa and Starry Night appropriated together (as seen at the top)
- Over the Rainbow from Wizard of Oz covered by Me First and the Gimmes Gimmes
If you are interested in reading further about how the world has become a remix: this guy, Kirby Ferguson is amazing and his videos rock! Everything is a Remix.
Everything is a Remix Part 3 from Kirby Ferguson on Vimeo.
5 comments:
Hey Annie,
Your post is awesome! I have to agree that today everything we do or see is a remixed. The ideas that we come up with, is definitely in some ways influenced by a previous idea that we have seen. Nothing is hardly original nowadays. And you mentioned that when you're working on your design it's almost like a habit that you would reference others' work. I feel the same too, somehow I would feel guilty if I didn't reference the idea that I took, it's just wrong. Vice versa, I would certainly want people to reference my work if they'd took my idea(if I ever come up with one). The fact that nothing is completely original is scary but it's true.
I also agree on "that creators build upon the creativity that surrounds them" but sometimes they not only build upon it but just copy it. And I think that is what copyright is for. I'm not saying that I agree with it, but it's just to feel "protected" against any kind of copy or misuse of someone's work.
I also love some music covers (some are even better than the original ones...) and I know it's building a new meaning but I still believe that the person who created that first track should receive some kind of credit for it. If he/she wants to, of course.
Credit would be nice...scavengers are the people who do not give credit. It is always nice when you see a mash up give atleast the artists name and song name in the title...just so they know there was some sort of recognition attempted. Mash ups can be fun...covers can be good...but the hard part is coming up with those tunes in the first place. Those melodies, or hook lines are not easy to come by... they take hours and hours and sometimes months of dedication and work just to get it right..and then bam...someone swoops in without warning..whacks it on a turntable, adds a base line...presto...new song. You assume that any hit, mainstream, which uses these previous songs, has to pay royalties. Hope so anyway.
I think that's all some people want is credit, but i think in the internet society that it's more of a favour than a courtesy. Like you said, everything is just a remix, and it's whether or not someone who recognises the remix as their own work decides to take action... some people are just more concerned about their IP being stolen than others. Or that others have more legal resources to be able to take them down, but that shouldn't stop the others from trying to defend their property, if Erin Brokovich has taught us anything, it's that the little guy can win!
Such a good video, he is pretty good hey. I like the simple diagram which shows that most modern ideas come from copying another, modifying the original design and then combining diffferent elements to create a awesome idea. I spose its like facebook, they have taken small parts of great ideas and put it all together on there site to make a great innovative product for us all to use. Im pretty sure instant message services like MSN messenger where out long before facebook, but now you can do that all from the one site.
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