Re: Owning Everything, WAS: [Re: Getting rich without copyright (was Napster...)]

From: Emlyn (onetel) (emlyn@one.net.au)
Date: Wed Jul 12 2000 - 23:35:18 MDT


I have posted this idea, but it was at the end of a long rambling response
to Waldemar, and got lost in the deluge. I wont post it again, because it's
long; you'll have to wade through the first bit until you come to the detail
of my idea. I hope you find it interesting, I'd love to get some comments.
Please also note that I am not necessarily advocating this system. It's more
that I want to demonstrate that we can think of new ways of organising,
given the stunning communications technology we now have and are improving
on. I believe that we should see many of the building blocks of our current
social systems (like owning things) as more appropriate to a time almost
past, and subject them to higher criticism than we commonly do.

Here's the link to the post in the archives:

http://www.lucifer.com/exi-lists/extropians/2456.html

Emlyn

----- Original Message -----
From: Dana Hedberg <dah@signalinteractive.com>
To: <extropians@extropy.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2000 3:06 AM
Subject: Owning Everything, WAS: [Re: Getting rich without copyright (was
Napster...)]

> "Emlyn (onetel)" wrote:
>
> [Copyright-less comments about music and making a living deleted.]
>
> > Or not. Actually, I agree quite strongly with you on this Lee;
information
> > should be free. But I think this is only half the picture, because I
think
> > everything should be free.
> >
> > Seriously. To be more precise, I think that ownership is a seriously
flawed
> > concept that damages freedom, and has created the massively unjust world
in
> > which we now live, with a small minority of people making up the very
rich
> > (that's us westerners), and the large majority of people belonging to
the
> > legions of the mindnumbingly, incomprehensibly poor. This, because
people
> > own things, which means that others in turn are excluded from their use.
> >
> I can see evolutionary reasons for the rise of the concept of ownership.
> Not to mention that it becomes very difficult for you to use something
> when I'm in the process of using it...yes, some ugly little scuffles
> would most likely be the quickly realized default.
>
> > I detailed in a recent post one idea for a future market economy which
did
> > not include a concept of ownership (or more correctly, included the
concept
> > that everyone owns everything). In that scenario, I would have
absolutely no
> > problem with taking away copyright; it becomes meaningless.
> >
> This is very interesting. When you say everything, do you also include
> semi- and sentient objects/collections of matter/energy? Why or why not?
>
> Do you think it's possible to convert from a capitalist/property
> ownership system to your idea of an all-owner economy? Or, is that
> something that probably would have to have been started from the
> beginning of civilization?
>
> If you wouldn't mind Emlyn, could you please repost your idea, or you
> can send it to me directly if you feel it would be unnecessary clutter
> for the list in general. Thanks.
>
> >
> > Emlyn
>
> -Dana
>



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