Here's an example I've used in teaching. Near you there is an inventive young artist. He's figured out a way to use fallen tree limbs and other found material to make a new design in chairs. His work is as exquisite as say, art noveau, and very very popular.
You like his work. In fact, you go to his shop, and there's no one around. So you take his work home to enjoy. After all, you see he has others there. They're not exactly alike, as they're all hand-made originals, so you might as well.
Would you pick that chair up and take it home with you? Stealing someone else's copyrighted work is the same thing.
Now, let's say that you're having a big party and wish to impress. So you go down to the artist's dispaly room, and steal one of his works. You take it home and people are so impressed over your work. Is it an original? They ask. Oh yes, you say. EAch one is. And so people marvel at your work.
When someone notices that it's taken from someone else, you explain it away by saying "It's fair use...I'm having this party and wanted something special to impress people with, so I brought it home for tonight."
Now someone, who hasn't heard the exchange, approaches you, and offers you money to buy the chair or to use it over the weekend in an exhibit. You accept. Someone else invites you to display "your" chair in their community art show. You accept.
Meanwhile, the guy who rounded up the materials, developed his technique, did the actual work in creating these chairs, and who's making a living--or trying to--and a reputation from his work, is minus some chairs, and you've gained attention, status, admiration, compliments, and oh yes, money, too, for the other guy's work.
If you steal other's work, whether chair, writing, photo, etc. then you're exactly the same kind of thief who'd steal the woodworker's chairs.
My primary master's work was in the legal aspects of mass communications. Although I didn't finish the degree because I was too busy working as a journalist and writer, I sure gained a lot from that focus.
Truemors
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at 19:17 on April 10th, 2008
Here's an example I've used in teaching. Near you there is an inventive young artist. He's figured out a way to use fallen tree limbs and other found material to make a new design in chairs. His work is as exquisite as say, art noveau, and very very popular.
You like his work. In fact, you go to his shop, and there's no one around. So you take his work home to enjoy. After all, you see he has others there. They're not exactly alike, as they're all hand-made originals, so you might as well.
Would you pick that chair up and take it home with you? Stealing someone else's copyrighted work is the same thing.
Now, let's say that you're having a big party and wish to impress. So you go down to the artist's dispaly room, and steal one of his works. You take it home and people are so impressed over your work. Is it an original? They ask. Oh yes, you say. EAch one is. And so people marvel at your work.
When someone notices that it's taken from someone else, you explain it away by saying "It's fair use...I'm having this party and wanted something special to impress people with, so I brought it home for tonight."
Now someone, who hasn't heard the exchange, approaches you, and offers you money to buy the chair or to use it over the weekend in an exhibit. You accept. Someone else invites you to display "your" chair in their community art show. You accept.
Meanwhile, the guy who rounded up the materials, developed his technique, did the actual work in creating these chairs, and who's making a living--or trying to--and a reputation from his work, is minus some chairs, and you've gained attention, status, admiration, compliments, and oh yes, money, too, for the other guy's work.
If you steal other's work, whether chair, writing, photo, etc. then you're exactly the same kind of thief who'd steal the woodworker's chairs.
My primary master's work was in the legal aspects of mass communications. Although I didn't finish the degree because I was too busy working as a journalist and writer, I sure gained a lot from that focus.