Pirates: the take-all-leave-nothing swashbuckling badasses of the seven seas. Commonly recognized for their conquests of unsuspecting merchant ships, expensive ransoms, and their never ending pursuit of treasure, what pirates are most known for is flipping the bird to any and every rule that might impede their progress. While some may consider pirates a long gone band of drunken thieves, the end of the pirating age is nowhere in sight-- in fact, it is as alive as it has ever been.
Consequently, in this day and age, not much has changed. Pirates are still tone-deaf to law, and still as relentless as the legendary bearded captains of old sea folklore once were. What has changed, however, is that instead or roaming the Caribbean, Black, or Mediterranean …show more content…
These individuals are the unexposed creative geniuses that see the fruits of their labor get picked and eaten right before their twinkly little Picasso-esque eyes. Small writers, musicians, artists, and other creatives are subject to relentless sharing of their work without compensation. Pirate-turned-writer Stephen Witt outlines his first experience seeing his work on a torrent site for slate.com, stating, “Ironically, I was now a writer, and my commercial viability in that field depended on others respecting boundaries of copyright that I for years had not. In fact, when my book started popping up on torrent sites, it was a vicarious thrill for me.” To some it may seem like an interesting cycle, but to writers and creatives everywhere it is a testament to the hardships a startup experiences in this age of piracy. Similarly, in his book Culture Crash, Scott Timberg harps on the losses of the creative class, noting that “In general, the Web has put downward pressure on freelance rates and salaries. Some magazines pay half of what they used to; some pay literally nothing for contributions to their websites, others close to it” (162). This death of newspapers and magazines has come at the hands of none other than pirate culture and the vastness of the internet. It seems like everyday creative individuality is swept away with the …show more content…
Unsanitary conditions. Sharing a boat with smelly men. The pirate’s life was not easy 200 years ago, and it is not easy now. Yes, as backwards as it may seem, pirates are hurt every time another piece of content is ripped from its creator. To be put simply, with every pirating action there is a smaller, but noticeable reaction. Tim O’ Reiley was quoted by forbes.com explaining, “History shows us, again and again, that frontiers are lawless places, but that as they get richer and more settled, they join in the rule of law. American publishing, now the largest publishing industry in the world, began with piracy.” What this means is that however popular pirating may get, cheap, legal alternatives will not be far behind, making content accessible for the everyday geek, gamer, music lover, or moviegoer. Thus, the need to pirate is quelled (sometimes). This point of dualistic progression between businesses and pirating methods leads straight into the concluding question: How can the world avoid
Consequently, in this day and age, not much has changed. Pirates are still tone-deaf to law, and still as relentless as the legendary bearded captains of old sea folklore once were. What has changed, however, is that instead or roaming the Caribbean, Black, or Mediterranean …show more content…
These individuals are the unexposed creative geniuses that see the fruits of their labor get picked and eaten right before their twinkly little Picasso-esque eyes. Small writers, musicians, artists, and other creatives are subject to relentless sharing of their work without compensation. Pirate-turned-writer Stephen Witt outlines his first experience seeing his work on a torrent site for slate.com, stating, “Ironically, I was now a writer, and my commercial viability in that field depended on others respecting boundaries of copyright that I for years had not. In fact, when my book started popping up on torrent sites, it was a vicarious thrill for me.” To some it may seem like an interesting cycle, but to writers and creatives everywhere it is a testament to the hardships a startup experiences in this age of piracy. Similarly, in his book Culture Crash, Scott Timberg harps on the losses of the creative class, noting that “In general, the Web has put downward pressure on freelance rates and salaries. Some magazines pay half of what they used to; some pay literally nothing for contributions to their websites, others close to it” (162). This death of newspapers and magazines has come at the hands of none other than pirate culture and the vastness of the internet. It seems like everyday creative individuality is swept away with the …show more content…
Unsanitary conditions. Sharing a boat with smelly men. The pirate’s life was not easy 200 years ago, and it is not easy now. Yes, as backwards as it may seem, pirates are hurt every time another piece of content is ripped from its creator. To be put simply, with every pirating action there is a smaller, but noticeable reaction. Tim O’ Reiley was quoted by forbes.com explaining, “History shows us, again and again, that frontiers are lawless places, but that as they get richer and more settled, they join in the rule of law. American publishing, now the largest publishing industry in the world, began with piracy.” What this means is that however popular pirating may get, cheap, legal alternatives will not be far behind, making content accessible for the everyday geek, gamer, music lover, or moviegoer. Thus, the need to pirate is quelled (sometimes). This point of dualistic progression between businesses and pirating methods leads straight into the concluding question: How can the world avoid