William Grosso has an interesting observation about getting our priorities in order:
Do we need Hollywood? Do we need the music industry? We're talking about industries that grew up around one central idea: monopolizing the distribution channels. They're not about art, they're not about public service, they're not about anything except locking up "content" and then selling fifty cents worth of plastic-and-packaging for $16.00.RMS has similar things to say about content; that monopoly of distribution started when movable type entered the scene, and it was possible to profit off of selling someone else's without too much investment of your own time or resources. In that sense, copyright is a necessarily time-limited monopoly to better serve the public (and encourage authors to write and musicians to play).
Times have changed a great deal. The intermediary that was created to better serve the public is now forging public policy to the detriment of the public.
