That seems to be the default response of the entertainment industry each time new technology comes out. My coworker, Austin, twittered a link to this image today:

Which I happened to see right after reading about the successful #blackout campaign that was started to fight unfair piracy laws in New Zealand and seems to have caught fire around the world. So that got me to thinking…

The problem with the entertainment industry, as well as some other industries I can think of, is that rather than roll with the times, adapt, expand and ride the wave of new technology – they think they have a right to maintain the “status quo” and that we, the citizens, should support them in that (monetarily, legally, etc) no matter what.

Well I’m tired of that. It’s survival of the fittest, if you can’t keep up you deserve to fail so that someone smarter and leaner can step up to the plate. That’s the free market. If you can’t figure out how to successfully sell copyrighted material on the internet in a convenient and cost effective way, you fail.

Ok, I admit it might be a little more complicated than that, but I know that we can find a way to protect everyone’s rights and continue the collaborative spirit of the internet. And striving to protect the “way it’s been” doesn’t sound like the best route to a better future to me.

I watched the segment on the Colbert Report where he interviewed Lawrence Lessig on his book Remix where he discusses a ” ‘hybrid economy’ — one where commercial entities leverage value from sharing economies.” I think that’s the kind of innovation business needs. Don’t try to stop me from doing what I want to do – I’ll just find a way around you anyways. But if you work with me you could find a way to profit by helping me to achieve the things I want easier and with less hassle. One way is a battle, the other is cooperation.

In the words of Michael Scott, it’s win-win-win.

What do you think? Am I being too harsh, do you agree but have a different/better idea? Let’s talk about it, leave a comment!