What is Freedom for Humans?
Usually we perceive freedom in the outside context. Say, freedom to act at will. Freedom means no restrictions for my action. For example, specific freedoms, civil liberties pertain to our outer actions. And all these freedoms, in general and in particular somehow represent human nature. We need freedom. We want freedom. We love freedom. We value freedom. Some of us are even ready to fight for freedom. Some are ready to die for freedom…
But I dare to say that any freedom to act, so valuable to us, is not the top presentation of human freedom. Any of them is less than one freedom on inside: freedom from myself. Can I be free to think? Not just to repeat after someone or myself, but think? That is, can I be so free to overcome my own prejudices and stereotypes on my own? Not under pressure of circumstances; not by teaching of a wise teacher; not even being asked by someone else, but on my own? That is, can I be so free that to question unquestionable?..
This is what real art does. Real art questions unquestionable. But not just art does that. Culture does it. That ability can serve as one of general definitions of culture. Because of this ability we “came out of caves” or “got down from trees,” whichever picture you like more.
Besides general definition, underlying all of human life during the history, culture becomes the specific definition of human being nowadays. As a late Russian philosopher Vladimir Bibler put it: Culture moves into the epicenter of being. And if we agree that culture is about questioning of unquestionable which is to cause development of humanity then culture is synonymous to creativity. That is, nowadays creativity becomes main definition of being human in all dimensions, up to the everyday life.
What is Intellectual Property?
Intellectual Property is:
• Restriction of creativity
• Restriction of communication of creative works
• Restriction of communication with creative works…
Conclusion: Intellectual Property restricts to be specifically human nowadays.
Like you the conclusion or not it is a simple syllogism. You may question premises. I do not. That means for me the syllogism describes reality as is. And if so, the next conclusion is inevitable: Intellectual Property will cause a catastrophe, sooner or later. Can or cannot we imagine what form it will take but there is no doubts in scale: that will be real and that will be real catastrophe.