Remix：Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy

Arguesthatfuturegenerationsarebeingharmedbyarestrictivecopyrightsystemthatprotectscorporateinterests，inareportthatcallsforanendofthepracticeofcriminalizingartistswhobuildonthecreativeworksofothersandforimplementingacollaborativeandprofitable"hybrideconomy"thatprotectsbothcreativeandethicalneeds.30，000firstprinting.，TheauthorofFreeCultureshowshowweharmourchildren—andalmostanyonewhocreates，enjoys，orsellsanyartform—witharestrictivecopyrightsystemdrivenbycorporateinterests.Lessigrevealsthesolutionstothisimpasseofferedbyacollaborativeyetprofitable“hybrideconomy”.

LawrenceLessig，thereigningauthorityonintellectualpropertyintheInternetage，spotlightsthenewestandpossiblythemostharmfulculturewar—awarwagedagainstourkidsandotherswhocreateandconsumeart.AmericaÂ'scopyrightlawshaveceasedtoperformtheiroriginal，beneficialrole：protectingartistsÂ'creationswhileallowingthemtobuildonpreviouscreativeworks.Infact，oursystemnowcriminalizesthoseveryactions.

Formany，newtechnologieshavemadeitirresistibletoflouttheseunreasonableandultimatelyuntenablelaws.SomeoftodayÂ'smosttalentedartistsarefelons，andsoareourkids，whoseenoreasonwhytheyshouldnÂ'tdowhattheircomputersandtheWebletthemdo，fromburningacopyrightedCDforafriendto“biting”riffsfromfilms，videos，songs，etcandmakingnewartfromthem.

Criminalizingourchildrenandothersisexactlywhatoursocietyshouldnotdo，andLessigshowshowwecanandmustendthisconflict—awarasillconceivedandunwinnableasthewarondrugs.Byembracing“read-writeculture，”whichallowsitsuserstocreateartasreadilyastheyconsumeit，wecanensurethatcreatorsgetthesupport—artistic，commercial，andethical—thattheydeserveandneed.Indeed，wecanalreadyseeglimmersofanewhybrideconomythatcombinestheprofitmotivesoftraditionalbusinesswiththe“sharingeconomy”evidentinsuchWebsitesasWikipediaandYouTube.Thehybrideconomywillbecomeevermoreprominentineverycreativerealm—fromnewstomusic—andLessigshowshowwecanandshoulduseittobenefitthosewhomakeandconsumeculture.

Remixisanurgent，eloquentpleatoendawarthatharmsourchildrenandotherintrepidcreativeusersofnewtechnologies.Italsooffersaninspiringvisionofthepost-warworldwhereenormousopportunitiesawaitthosewhoviewartasaresourcetobesharedopenlyratherthanacommoditytobehoarded.，ArguesforanendtothepracticeofcriminalizingartistsandInternetuserswhobuildonthecreativeworksofothersandforimplementingacollaborativeandprofitable"hybrideconomy"thatencouragesinnovationandprotectsbothcreativeandethicalneeds.