Preserving Creativity

Ernest Miller of LawMeme has an excellent response to William Adkinson's critique of Larry Lessig's positions on copyright reform.

"Moreover, it seems that Adkinson has a very limited conception of the engine of creativity. He does not consider the argument that the wellspring of creativity is not simply the ability to transform existing works, but the ability for individuals to make use of creative works in their own lives in the manner they choose. To become a good author, one should read a lot of books. To become a good musician, one should listen to a lot of music. If I can listen to more music while driving (because I was able to rip mix and burn), this is a good thing. To the extent that people can use copyrighted works as they see fit, creativity will bloom."

It was difficult to selectively quote from Ernest's article because the whole thing deserves attention. So go give it.