So uncritically do we accept the idea of property in culture that we don't even question when the control of that property removes our ability, as a people, to develop our culture democratically. Lawrence Lessig abilityacceptcontrol Change image and share on social
Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial value. For that tiny fraction, the copyright is a crucially important legal device. Lawrence Lessig commercialcontinuecopyright Change image and share on social
A time is marked not so much by ideas that are argued about as by ideas that are taken for granted. The character of an era hangs upon what needs no defense. Lawrence Lessig arguecharacterdefense Change image and share on social
The real harm of term extension comes not from these famous works. The real harm is to the works that are not famous, not commercially exploited, and no longer available as a result. Lawrence Lessig commerciallyexploitextension Change image and share on social
Now that copyrights can be just about a century long, the inability to know what is protected and what is not protected becomes a huge and obvious burden on the creative process. Lawrence Lessig burdencenturycopyright Change image and share on social
As we've seen, our constitutional system requires limits on copyright as a way to assure that copyright holders do not too heavily influence the development and distribution of our culture. Lawrence Lessig assureconstitutionalcopyright Change image and share on social
Power runs with ideas that only the crazy would draw into doubt. Lawrence Lessig crazydoubtdraw Change image and share on social
We have a massive system to regulate creativity. A massive system of lawyers regulating creativity as copyright law has expanded in unrecognizable forms, going from a regulation of publishing to a regulation of copying. Lawrence Lessig copycopyrightcreativity share on social
The danger in media concentration comes not from the concentration, but instead from the feudalism that this concentration, tied to the change in copyright, produces. Lawrence Lessig changeconcentrationcopyright Change image and share on social
Americans have been selling this view around the world: that progress comes from perfect protection of intellectual property. Lawrence Lessig americanintellectualperfect Change image and share on social