I curse:

[snarp]

The ridiculous moral imperative associated with copyright law in the minds of western men, women, and otherwise (and those others whose cultures have been affected by us in this respect, and those whose cultures have affected us), and the manner in which the indignation which this alleged imperative generates impedes legal progress in an era whose technology has long since rendered much of said law nonfunctional and at times dangerous to civil liberties, particularly when said law inconveniences me personally.

I say this because the Shounen Jump-style exercise’s magical battle system (I would hope that no one would doubt the presence of a special magical battle system in a thing I call “the Shounen Jump-style exercise”) is mainly about quoting poetry at your enemy. There is an End Boss character called Death in whose name one group of guys fight, while the other group of guys are rebelling against her. So obviously I am thinking that it would be ideal if I could employ the works of Edna St. Vincent Millay.

But I think they’re still under copyright, and I don’t know how her estate would feel about such a business if I ever tried to publish it.

I’d also like to use the New Pornographers.

-

(How would this harm the sales of poetry anthologies, or MP3s? It would not! The only argument for forbidding me from doing this to people is a belief that they have a right not to be made ridiculous by association with my bad ideas, which right I deny to all men, women, and otherwise, living or dead! Nowhere among the universal rights of humankind is “the right not to have our art look silly or cheap!” If it was in there then we couldn’t have an internet or televangelists, and Baen books wouldn’t be allowed covers.)

(Crossposted to SarahPin.com, Dreamwidth, and LiveJournal. You can leave comments at whichever.)

Comments

Millay's Poetry

[(Anonymous)]

You would have to contact the Edna St. Vincent Millay Society. They control use of her poetry, plays, letters and such. They like having her words out there, so you stand a good chance of being able to use her stuff.
They can be found at www.millay.org or you can call them at 518-392-EDNA.

Re: Millay's Poetry

[snarp]

If I ever try to publish this, I will probably do so - thanks!

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

Have you read anything by Cory Doctorow? Reading his book Content right now. But you can download it here: http://craphound.com/content/download/

I only mention because your rant is exactly what the first essay in the book is about.

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

I feel I must correct this. His first essay is sorta/kinda what your post is about, but mostly, his point is the same.

[snarp]

I have a severe allergy to Cory Doctorow in all his manifestations, but I'll try to read it.

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

Lol, really? I don't know much about him. His is a name that has passed the lips of my hipsters friends and I finally got sick of hearing it and not being IN THE HIPSTER KNOW so I bought a bunch of his books because they did seem interesting and I am lemming-like, much to my chagrin.

[snarp]

He writes for BoingBoing and repeats himself a lot about copyright stuff. Like, a lot. And he feels that many minor things that annoy him - like extra charges for text messaging on cell phone plans and stuff - are serious civil liberties crises.

So whenever I hear myself throwing a tantrum about some minor annoyance, I try to make myself go, "wait - do I sound like Cory Doctorow?"

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

Actually....that sums up quite a bit of Content. Although, I do think he has some interesting points, however his fixation on copyright issues is tenacious. I think maybe he is trying to articulate a new cult around the worship of piracy, because the loving attention he lavishes on the issue does seem almost religious.

Have you read any of his fiction?

[snarp]

He's already got the cult - or else he's sort of borrowing one already in existence.

I haven't read any of his fiction; the reviews I've read have not given me reason to believe his style there's much different from his blogging style. How about you?

[snarp]

And regarding this - do you have something to do with it!? These IPs are all in Ohio! I'm very suspicious.

[darkelf105.livejournal.com]

As much as I would like to claim credit, alas it is not me. I am confused by your random commenters and wish I had answers. Maybe they're poodles?

[snarp]

With thumbs and opinions about manga! A new breed! I hope so!

[strobahedron.livejournal.com]

The only argument for forbidding me from doing this to people is a belief that they have a right not to be made ridiculous by association with my bad ideas, which right I deny to all men, women, and otherwise, living or dead! Nowhere among the universal rights of humankind is “the right not to have our art look silly or cheap!”

<<please turn this into a manifesto! otherwise you have not convinced me to become emotionally involved...have you noticed that there's no poetry or fiction or literature dropdown on youtube content. Emily Dickinson ~ The soul selects her own society / read by Julie Harris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Tlgo0_vXNk Emily Dickinson ~ This is my letter to the world / read by Julie Harris http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmDcCDWf44 If you send me an mp3 of you reading the St., i'll make something shiny

[lacrimawanders.livejournal.com]

> "wait - do I sound like Cory Doctorow?"

This is a good question that I think we should all ask ourselves every once in a while.

[snarp]

The world would be a better place.