[pp.int.general] cultural flatrate: PP position?

[Reinier Bakels]

Rick, I could not agree more. But there is a practical problem.
You must talk to Volker Grassmuck, a media sociologist from the Berlin 
Humboldt University. I met him in the context of a Chaos Computer Club 
meeting, not on a shareholder meeting of a major record company ;) Today 
again I stumbled upon a webpage with his name elaborating the flatrate 
"solution".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volker_Grassmuck vgrass at rz.hu-berlin.de

In this forum, I don't have to explain the downsides of a flatrate scheme. 
It is a capitulation to record companies and Hollywood.

But what would you respond to the argument that for a small flat fee per 
internet attachment, the record companies are prepared to sign a peace 
treaty, and the threat of "three strikes" and other draconic measures goes 
away, while the rights owners get a "fair" compensation and are no longer 
left in the cold?
In less polite language: why not pay a reasonable amount of protection money 
to the record mafia? Shouldn't the maffia be allowed to make a decent living 
too?
(It is a bit like the British unions who required a fireman on electric 
locomotives)


> Christian wrote:
>>> What makes you think that they get to accept or reject the laws we 
>>> write?
>>>
>>
>> Well, basically we have to get elected and become part of a government
>> before we can change any law. Having solutions artists, right holders
>> and consumers can live with, will make it easier to get to this goals.
>>
> I think your perspective is a bit scary.
>
> We never talk about rightsholders and consumers. We talk about citizens.
>
> Besides, the only people opposed to our ideas are the few elitistic
> rights holders. The Swedish PP is composed 2/3 of creators. What today's
> rights holders would accept or reject is irrelevant, and possibly even a
> counterindicator of what laws we would write.
>
> ____________________________________________________
> Pirate Parties International - General Talk
> pp.international.general at lists.pirateweb.net
> http://lists.pirateweb.net/mailman/listinfo/pp.international.general