re: #178 Belafon

Do you know how many mythology books I have read based in modern times over the last 8 years due to my son enthusiasm over the subject?

But explain why what you describe doesn’t apply to patents. There are lots of unique patents, along with those that are derivatives. But we’ve managed to have a thriving industry with those limitations.

The biggest difference is that if I patent a chair (to pick a random object), once my exclusive right to make (or license the making) of said chair design ends, I can continue to make chairs based on that design for profit. But with a book or a song or a movie, particularly given the ease that technology allows copying today, you severely impact the artist’s ability to make money.

With my chair example, sure, other people are making chairs, but it still takes some effort and capital investment (you have to buy materials and put them together). But with a work of art, there’s no such competitive market angle. You can go buy a copy of a book/movie/song for less than ten dollars and turn around and sell copies for a dime, while easily making up your investment.