tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post5598176964279056307..comments2023-09-21T09:49:28.326-07:00Comments on Fierce Dandelions: Downloading Dharma Books and EthicsNathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-59287776785125066802012-04-20T04:00:50.454-07:002012-04-20T04:00:50.454-07:00I think all of that is pretty silly, I would think...I think all of that is pretty silly, I would think Buddhists would be most likely to want to share their information regardless (or not care!). In any case, I will not be going to 'dharmatorrents' or downloading any of the books there, but neither will I be reading them at all. So, is the desired result achieved? Were my actions significant either way? Of course not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-64721087205916417312011-07-08T08:18:35.277-07:002011-07-08T08:18:35.277-07:00Thanks for the expanded comment Gleef. That clarif...Thanks for the expanded comment Gleef. That clarifies for me where you're coming from, and I agree with how you're viewing it all as well. <br />Definitely the point that theft brings with it consequences, however tiny they might be. And it's vital to understand that in order to live a more awakened life, regardless of what we end up doing moment by moment.Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-51709482087949551202011-07-08T07:48:28.975-07:002011-07-08T07:48:28.975-07:00Nathan,
You might notice notice I didn't say ...Nathan,<br /><br />You might notice notice I didn't say anything along the lines of "shut down the torrent site", or "people who do this are evil and always wrong".<br /><br />I've been poor enough to be wondering how to feed my household (but never so poor as to stop wondering that). When push comes to shove, I <i>know</i> I will steal to meet the needs for my life Gleefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02751540371014576708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-29267045015533271712011-07-07T16:19:43.014-07:002011-07-07T16:19:43.014-07:00Gleef,
As a writer, and a former editor, I see t...Gleef, <br /><br />As a writer, and a former editor, I see the points you're making. I also want to be able to make something of a living off of my writing as well, even if it's just a small part of my overall income. And certainly, if a book of mine is developed by a publishing house, I'd want to make sure those involved are getting supported financially for their work in making the Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-9595068490988736792011-07-07T12:50:24.963-07:002011-07-07T12:50:24.963-07:00It is relatively straightforward this day and age ...It is relatively straightforward this day and age for an author to license their works so that a site like Buddhisttorrents can freely distribute their works legally. For one example, Thanissaro Bhikkhu does this with his translations of the Pali Canon. Check out the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an07/an07.006.than.html" rel="nofollow">copyright and licensing notice at theGleefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02751540371014576708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-81911376201667670982011-07-07T09:16:30.422-07:002011-07-07T09:16:30.422-07:00"What about people in Mexico or villages in I..."What about people in Mexico or villages in India, etc. Sure, they won't starve for lack of access to the information we take for granted, but there does seem to be a very real and consequential "information gap" in the world. Kids who grow up with money in London or New York can pretty easily access the greatest libraries in the world, anything their hearts and imaginations Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-71612531101215264462011-07-07T05:54:01.373-07:002011-07-07T05:54:01.373-07:00I know only a little about community-funded film p...I know only a little about community-funded film projects, but what I have heard sounds very good to me. It is a way to invest in a produict and do some work without having ones labor being exploited for others' private profit. (Private profit would be fine, but in that case the people who made the product should be enriched as well.)Algernonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01698040927871199780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-37435132793294901342011-07-06T15:46:04.288-07:002011-07-06T15:46:04.288-07:00Heya Nathan, thanks for mentioning this and postin...Heya Nathan, thanks for mentioning this and posting your thoughts. I agree fully with your sentiments on increasing generosity. I've sold a handful of my photos, but I'm far from considering myself an artist and that sphere. But I will publish books soon enough. And from my own perspective now, I'm honestly not that worried about people illegally downloading my work. That may change Buddhist_philosopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14246929532585980356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-14347030646012112002011-07-06T08:54:02.286-07:002011-07-06T08:54:02.286-07:00Algernon,
I hear you. I paid for three years of ...Algernon, <br /><br />I hear you. I paid for three years of grad school to hone my writing skills, and a lot of people just think I should have gotten a more "practical" degree. Not that I'd listen to that as a guide for my life, but it does fit the attitude that we aren't considered terribly important. <br /><br />"when the culture around the work is built around Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-80297319309869903002011-07-05T23:13:37.779-07:002011-07-05T23:13:37.779-07:00Algernon, what are your thoughts on community-fund...Algernon, what are your thoughts on community-funded film production? I.e., a (big) bunch of people who want to see a film made get together to finance it, but once it's done, it's distributed for free, with perhaps some additional revenue coming from associated merchandise? <br /><br />This sort of thing is being done. In films and computer games at least.Brikoleurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01318706625291447339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-59825575989941887572011-07-05T19:09:21.540-07:002011-07-05T19:09:21.540-07:00It's a valid question, and it has actually com...It's a valid question, and it has actually come up in slightly different forms: the line between generosity and being exploited, the frontier between so-called "idiot compassion" (letting oneself get used up and spent) and taking care of oneself so that there are more opportunities to manifest generosity.<br /><br />Actors invest an awful lot in their art (I'm still paying for aAlgernonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01698040927871199780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-3884132704913722562011-07-05T18:08:03.618-07:002011-07-05T18:08:03.618-07:00I tend to agree with what both of you say, and cer...I tend to agree with what both of you say, and certainly don't feel people "need" what they are downloading or getting for free. <br /><br />I guess I just find the whole intellectual property rights argument, as well as the rest of our laws around such things, screwed up. And I'm unwilling to let that kind of thing go unquestioned, even if I agree that just taking pirated Nathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13920234350446745482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-40531298994987353672011-07-05T14:31:12.933-07:002011-07-05T14:31:12.933-07:00Barry's reply closely parallels my own feeling...Barry's reply closely parallels my own feelings. <br /><br />As an actor, one way I have been able to do my work is by investing in films -- that is, by accepting a percentage of the film's net income in lieu of payment. In order to be paid for my work, I depend on people to purchase or rent the movie.<br /><br />Thus I have taken it on myself to ask people who proudly boast about Algernonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01698040927871199780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-741227658356358863.post-91712774317283821662011-07-05T12:28:31.120-07:002011-07-05T12:28:31.120-07:00I suggest that it's important not to confuse g...I suggest that it's important not to confuse generosity with giving people what they want or feel they deserve.<br /><br />Most of us have very little insight into the intentions that govern our behaviors. All of us, myself included, tell ourselves stories that justify why we're entitled to whatever we want, without seeing the intentions behind the stories and without considering the Barryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09412033978642026623noreply@blogger.com