TIL: I'm a Slave and I Do Not Deserve Rights
Live!
I'm going to try really hard not to swear or curse my way through this. It's not a rant, but I am fired up.
I came to Steemit to first learn of it's potential, standard practices and how to use the platform. I had big plans since day one but played dumb and did not feel it would be wise to go all out until I had a decent sized following and a basic understanding. I have that now and it continues to grow. Thanks everyone. You're all awesome.
I came here to do things my way, because that is allowed here. Freedom. Not one diluted version of freedom. Not a particular group or walk of life's version of freedom. Not the version of what some cult from a country I don't live in thinks is freedom. Total freedom.
Yup! I'm quite confident when I say I can't stand the status quo. I take that to great heights and know damn well I'll never reach the top of my mountain because there's no end in sight and that's how I like things. Yup! I'll just keep on climbing, don't get in my way. Yup! I'm a bit larger than life at times. Yup! I work hard and strive for excellence. Yup! I have secrets that allow my old stuff to get passed around on the internet for an eternity. Yup! I came here because I knew I could get some exposure and hell yeah, I came here to enjoy myself.
I'm one of a kind, but so is everyone else. Many talk about the same stuff over and over though. If that's your style, own it. Kill at it! Be the best whatever you are and please don't despise those who find success doing their thing the way they want to do it. I'll be honest, I'm sick of hearing people bitching and moaning about their slight inconveniences. Whatever though, vent if you have to vent. We don't need anyone going postal.
So Just WTF is My Problem Today?
I don't know all the big words for it, sorry. I mash keys and whatever comes out naturally, that's what you get. You're right when you told yourself just now, you can do better @nonameslefttouse. I just don't feel like it.
Today I learned, as an artist, I'm a slave to society if I feel it's okay to take ownership of these great pieces of art you see strewn about my blog in random places. Yet it's standard Steemit procedure to cite sources. So who the hell am I supposed to give credit to for all of this art if there's a herd of people out there telling me I don't have the right to own it. I don't want to be hated because I produce art and sign it. That doesn't even seem rational to me. I'm not out forcing children to work in factories and kicking dogs. How am I even part of that club?
I've learned people actually hate "intellectual property rights" and told I'm a violent person for wanting to own my creations. The classic straw man argument was presented to me. If I support those laws, then I must support every sinister act known to man caused by poor leadership at the national level. Since I do that, apparently, I am now a slave as well.
Well I say, BEEP that! It's bad enough I have to butter up my words to even have a chance at an ear. Now you're going to take more away from me, attach a nasty label, and kick me to the curb?
Then, to top it off and add salt to the wound, call it all freedom?
Ow! Mr. policeman! Ow! Why are you hurting me Mr. policeman! All I did was assume it was okay to ignore the laws put in place to protect independent authors, musicians, artists, photographers and every other thing under the sun from seedy individuals using a person's hard work and passing it off as their own! Why is that so wrong Mr. Policeman! I don't believe in your system and I can't tell the difference between corporate greed and some small timer who wants to find success in life doing the things they love! Ow! Mr. Policeman! They don't need money! They should be off living in the bush eating squirrels. You can't eat money Mr. Policeman, it has no value to society. Ow! I just can't figure out why you keep hurting me. This is so unfair! Why me! You can't own a thought! You can't own a thought! I can't form a thought! That's why I need theirs! It's easy! Why do they deserve anything! Ow! Mr Policeman not the mace! Why is this happening to me! You're all evil! I'm so confused!
"That Boy Should Have Been Spanked A Long Time Ago"
Listen up. Freedom allows you to be you, and me to be me. There's a huge problem going on in society these days. People seem to form one track minds and set it on repeat. I came to Steemit to get around government censorship and standard procedures. I did not go to school to become an artist. I cannot apply for a job doing what I love to do. Nobody will hire me. I have to do it all on my own. I came here to prove to myself there is a place now for artists of any kind. I was hoping the stigma attached to the concept of owning the rights to your art, stories, photographs, songs, poems and every other art from you can think of would not exist here.
This isn't a government. To me it's a place willing to respect peoples rights. Those rights don't have to be dictated by a government to make sense. Rights should not be taken away by the pack mentality of a few fringe dwellers either. Why is this word "rights" made out to be so offensive now? Stop twisting the context, allow me to use it simply. I have the right to get a glass of water now, so piss off with your wordplay.
I can't even wrap my head around why this is a problem to some people. None of us require some sort of special government approval to own our work. It's been granted to us. Artists fought for it. Even the official documents on the matter are worded in a way that proves these rights are for everyone. From the bottom to the top. Equal.
Sure, some can lawyer up and find all kinds of loopholes and be dishonest. So what. I'm not them.
It's not my fault a certain band got angry many years ago when they found out they could not afford their next mansion payment and blamed it all on a certain file sharing network. I'm sick of hearing the defense to that court case be regurgitated over and over and forced on every new artist who wants to pursue their interest in this day and age. We have powerful new creation tools at our disposal. Many stunning images are produced daily, yet without a nine to five job and a meager salary, many artists are forced to abandon their craft. Time is money in this world. If you don't agree with that, that's fine. I won't tell you how to spend your time.
I've heard countless times, "You can't own a thought." Does all this look like a thought to you?
Why must the argument be taken so disastrously out of context every time someone feels like being loud about their beliefs? It's always the same script, I use that word a lot when I speak of society. The same patterns over and over. I want to own the rights to my images comfortably. Where in that sentence am I asking anyone to stop thinking? How does this translate into, "You can't own a thought?" Why must it be twisted into some form of government control conspiracy? Me owning the rights to my images has no impact whatsoever on your thought process and nobody can ever take your thoughts away, so get real.
Clearly, many people are misinformed and have stopped thinking anyway, so just what the hell are they even fighting for?
Flip Flops and The End
Society has been playing this opposites game far too much lately. Red or blue, black or white, up or down, right or left, yes or no, Coke or Pepsi, positive or negative, right or wrong. This list just goes on forever. Being told I'm a slave to oppressive governance because I want to own something which is mine was the final straw for me today. Get your heads out of your asses if you want to be so damn extreme. At least then everything coming out of these brains won't sound like such bullshit.
I see it all the time. People preaching freedom while acting like dictators to enforce their point. I live in Canada. I observed the USA split, again. People said the world would explode, in a sense. Everyone on either side acting like extremists. The world didn't explode like they said it would, so they lit it on fire to prove their point. I was confronted with the same sort of mentality today and I've seen so much of it in the past.
If its freedom you want, find some common ground. This irrational frenzied monkey style behavior is old and moldy. I can't speak for everyone and I don't like pointing fingers or singling anyone out. I want freedom though, so this is what happens when you step on my toes. You do your thing, I'll do mine and the rest of the world will be just fine.
... undervalued. Of course it's undervalued. That's how slavery works! :)
This post has been ranked within the top 80 most undervalued posts in the first half of Nov 20. We estimate that this post is undervalued by $4.00 as compared to a scenario in which every voter had an equal say.
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