This essay is about free stuff but not the kind that is given; instead, I’d like to mention the kind that is thought of as free.
I know someone who recently revealed to me, quite suddenly, that she watches all the latest movies for free. Months have gone by since the two of us met, discussing movies along the way; not once did she mention her use of a particular website to view the latest films. I suppose she didn’t have to because I never asked. The two of us discussed new releases as if we’d both paid our dues at a local movie theater. When she revealed to me how she was viewing them, quite nonchalantly, I was a bit unnerved.
I am a writer. I consider myself in the same broad category as most artists. It’s hard for me to sympathize with someone who copies illegally or watches a movie without paying. I have a hard time with it because I know the time and energy involved in writing a novel, and I’m sure there is an artistic correlation between writing, creating music, and movie making. I know the artist, director, producer, musician (et al.) spends a lot of time, money, and energy in the production of his work.
As we move deeper into our digital age, more and more art will become free because more people will share it (with or without permission). Some argue that this is unavoidable and that, in fact, it is a positive change. This behavior is no different from when the recordable cassette or photocopier was invented. Individuals recording music on a cassette didn’t kill the music industry after all. And photocopiers didn’t obliterate the publishing world. Change is inevitable and economies shift during such times.
I agree with this . . . to an extent.
When we take art for free and it is not free, we rob the artist who has given it to us. We deny her the respect of support. By taking, we cease to support the effort itself. We begin to trivialize the imagination (one of the few aspects of our humanity separating us from the rest of the animal kingdom). Art becomes artless and falls deeper into banality.
Copyright © Tyler Gant 2009
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