Page:Culture.vs.Copyright 01.pdf/87

 Alpha: One can say so.

Kappa: One can say so, and one will be right. And this is important for our conversation because this is how a meal and its recipe drastically differ in nature. The meal gets consumed and disappears. The recipe gains value every time it is shared. It gains even more value every time someone cooks and eats that meal.

Alpha: OK, why would they say that it is stealing?

Beta: Who says? About what?

Alpha: Say, you developed a unique recipe and don’t want to share it and someone learns it and makes use of it. That’s stealing.

Beta: I wonder why? I am perfectly comfortable with the notion that sharing a recipe adds value to it. Should adding value be called stealing under any circumstances?

Alpha: Suppose I built a business upon it! Then you come and learn the recipe somehow and start a similar business. You will get the money that I was supposed to get. Isn’t that stealing?

Delta: Oh yes. Beta opens another restaurant to use your recipe and makes you more known. He actually advertises for you, but you put no penny in this. Why don’t we consider this stealing?

Alpha: Don’t my efforts provide advertising for him in this case?

Gamma: Yes, but it is not quite the same. He has to reveal whom he learned it from. You will always be the person who introduced the recipe. This pays. . . . You can always charge more than others in the same business.

Alpha: Ah, and he will charge less and steal my customers!

Beta: Are you listening? It is not me who charges less, it is you who charges more!

Alpha: Does anyone see the difference here?

Beta: Of course, there is no logical difference! There is no need to argue about labels and metaphors either! Just follow the money! If I make your recipe well known while I produce something based on it, I help you out! I make you more well known as the originator of that wonderful product and advertise you and your business! You get more customers who are willing to pay more! And you call this stealing?

Alpha: But you get money also! Isn’t that mine?

Beta: I do business, but the money is yours?