3 Q & A in Chapter 1. "Creator"

1. Traditionally, what role has played intellectual property in America?

Traditionally, in America, intellectual property has only set the grounds for a richly creative society. Therefore, intellectual property is subservient to the value of creativity. The original intention of copyrights law was to control publishing. Nowadays, the law is trying to regulate publishing and to control creativity as well. According to the author, the law has to differentiate between republishing someone’s work and building upon or transforming that work. It appears as the law is mostly concerned with protecting an industry rather than supporting creativity.

2. How Walt Disney did use intellectual property?

Among the classical examples of creative people who have built upon somebody else’s work is Walt Disney. He started by copying and incorporating sound techniques used in film in cartoons. Before creating anything new Disney simply added to the work of others. His cartoon “Steamboat Bill Jr.” was a parody of Buster Keaton’s silent film with the same title and song theme. From this parody Mickey Mouse was born. He created something new out of something old. This is the kind of creativity we need to remember and celebrate.

3. What is Doujinshi?

Parodies and building upon previous work is not strange to other cultures and countries. Japan has its Doujinshi; a copycat comic whose purpose is not merely to copy but contribute to the art it copies. By doing so, the original work is spurred and becomes wealthier. This phenomenon would not be possible if Japanese lawyers were preoccupied with maintaining the legality of copyrights.