Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Seung Hyun Kang/Thinking Property/Tues 5,6


Thinking Property



             You can sell your idea. Intellectual property law makes it possible. Once you thought of something spectacular and made something out of it, you can run to the Patent office and register the idea as yours. After it is completely registered, the companies that are trying to use your idea have to pay for you or get permission from you. However, if you estimate the matter deeply, the existence of intellectual property law is a contradiction and furthermore, it will hinder the development of the society itself.


People say that love cannot be bought. Love is abstract concept that cannot be weighed nor calculated. Ideas, are the same as love. Nobody can estimate its range and actually count the number of it since ideas usually pop up in someone's head. Nobody can control their head from thinking of ideas that somebody already thought of. In fact, some of the ideas that people registered as theirs are something that anybody could think of. Although the government registered people's "mind" on a paper and approved of it as their property, they have no ways to control others who do not own the property from thinking of it or using it. As the concept of idea is so abstract, punishing the people who used other's idea without permission is as abstract as well. Also, its numbers cannot be estimated. There are seven billion people living on the earth. They live and they think. In this simple process, numerous ideas pop up in their head and fade out as fast as it did. The numbers of ideas that are actually registered in the offices are just tip of an iceberg.


Intellectual property actually restricts further development of a society. Assume that a company A developed a new product. The company came up with a new idea and the product is better and efficient than any other products in the market. Before selling the product, the company A had to make sure of whether they invaded others' intellectual property or not. They went for a checkup and unfortunately, the product itself was not a big matter but other part for the product (like design, manufacturing style and such) were already registered. They have to pay a huge fee to manufacture the product they made. After calculating future sales and income percentage, the company gave up the manufacture of the good. It was clear that their sales will not meet the production cost. Like this, several better optioned and better products, ideas were not made due to the intellectual property. This is very common among companies. Society is hindering itself from taking a step forward to a better living society by making an intellectual property law.


Some people might argue that if intellectual property is not approved, people will manipulate others ideas. They will take the technology that a company developed and make the same one, leading to market failure and a company going out of a market. They will take other's writing and show to the public as if it is theirs. Of course, this kind of manipulation should not happen. The purpose of intellectual property law is to stop such manipulation. However, it is also true that the present intellectual property law is too absurd and abstract to just leave it as it is. It does have a positive outcome stopping plagiarism, but its negative outcomes are huge. It hinders development and blocks a society from becoming better off. Due to its abstractness, countless companies and individuals are receiving damages.


Intellectual property law, however absurd it is, is needed for the community's well-being and to avoid conflicts. The government should strictly make a manual for the "intellectual" properties. Some ridiculous things and too normal ideas are also on the patent list. The government should focus on the society range benefits, not individuals' wealth.


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