Napster
Current Napster Prognosis: Poor
2/20 Update: The latest ironic turn of the saga happens when Napster 180 files an amicus against it's former incarnation in the Grokkster case.
___________________________________________________________
Let's get real. When the story of the 21st century is told, it's gonna get down to one word... Napster. So, tune into the Superbowl tomorrow for the latest installment. Disposable razors, disposable society, disposable music....that's ok, I'll hold onto my Napster T-shirt, from the original company, I'm sure it'll be worth a lot of money someday.
Over $83M went into the company that helped people find and trade music over the internet and they got nothing back from the millions and millions of people that used and enjoyed that service. Not that they didn't want to profit, they were forced into bankruptcy by an injunction.
The new incarnation wants a dollar a song, though now the song will self-destruct, probably at your party. Gee, I hope there's some price cut here. I mean really, give me one fucking reason I should pay anything for some song I don't even own, when I can easily get full ownership for free. Morals? Come on, anyone who understands the structure would see that the money they are forking over goes primarily toward people who are hindering, not helping, the cause of seeing music accessible and inspirational in our society. BTW, if you want the real scoop, check out the industry insider sites like NARIP. It was there I got the iTune breakdown: $.33 to Apple, $.55 to the label & $.10 for the artist.
You know, music has had a feature role in my life. I couldn't imagine my life without music. It's not only been there for some of the highest highs, but has been responsible for many of them. I love music. I look around me and see many people so immersed in jobs, kids, money, or sometimes not even that much, who have no real connection to music or art anymore, that was left on some kindergarten desk somewhere.
I have bags of my son's artwork in a closet. Thank god I have it because he'll probably never paint like that again in his whole life. God willing, he'll go out there and make great films with great messages someday, but that's probably only because his mom loves art so much.
What about all these other people who lead lives like mushrooms, satisfied only by notions that they have played by the rules, but without true connection, inspiration, joy, freedom? I was pausing by some Tony Robbins infomercial the other day and they were saying something like, "You have to understand what really drives you, not what motivates you." I guess what that means is we have to look deep into our beliefs to understand how to make the best choices for ourselves in life.
Of course I'm motivated by money and power and prestige, like everyone else. Want to try power? Try directing a play or film... your job is telling people what to do and where to go and they do it and go there... all to enact your vision, inter or otherwise. Want power? Try having kids. The most powerful influence in anyone's life is their mother. Money is nice, but it costs so much life, and that external power seems so superficial, at least to me.
All of these powers can be really attractive but, to me, they pale beside the power that comes from being connected with god. What drives me is the desire to help others experience that connection in their own way. All of you who asked me what I'm looking for, what I want... there you go. That's why I liked Napster, it helped people get in touch with music, which helps people get in touch with god.
I'd also love to have a relationship with a man who is my total equal, who has his own inner core, who is passionate about some of the things I am passionate about, who understands me, who loves me. And, of course, who turns me on. Doesn't everyone want that? Don't we all want to be loved and understood? How many of us actually have that? How many of us settle for so much less than we could have or be in life?
I was just watching Good Morning America and they had women on there talking about infidelity and how few good marriages there are. This woman said she once had a really good opportunity with a man, she stayed out of it at the time but now, I guess some years down the road, she's separated anyway & really regrets missing the opportunity. So, Diane Sawyer goes, "If you'd had the affair, would it have ended your marriage?" and she goes, "Probably, but the marriage ended anyway and now I don't have the opportunity I had before."
Perspectives, perceptions, focus... it's all a matter of choice. A director can't do a close-up and a wide shot at the same time. That woman couldn't deal with the daily realities and limited perspective to see the consequences of her choice in the long term. I also couldn't face the idea that my marriage was, yes, that bad, because I was looking at the structure all around me and not into my heart, at least at first.
But, the past year has changed my perspective immeasurably as I've seen what the world looks like outside those strictures and spoken to many others who have expanded my perspective. So, let's see how Napster looks in retrospect... Vincent Van Gogh sold two paintings in his life, for a pittance. Now they go for $43M. He tried to show the beauty of the world, tried to make them understand. He changed the way we see the world. Napster was just a little failed company. But, the world will never be the same again. Maybe in some ways the story of Napster is the story about the 21st Century.
The century is unfolding just as Toffler predicted 30 years ago, as we shift from an industrial economy to an information economy. Yes, economics is premised on limited supply and unlimited demand, but the reality is that the standard of living in this country has ceased to grow in any meaningful way. As we gentrify, like Europe, I believe we will see far more growth in intellectual property than durables.
If we keep the price of good, uplifting entertainment low, we can do a lot to raise our society and progress to a culture more like what we see in Europe today: a slightly lower standard of living but more opportunity for human connection, growth and learning. We see longer vacations, human work schedules, an intellectual culture, open-minded, accepting... people take time to explore each other and savor life.. it's much better.
2/20 Update: The latest ironic turn of the saga happens when Napster 180 files an amicus against it's former incarnation in the Grokkster case.
___________________________________________________________
Let's get real. When the story of the 21st century is told, it's gonna get down to one word... Napster. So, tune into the Superbowl tomorrow for the latest installment. Disposable razors, disposable society, disposable music....that's ok, I'll hold onto my Napster T-shirt, from the original company, I'm sure it'll be worth a lot of money someday.
Over $83M went into the company that helped people find and trade music over the internet and they got nothing back from the millions and millions of people that used and enjoyed that service. Not that they didn't want to profit, they were forced into bankruptcy by an injunction.
The new incarnation wants a dollar a song, though now the song will self-destruct, probably at your party. Gee, I hope there's some price cut here. I mean really, give me one fucking reason I should pay anything for some song I don't even own, when I can easily get full ownership for free. Morals? Come on, anyone who understands the structure would see that the money they are forking over goes primarily toward people who are hindering, not helping, the cause of seeing music accessible and inspirational in our society. BTW, if you want the real scoop, check out the industry insider sites like NARIP. It was there I got the iTune breakdown: $.33 to Apple, $.55 to the label & $.10 for the artist.
You know, music has had a feature role in my life. I couldn't imagine my life without music. It's not only been there for some of the highest highs, but has been responsible for many of them. I love music. I look around me and see many people so immersed in jobs, kids, money, or sometimes not even that much, who have no real connection to music or art anymore, that was left on some kindergarten desk somewhere.
I have bags of my son's artwork in a closet. Thank god I have it because he'll probably never paint like that again in his whole life. God willing, he'll go out there and make great films with great messages someday, but that's probably only because his mom loves art so much.
What about all these other people who lead lives like mushrooms, satisfied only by notions that they have played by the rules, but without true connection, inspiration, joy, freedom? I was pausing by some Tony Robbins infomercial the other day and they were saying something like, "You have to understand what really drives you, not what motivates you." I guess what that means is we have to look deep into our beliefs to understand how to make the best choices for ourselves in life.
Of course I'm motivated by money and power and prestige, like everyone else. Want to try power? Try directing a play or film... your job is telling people what to do and where to go and they do it and go there... all to enact your vision, inter or otherwise. Want power? Try having kids. The most powerful influence in anyone's life is their mother. Money is nice, but it costs so much life, and that external power seems so superficial, at least to me.
All of these powers can be really attractive but, to me, they pale beside the power that comes from being connected with god. What drives me is the desire to help others experience that connection in their own way. All of you who asked me what I'm looking for, what I want... there you go. That's why I liked Napster, it helped people get in touch with music, which helps people get in touch with god.
I'd also love to have a relationship with a man who is my total equal, who has his own inner core, who is passionate about some of the things I am passionate about, who understands me, who loves me. And, of course, who turns me on. Doesn't everyone want that? Don't we all want to be loved and understood? How many of us actually have that? How many of us settle for so much less than we could have or be in life?
I was just watching Good Morning America and they had women on there talking about infidelity and how few good marriages there are. This woman said she once had a really good opportunity with a man, she stayed out of it at the time but now, I guess some years down the road, she's separated anyway & really regrets missing the opportunity. So, Diane Sawyer goes, "If you'd had the affair, would it have ended your marriage?" and she goes, "Probably, but the marriage ended anyway and now I don't have the opportunity I had before."
Perspectives, perceptions, focus... it's all a matter of choice. A director can't do a close-up and a wide shot at the same time. That woman couldn't deal with the daily realities and limited perspective to see the consequences of her choice in the long term. I also couldn't face the idea that my marriage was, yes, that bad, because I was looking at the structure all around me and not into my heart, at least at first.
But, the past year has changed my perspective immeasurably as I've seen what the world looks like outside those strictures and spoken to many others who have expanded my perspective. So, let's see how Napster looks in retrospect... Vincent Van Gogh sold two paintings in his life, for a pittance. Now they go for $43M. He tried to show the beauty of the world, tried to make them understand. He changed the way we see the world. Napster was just a little failed company. But, the world will never be the same again. Maybe in some ways the story of Napster is the story about the 21st Century.
The century is unfolding just as Toffler predicted 30 years ago, as we shift from an industrial economy to an information economy. Yes, economics is premised on limited supply and unlimited demand, but the reality is that the standard of living in this country has ceased to grow in any meaningful way. As we gentrify, like Europe, I believe we will see far more growth in intellectual property than durables.
If we keep the price of good, uplifting entertainment low, we can do a lot to raise our society and progress to a culture more like what we see in Europe today: a slightly lower standard of living but more opportunity for human connection, growth and learning. We see longer vacations, human work schedules, an intellectual culture, open-minded, accepting... people take time to explore each other and savor life.. it's much better.
posted by Intervision at 6:21 AM
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