Imagine creating something truly unique—a book, a song, a piece of art—that not only expresses your creativity but becomes a legacy for future generations. Now, consider the thought that after a specific period, your ownership of that work could simply vanish. Would it be fair for all of your hard work, sacrifice, and creativity to be stripped away, eventually becoming public property while your descendants are denied the right to benefit from your creation?
This is the harsh reality of the current copyright system, where intellectual property rights expire after a set time, usually life-plus-70 years. While the intent behind this law is to eventually allow public access to creative works, it fails to acknowledge the profound injustice it inflicts on creators and their families. Unlike physical property—such as homes, cars, or investments—that can be passed down through generations, intellectual property is treated differently. After the clock runs out, your creative ownership is effectively dissolved, and anyone can exploit your work without compensating you or your heirs.
This is not merely an economic issue but one of fairness and moral rights. The U.S. Constitution may protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but how can we claim to honor those principles if we allow a system that deprives families of their intellectual heritage? People like Mark Twain and modern advocates such as Mark Helprin have raised these concerns, arguing that it is both unjust and unnecessary for copyright protection to have an expiration date.
Allowing intellectual property to fall into the public domain after a limited time benefits corporations far more than the public. When companies can profit from your work without sharing those earnings with your heirs, it creates an economic imbalance, transferring wealth from the families of creators to the pockets of big businesses. Meanwhile, the very people who should be protected by your legacy—your children and grandchildren—are left behind.
It’s time to rethink this policy. Copyrights should last in perpetuity, ensuring that the fruits of creative labor continue to benefit the creators’ descendants, just as physical property does. Let’s push for a fairer system that acknowledges the full value of intellectual property and honors the people who dedicate their lives to creating it. Copyright should be as eternal as the works it protects.
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