Asked about his interest in buying a newspaper and his practice of not commenting for most news stories, Bezos said, “the most powerful minds can hold powerful inconsistencies.” He said he often declines to comment because he doesn’t want his competition to know about his plans. “We’re not as silent or secretive as we’re sometimes portrayed,” he said, while conceding that “we are on the quiet side.”Which suggests that he does not hold the anti-IP position that just because he holds information, there is no damage to him, if others also gain access to that information.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Bezos on IP
During his visit to WaPo, yesterday, the new owner of the rag, Jeff Bezos, discussed his tendency toward secrecy. WaPo reports:
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What's your point Wenzel? That information has value? No one will argue with that. No one will argue that Bezos has the right to attempt to keep the information to himself.
ReplyDeleteBut does he then have the right to take my tax money and enforce his monopoly on that knowledge through violence or the threat thereof? That is the question Wenzel. From what I can see you have no answer to this question.
The "IP" is all about socializing costs of exclusion (i.e. preventing others from access to information) while privatizing the gains.
ReplyDeleteSomething you've pointed out before, Robert: "the most powerful minds can hold powerful inconsistencies." The oligarchs require the ability to hold powerful inconsistencies as if they are consistent in their minds, in order to ignore or devalue the consequences of their actions.
ReplyDeleteIn a related story, WaPo has announced its new editorial policy. A WaPo spokesman made clear that henceforth news will be on a "need to know" basis, and, "YOU" do not need to know.
ReplyDeleteBezos has confirmed WaPo will be changing its byline from, "Everything we tell you is shit" to "We ain't tellin' you shit!" to reflect his new management style...