The SSSCA and Silicon Valley: The computing industry stands up for consumer rights against media corporations

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Nova02

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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Well, that's just lovely. :|

How do they get away with that? Is congress that old fashioned and closed minded that they let these laws go through ASSUMING the illegal aspects will be instantly killed? Don't answer that, because I'm sure they are that stupid.

That's sick, embedding their technologies into consumer devices so that it looks like we support it.
And they say WE'RE breaking the law?!

I can't believe that the MPAA will be controlling what I do in the future when I have a career. This is just SICK. The government should be ashamed for being so stupid. I hope there is a huge backlash should this law eventually be reality. I will not sit here and do nothing about it if it does, you can count on that.
 

DN

Senior member
Nov 19, 2001
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The implications, be it the economy, be it your rights, be it several things, are so tremendous that I'll cut off my left hand if this type of legislation would EVER pass.. At best, it would be so toned down, it wouldn't affect much at all.. Relax.. :)
 

bokalot

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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to smp:
The conspiracy theory is nice, but a bit over-reaching. There is probably not a cabal of rich men/women plotting to run the world. What does happen, i think, is that the rich do have far different interests than most peole. When you consider that the vast percentage of funds in the US is owned by less than 5% of the population; well, their intrests are supreme as they control things. Somehow, everyone below the five precent has been seduced into believing that they too can be part of that elite if they work hard enough. That is simply not true, as the last 200 hundred years have shown. The pool of presidents is small, Hollywood constantly uses the kids of stars to create "new" works, our 'elected' reps are in truth, appointed by the elite rich. Check out how many races across AMerica are uncontested. Why? Power fights hard to stay in power.
The internet scares the elite rich because it is a free exchange of ideas. Ideas have a way of doing damage when least expected. People wonder about the recession... well, when business constantly tries to reduce costs (really, incerease profits to the elite) by cutting wages- who is left to buy the product? There are few, if any, areas of the country where you can raise a family on say, $10 an hour. Here in New England- forget it.
Do you remeber when the price of cds was high and we were told that as the product became more popular, the price would come down? we were encouraged to buy cds and dump vinyl. where is the price? basically where it was from the beginning- and that is roobbery when you consider that cds cost pennies to produce.
Now, i do not think that copying artists' works without paying the artist is right. the sad fact is that artists make precious little from cd sales. it would be great to devise asystem whereby you could download a song you like and the artist gets a royalty directly; say 2-5 cents a song. the record companies would go ballistic. yet, has anyone asked why the companies are needed? the technology for the artist is there.
yet, that would imply a free america- we are not free. we have freedoms that are granted and allowed at the whim of a government; but in the name of security, we are told of shadow governments and unnamed threats... so freedopm is limited. this is like a 50's sci-fi movie. the whole pretense is sad- like the idea that the world is over-crowded; or that there isn't enough food, or water. the reality is: fly over the US- there is plenty of space- enough to give every family in america a home and a couple of acres of land. the US alone could feed our own people and all of africa, for example, and water can be rationed and dealt with in an intelligent manner. but it doesn't happen? why? the rich would lose money. that cannot happen. why is the social security tax limited at such a low amount (only earnings far below 100k are taxable)? why aren't the rich paying their share of the tax? who writes the laws and rules?
i don't know what it will take before people rebel. maybe they never will. I think it is great to develop jobs in other countries. but don't people realize that those jobs pay far less than our jobs and the goal of the companies is to reduce wages in our country so that we make third-world wages? yet, we work harder than anyone, anywhere. we vacation less than anyone in the industrial world, we are given less time off from work, etc etc. we work and work and work- for whom? it would seem not for ourselves.
sorry this is kind of disjointed, but your comments struck a chord. the absurdity of the situation appalls me. so many people in America call themselves Christians- yet they forget that Christ was, in essence, the first socialist. he preached sharing, caring, and living as one. That to not give, was a sin. To not share, was a sin. He hung out with fishermen, and whores, and thieves, and lepers, and the poor. but here, we have so much. no one should go home to an empty fridge, to a ratty apartment.
who can lead the change?
rolleye.gif
 

Onibroc42

Junior Member
Aug 13, 2001
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Basically, this is Fritz Hollings being his normal fascist self. And, for those among you who think Corporations are to blame, remember that corporations are run by people, and people often have agendas. In the media business, it is typically an agenda of "F*** the people, we want total control". Didn't you learn enaything from the Napster debacle? The RIAA wants the power to tell you WHAT you will like. And they even went so far as to try to get a piece of legislation tacked on to the PATRIOT act (don't get me started on that anti-consitutional piece of crap) so they (the RIAA, not the Congress) could send viruses to people who were SUSPECTED of stealing their IP without facing any legal liability.

So, what we have here is companies trying to do to the U.S. what ANY good dictator does. And, people like Fritz (who's gonna be long since gone to his reward before the real effects show up) don't need to care. So, they get a little bribe money (let's call it what it is, it isn't a donation if it is to cause legislative action, it's a bribe) to help the media companies screw up the country for their own benefit.

the DMCA must go, the PATRIOT USA act must go, Shays-Meehan (for those of you not following US politics, that's the one that says you can't talk sh** (I can't believe you put in a dirty word filter...) about a politician within 60 days of an election) must not be signed into law, and SSSCA can never be allowed into debate. We need to take our country back from the elitists who think they know better than us and are gonna show us by threatening us with prison. Isn't that how Stalin and Hitler got their starts????

< massive subject change >
There was a person who stated that they hoped the EU woulnd't follow the US to its doom. I beg to differ: the EU was formed explicitly to BEAT us there!

-b
 

Onibroc42

Junior Member
Aug 13, 2001
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<<
How do they get away with that? Is congress that old fashioned and closed minded that they let these laws go through ASSUMING the illegal aspects will be instantly killed? Don't answer that, because I'm sure they are that stupid.
>>


Not really. They aren't stupid, but they think we are. They also don't care, since they will just exempt themselves from the law.



<<
I can't believe that the MPAA will be controlling what I do in the future when I have a career. This is just SICK. The government should be ashamed for being so stupid.
>>


the RIAA knows that their days are numbered. Economically, there is no need for them like there was in the days of vinyl. Cutting vinyl took millions of dollars of sophisticated machines. Most records are done in independent studios now, and the production can be done at any number of mastering shops all over the place. The only thing RIAA does is put a tariff on the production (they call it dues) and the record companies become nothing more than distributors. the MPAA knows that this day is coming for them as well. and they are scared senseless.



<<
I hope there is a huge backlash should this law eventually be reality. I will not sit here and do nothing about it if it does, you can count on that.
>>


I agree with you, but I wouldn't count on the sheeple doing anything. As long as they have N'sync records in the stores, and soaps on TV, they really don't pay attention.

-b
 

Rectalfier

Golden Member
Nov 21, 1999
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Either through money whoring puppets or direct control, Every Country is controlled by the rich elite. Some countries are extremely poor, but the rich elite do not feel poverty, even in the poorest nations in Africa. Why would their government want to make changes? The rich could end up losing their wealthy life style. There have been many socialist/commununist revolutions, which are suppossed to help level the monetary structure, however they have all failed as corruption has reduced them to a dictatorship of some kind.

Our whole world is run by greed. We are held hostage everyday, because of conflicts over money and resources. Those in power control the media and through the media, we are taught who our enemies are. They take stereotypes, and plaster the all over the face of our "enemies". We the people lose loved ones, and are held hostage by nuclear missles everyday because of this. In times of war we the people are the ones that are going to die, not the government. The people of the world want peace, but those in power keep mislead us into a "Just War". There is no such thing as a "Just War". Will it take another World War before we finally learn that our governments do not care about us, and that they are not worth fighting for?
 

Friedchicken

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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<< Sec. 101: Prohibition of Certain Devices

(a) In General -- It is unlawful to manufacture, import, offer to the public, provide or otherwise traffic in any interactive digital device that does not include and utilize certified security technologies that adhere to the security system standards adopted under section 104.

As you can see, you can't import anything either
>>



Companies will have to move to Canada to stay compeditive with the world. Any US based manufacturer/assembler couldn't import any of the components that would be considered an infringment on the bill.
 

BlvdKing

Golden Member
Jun 7, 2000
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I wrote a letter opposing the SSSCA to my representitives:
Phil Gramm, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Larry Combest. I also signed the petition.

I vote a straight Libertarian ticket in every election; I hope this does some good.
 

Onibroc42

Junior Member
Aug 13, 2001
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I just thought of something....

From section 109 of the proposed legislation



<<
(3) Interactive digital device -- The term "interactive digital device" means "any machine, device, product, software, or technology, whether or not included with or as part of some other machine, device, product, software, or technology, that is designed, marketed or used for the primary purpose of, and that is capable of, storing, retrieving, processing, performing, transmitting, receiving, or copying information in digital form."
>>



This would apply to just about everything. The insides of a modern copier are all digital storage. Fax machines? Printers???

Talk about unintended consequences!

If it does pass, one of two things happens -

1) it gets killed because of the realities of implementation - as long as there is no forcible conversion of existing technology, it is meaningless
2) the economy gets killed by all the companies going under for lack of communication. There's gotta be hundreds of millions of fax machines and copiers in use. Eventually some schmuck is gonna come along and say "all the old devices are no longer acceptable" and BANG!

And what about the environmental impact of this legislation? where are they gonna put all the (now) obsoleted hardware?

There must be something in the air in DC that makes people stupid enough to write this kind of legislation.

-b
 

smp

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2000
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Will it take another World War before we finally learn that our governments do not care about us, and that they are not worth fighting for?

Good point. Our countries aren't worth fighting for. Nationalism is another absurdity that is pretty ridiculous and causes lot's of bloodshed.

Companies will have to move to Canada to stay compeditive with the world. Any US based manufacturer/assembler couldn't import any of the components that would be considered an infringment on the bill.

Obviously you haven't read the posts about the WTO and free trade? If Canada starts producing outside of the SSSCA, the States will take them to NAFTA court (or WTO, whichever unelected governing body) and sue them for being a "barrier to trade". This kind of stuff happens, as Vilord pointed out in the case of the gas additive. I have never heard the case with California, as I'm Canadian, but I can point anyone who cares to a case where a Corporation sued a Government to lift an environmental ban, read about Ethyl Corp VS. The Canadian Government here.

The conspiracy theory is nice, but a bit over-reaching. There is probably not a cabal of rich men/women plotting to run the world.

That's basically what I was trying to say, and I don't agree with it being a consipiracy theory, that term is wieghted with all sorts of connotations, none of which I care to be associated with. I agree with you though. I'm glad that this thread attracted so many new members, it's interesting to note. I agree with everything you said and I really liked the Christian part because that just almost makes me laugh sometimes. The whole thing is sad.

Anyone who values human life and has a sensativity to existence can not possibly live in this world and not feel severely oppressed.

Digital copyprotection has been a tidal force since the digital age was introduced. The tide comes in and erodes the safe harbor of consumer protection and fair use. The tide will recede, but the erosion remains. As consumers, we become upset when it happens, but lax at trying to repair the damage. The SSSCA is like a hurricane looming to batter the consumer and the tech industry. On the whole we will survive, but the effects will be significant.

Nice analogy.

The implications, be it the economy, be it your rights, be it several things, are so tremendous that I'll cut off my left hand if this type of legislation would EVER pass.. At best, it would be so toned down, it wouldn't affect much at all.. Relax..

Just like the DMCA is toned down? Bit by bit it just adds up. You'll be feeling like Winston Smith in no time. There's that word again too... relax. That's the whole problem, people relax too much, they don't think or care enough because someone else will take care of it. Well, it's time for some self reliance for a change, the agency is on you and everyone else to try to make things better, there is always room for improvement.

I agree with you, but I wouldn't count on the sheeple doing anything. As long as they have N'sync records in the stores, and soaps on TV, they really don't pay attention.

Take that thought a bit farther. N'stink and Soap Operas. Who makes the decisions? The record companies and the media companies, they make the choices regarding what kind of media they will give us. A certain amount of that is market yes, but I'll use hip hop music to define the way I see things;

There is much hip hop that is underground, good music, tonnes of it, but you'd never see it in the mainstream because it projects the wrong (well, depending on which side of the racial fence you're on) image to the youth. Racism is a vested class interest, the rich, white power elite want to hold onto their power as someone has mentioned.
Why is it, that all of the hip hop on television today is of the "money, money, b!tches, money, cars, money b!tches" variety? Anyone else find that weird? I mean, it's really terrible music for chrissakes, I don't know anyone who likes it, yet it's there. Who makes the decisions at the record companies based on what goes and what doesn't?
There are plenty of underground, fvck the government, black power, very subervisive hip hip artists out there, who I'm 100% sure would never get a record deal, even though their music might be far better than P Diddy (or whatever he's calling himself nowadays). Why not?
This point might be lost on those that don't listen to rap music, but there are plenty of highly educated, very intelligent and super creative BLACK artists out there who get NO RESPECT from the white men who run the show. Think about that one, P Diddy is a much better role model for kids in the ghetto than a real BLACK MAN. On a side note, those artists would probably never sign a major record deal anyways .... principle > money.


First they came for the Jews.
I didn't care.
Then they came for the Slavs.
I didn't care.
Then they came for the scientists.
I didn't care.
Then they came for the opposition.
I didn't care.
Now they came for me.
But it's too late to care.

- a retold and somewhat paraphrased Bertold Brecht

__________________________________________

Step #1 would be to raise hype. Anyone who has newsposting abilities at a site has to use them. Maybe someone would be able to pass a story at their local press? The more publicity, the better.

Step #2 would be... Wait, what exactly? It's all corrupt from the bottom and up. I doubt even a combination of TV, corporations, entertainment industries etc. boycott will have much influence. And you know why?

US is totalitarian; while everyone was enragedly watching the USSR and considering them the bad suppressive and brainwashing scapegoat, nobody noticed what was happening at home. As a certain Serb once said, "Back in the Soviet bloc times there was a lot of propaganda, but we knew it was propaganda. Now there's a lot of American propaganda, and nobody admits it is propaganda".

In the long term, the only action that'll work will be a complete breakdown of the empire a-la the USSR collapse. It will come sooner or later, just as the fascist Germany and the communist Russia didn't exist forever.
But for now it's time to organise the resistance - most importantly mental resistance. Most regular people are cattle - they'll react the way Brecht described. I'll tell you one bitter piece of truth: no matter how much noise we're making, it will hardly ever get to anyone that we're in the neo-totalitarian age. They're too accustomed to appearances, superficial looks and their own dumb hedonism to react... What this means is that the US, and possibly the rest of the world, will soon fall right into totalitarism, and it is inevitable because totalitarism is a reaction to a lack of belief, understanding and sensitivity. Totalitarism is a stage of cultural decay, not more, not less.


Right on the money. Some people might think that you're too extreme or something, but I don't. The things that go on in the world warrant it. It's good to hear something that isn't watered down with political correctness and downright politeness, I like to hear it raw too. Tell it like it is!

Seriously, where are all these (AT) newbies coming from? :D
















 

Friedchicken

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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<<

Companies will have to move to Canada to stay compeditive with the world. Any US based manufacturer/assembler couldn't import any of the components that would be considered an infringment on the bill.

Obviously you haven't read the posts about the WTO and free trade? If Canada starts producing outside of the SSSCA, the States will take them to NAFTA court (or WTO, whichever unelected governing body) and sue them for being a "barrier to trade". This kind of stuff happens, as Vilord pointed out in the case of the gas additive. I have never heard the case with California, as I'm Canadian, but I can point anyone who cares to a case where a Corporation sued a Government to lift an environmental ban, read about Ethyl Corp VS. The Canadian Government here.
>>



I think you are looking at my statment in the wrong context. How is a company in Canada exporting/import to the world market (sans the US) an issue with free trade and NAFTA? Like any other country, Canada still has the right to market/sell goods and services to any other country outside north america without asking permission from the US.
 

kgraeme

Diamond Member
Sep 5, 2000
3,536
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<< Seriously, where are all these (AT) newbies coming from? :D >>



Well, a link to this thread was posted at HardOCP's main page and probably other sites as well.
 

smp

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2000
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I think you are looking at my statment in the wrong context. How is a company in Canada exporting/import to the world market (sans the US) an issue with free trade and NAFTA? Like any other country, Canada still has the right to market/sell goods and services to any other country outside north america without asking permission from the US.

I'm sorry if I misunderstood. I'm not too sure about the subleties of free trade so I can't really comment. My primary interests lie in culture, and the manufacturing of culture. I'm not really an arm-chair lawyer, so I can't comment further on that. I do hope that you read the link I posted though (Ethyl corp VS Canada). My main area of concern is that agency is not on the individual. My destiny is not mine, I do not feel free and I do not feel empowered. When my "country" can go ahead and bomb another country in my name, this is not just to me.
 

Friedchicken

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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That lawsuit is rediculous... a bit off topic, but, I have invested in a company who is developing a replacment additive that will make MMT history. When the company goes public, I'll have something to cheer about- not to mention the enviromental gains.
 

KentState

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2001
8,397
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This may sound dumb, but I've seen this coming for a long time. It always scares me when large organizations or government completely control major parts of our lives, but it's happening more and more. Who would have ever guessed a common currency in Europe but now it's happened and each nation has lost a lot of individual control over their currency. I couldn't conceive the nations allowing that to happen 50 years ago, but today it's reality and not much of a fight.

Ok, now part two is coming around the corner and that's the control of media. If the goverment puts a ban on any digital device without copyright protection, they could basically take the ability away from us of owning any form of media. Basically this looks like you could only have a copy of a piece of digital media in its true form if you purchased the rights. Almost looks like a magnification of not allowing us to turn our very own cds into mp3s. Take a look at some of the current attempts by the record industry to prevent us from even using a cd in a computer. That goes against all the laws regarding private use, but somehow the record industry is above that. Jump ahead 5-10 years if such a bill would pass. Basically all digital media is uncopyable unless you pay for the right. If that where to happen, any industry could set the standards and practices and basically a large organization is in complete control of our media which will surely be digital.

I just have a lot of unease when it comes to bills like this because it can pass under the radar quiet easily. I'm glad that people are actually sharing their thought and hopefully we can stop this type of action.
 

bokalot

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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i got to this forum in a roundabout way throught amdzone. your post contained thoughts that have been floating in my head the last few weeks. acouple of points to those who have written:

1- the Supreme Court is not the unbiased forum one would believe- see the stolen election.
2- the USA is the greatest country in the world; that is practically self-evident. but if fdr, lincoln, thomas paine, franklin, jefferson, king, etc etc can criticize the country and still be patriots; so can all of us. i am not a foreigner but i do accept the responsibilty that comes with living in an open society. as Camus wrote: everything is permitted dpes not mean nothing is forbidden. we must choose our world- not the other way around. revolution may be necessary, but as lennon said, you better free your mind instead. this law shackles our minds. i know this is a tech site- but this issue is huge.
3- we msut remember that this country was formed to make a 'more perfect union..." the gov't was created to serve us- not us it. that is why so many constraints were placed on the gov't. the framers of our con. would be aghast at the current state of affairs. even these pages are monitored by the gov't- yet, we allow it to happen? why? what are we afraid of?
4- this revoltion to come is not about class warfare, but of repsonsibilty. i am reminded of the phrase that to whom more is given, more is expected. the rich elite have a responsibility to make the world a better place- as we all do. i cannot help thinking of the idea that if one accepts the big bang theory and enistein's theory that energy can neither be created nor destroyed and that e=mc2 (matter is energy), then the simple truth is that we all descend from that primordial moment of universal creation and that we will always (in some form of energy) continue to exist. perhaps that is the zen of buddhism. we are all truly one. our responsibility then, is immense.
5- one is what one chooses to be. the free exchange of ideas is essential to a free society. we must fight.:
 

smp

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2000
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BOOYEAH!!!!

I'm loving some of these posts man. It's great to see this stuff. I never thought I'de see people talk like this on the AT forums.
 

Skouby

Junior Member
Mar 3, 2002
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This is like a simpsons episode. Starting off with contempt for a computer-hindering bill as the introduction, a higher realization or voice of corruption and the downfall of society in the Orwellian sense has been brought up. After reading every single one of your posts and reading a lot of the linkage material, I feel this is the deepest and most intriguing thread I've ever read. There's so many posts I wanted to reply to, but it wouldn't be feasible for me to do so (college ya know) :).

This whole superficial and corrupt society concept occurred to me in philosophy class shortly after September 11th; My professor was practically screaming during class about the deception and propaganda of advertising and the media's portrayal of war. I haven't watched CNN since. I watch a lot less TV (cept the simpsons) and turn away when advertising comes on. I acknowledge how TV has contributed to the downfall of this now superficial society. TV, in itself, is a great invention and concept, but right from the first f**king broadcast, there was advertising (This includes radio).

The internet, on the other hand, was used for the betterment of mankind initially, utilized in universities and research, and as soon as it boomed, advertisers came to reap the profits. Fortunately, the internet crowd would rather talk with their friends and such than click on a manipulative ad. Advertising has failed online compared to TV (though there are still horribly intrusive pop-ups still abound). I think this is linked to this issue of the big businesses being unable to control us like with television. Maybe the people that use the internet are just intelligent enough to understand the manipulation (yea right) or maybe it's the fact that we're using whatever intelligence we have to interact with the world than stare at a dorritos commercial.

The truth is not obvious when the obvious isn't. What I mean is, though it seems that interaction would manipulate someone more so than something as passive as television, it isn't the case. Why? Because we've chosen to get off our metaphorical asses :), and use our minds. Funny thing about thinking, it's contagious to your mind. The more your talk, the better you get at it. The more your read, the more your mind can comprehend. And the less you think, the less your mind can contest the s**t that is throw in front of your face every day of your life. It's the brutal truth. Advertising is the tool of the greedy you guys have outlined above and is the perfect representation of the natural greediness of man, and the downfall of awareness. People are not born dumber these days, they're flooded in a sea of disillusionment, and there minds lay dead in the ocean that they call freedom.

And just as Homer said (guess which one):

?Awww, well turn something on (TV or radio), I'm starting to think!?

Peace, Skouby
 

smp

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2000
5,215
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(From the article that Sunner posted)

The 'some people' says it all. Most people are criminals, and only a tiny minority are honest and decent, Rosen assumes. This is also the official perspective of Hollywood -- of Eisner, and Valenti, and Hollings. It is a perspective natural to a certain class of person. Consider that we all imagine others to be more or less like ourselves. Decent people expect others to be decent, just like themselves. Criminals expect others to be criminals, just like themselves. When Eisner and Rosen and Valenti and Hollings see a world populated by cheats and frauds and freeloading scum, what does that say about them?

 

ShadowFox

Senior member
Nov 26, 2001
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2- the USA is the greatest country in the world; that is practically self-evident. but if fdr, lincoln, thomas paine, franklin, jefferson, king, etc etc can criticize the country and still be patriots; so can all of us.

Wow, this statement has really opened my eyes. I saw an advertisment on TV earlier today where it was something about "Daschle speaks out against the president" and though to myself, "That sh** head! how dare he?!?!" Criticizm of the government makes it more just and self-concious about its actions. Its sad that right now almost any bill can pass as long as it is "better for the economy" or "for national safety" The SSSCA can be construed as being better for the economy, it MAY help the RIAA and related organizations, but at the same time, it tramples constitutional rights and would destroy the computing industry as it is now. We need normal citizens to get into the public eye and criticize this act and any other that could potentially remove some of our rights and dispute the claim that is bound to come up - "You aren't working for national unity" The nation wasnt supposed to agree perfectly on everything, that is why we have a party system for elections.

Another thing about advertising, on TV in a 30minute block, you only get 20minutes of programming, thats right, only 2/3 of what you watch is actual content. As we can all see on the internet, that isnt even close, on the anandtech page i'm looking at right now, maybe one 50th of the page has advertising on it.

I think the RIAA is coming down on computers because the internet has become the greatest tool of free thought, communication, and learning ever. They hate this fact because it means that they cant control what you see and eventually believe day in day out.

all this is very depressing but it is the truth, and the truth is what we must know
 

smp

Diamond Member
Dec 6, 2000
5,215
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Another thing about advertising, on TV in a 30minute block, you only get 20minutes of programming, thats right, only 2/3 of what you watch is actual content. As we can all see on the internet, that isnt even close, on the anandtech page i'm looking at right now, maybe one 50th of the page has advertising on it.

And that content? The 20 minutes of content for most TV programming is just ideological/cultural programming.
This is how we form our identity. They show us what women are supposed to look/act like, what men are supposed to look/act like, what a family is supposed to look like and what happiness is. Happiness is owning a lot of nice stuff and having a hot girlfriend/wife or rich boyfriend/wife. Lame.
 

ShadowFox

Senior member
Nov 26, 2001
304
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And that content? The 20 minutes of content for most TV programming is just ideological/cultural programming.
This is how we form our identity. They show us what women are supposed to look/act like, what men are supposed to look/act like, what a family is supposed to look like and what happiness is. Happiness is owning a lot of nice stuff and having a hot girlfriend/wife or rich boyfriend/wife. Lame.


Exactly.

What, sadly, many of the people here fail to realize is that some of this sh** is coming down the pipe. Will this act pass? No. However the technology industry has 12 months to agree on digital protection standards with the "intertainment" industry, or fedral regulators will come up with the standards themselves. THIS WILL HAPPEN, in several years we will all have some form of digital protection on our computers or they will be illegal.
The sad thing is that Eisner and his buddies are trying to turn the computer and internet into something that comsumers really dont want the computer to be, another television. Do we see the public in an outcry for legally available content on the internet? Absolutly not. And it isnt because people are getting things illegally either(the vast, VAST mojority of people out there dont know how to download illegal movies, and dont want to either, the complaint I always hear is "why would you want to watch a movie in a desk chair in front of a 17" monitor with crappy speakers?"), people like the role of the computer as an information/communication device and are satasfied with the role that it plays in thier lives. If they want to watch a movie, they turn on the television and watch one. Eisner saeems to think that with broadband, movise are instantly avaialble at the click of a mouse which is sipmply not true, most pirated movies are in the 600-700 meg range which still takes hours to download even on cable.
 

datatragedy

Junior Member
Mar 4, 2002
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<< This is how we form our identity. They show us what women are supposed to look/act like, what men are supposed to look/act like, what a family is supposed to look like and what happiness is. Happiness is owning a lot of nice stuff and having a hot girlfriend/wife or rich boyfriend/wife. Lame. >>



i totally agree dude (with everything you have said, and with all others with similar ideas), i registered on this forum just to let you and others know that i agree, i came here from a link from hardocp.com

it sucks so much that i can be aware of all this stuff, yet you cant really avoid it, because everything is based off of it, and its just the majority. and anything you try to do, as little as it may be, is just looked down upon by the majority and not understood because they are just blind to it and part of it... gah.

well im glad at least im aware, although i feel helpless, and without help for others.

i mean, i could just be happy as defined by everything the majority knows, and just live like the majority, but its just so constricting and pointless once looked at... its hard for me to even try to break things down to explain my feelings on them because it just involves too much lol... i can be angry at the entertainment industry and everything else, yet ive paid for movie tickets and ive watched tv and helped aid it all...., theres no escaping it... but if things were to get as bad as what this SSSCA wants, then something would have to be done and im sure something would be done, well i dont know... its better to be aware of the problem than to ignore it. i cant think of anything that i can do to help things.

im going to go back to painting more (on the computer).
i already have some new ideas to create from reading all this stuff.