Lessig

I think the way that Lessig writes and organizes Chapter 2 is meant to highlight the rapid progression of technology as we know it, and, in many ways, the resulting freedom of expression that accompanies those developments. Each of the sections can be viewed as portals for furthering individuality, giving nonprofessionals or people who may not have as many social or economic resources a chance to share their own talents or opinions.

Lessig first takes us through one of the earliest significant advances in technology: the camera. Before the camera was introduced, the field of photography was expensive, and generally reserved for those that had money to obtain such a hobby. Eventually George Eastman was able to lower the costs, allowing a wider variety of people to not only take an interest in photography, but to take their own photographs and express their own individuality. People were able to capture moments in the ways that they had actually been experienced, without the costly burden. Of course this could have ended up differently, had the laws gone in favor of restricting who and what the limits of photography were. Because the laws went in the right way, however, ground-breaking freedoms were slowly able to make a place in American society.

The second section was about “Just Think!”, a multimedia program encouraging students to “tinker” in order to gain further insight on media literacy. As Lessig says, it gives one the ability to understand the “grammar of the media”. Just Think! makes it possible for instructors to show their students what it means to learn, be creative, and express themselves, when their circumstances might not give them a chance to do so otherwise. This program is similar to that of Kodak’s innovation by enhancing freedom of expression, especially in the hands of information-hungry youth. JustThink! proves that creativity and the opportunity to absorb information is not generational or circumstantial, but something that anyone, at any age, can be part of.

The third section highlights some emerging trends: blogging and online journals. These outlets give people from every social class and region the ability to have their opinions heard or share their experiences and beliefs with others around the world. This is a huge amount of freedom. Any topic, any time, directed toward anyone who is willing to listen. The Internet gives average people access to the masses, where voices can be heard by popular interest, not just based on their economic status or by the social circles with whom they are associated.

Finally, Lessig discusses open-source software. This software is free and made widely available, allowing people access to its source codes and even change it to fit their own specifications. I used to use the Thunderbird email system, which would be an example of an open-source program, allowing users to personalize their mail settings to fir their personal needs. These sections in Chapter 2 of “Mere Copyists” are all ways that technology has been beneficial to society’s freedoms of expression and increasing democracy. Threatening government or copyright restrictions on any of these mediums will result in weakening these freedoms in America, as well as limiting access and liberties of varying nationalities and circumstances around the world.