[free-sklyarov] An Alternative Line of Argumentation

[Izel Sulam]

>Izel, this is the best non-technical summary I've seen. Do you mind if 
>people quote you?

I would be honored if people quote me. Anybody is free to quote me as long 
as it is in context and properly attributed.

But you're wrong when you say that this is the best summary you've seen. 
The fact is that this summary is not like the other summaries you've seen. 
It is different in one key aspect. Most people's arguments have 
concentrated largely on why the DMCA is bad law, why fair use rights are 
important, why computer and security research provides the necessary checks 
and balances against lousy software and bad corporate practices, etc.

These are all very worthy arguments of course, but there is no practical 
way to simplify them to make them appealing to sheeple. The DMCA involves 
the very periphery of all human endeavors - cryptography, an area which is 
familiar to a mere fraction percent of the world population. It is 
impossible to get the masses excited or involved about something which 
exists at the periphery of all human endeavors. This is the case even if 
this periphery has far-ranging implications on all aspects of human 
civilization. This is sad, but this is the way the sheeple mind works.

I tried another strategy based on a secret Jedi mind trick. In order to 
simplify an argument, one must hijack a meme that is already very familiar 
to the sheeple. One must choose a meme for which the sheeple's emotions are 
well known. One must then associate one's argument with this already 
familiar meme.

This is what I did. Rather than framing this as a DMCA issue, I framed it 
as a consumer rights issue. I associated it with the Ford / Firestone meme. 
Big bad corporation makes faulty product, fradulently misrepresents said 
product, causes loss of life, limb, profits, intellectual property, 
whatever, through said fradulent misrepresentation. Also irreparable harm. 
(Sounds good in shareholder or customer class action lawsuits.) Ford was 
guilty of this, Adobe is guilty of this. Consumers are familiar with this 
meme and receptive to this meme. There is no way to spin this meme in any 
positive way. Once this meme is out in the wild, Adobe is dead and done for 
PR-wise.

Comments, suggestions welcome.

- izel

P.S. Spread the meme.