Novelist Mark Helprin anticipated that his 2007 "New York Times" op-ed piece about the extension of the term of copyright would be received quietly, if not altogether overlooked. Within a week, the article had accumulated 750,000 angry comments from individuals of the internet generation, who banded together out of a common desire to abolish copyright, primarily so they can obtain and share music and software for free. Shocked by their breathtaking sense of entitlement and appalled by the breadth, speed, and illogic of their response, Helprin realized how drastically different this generation is from those before it. The copyright abolitionists, like the rest of their generation, were educated with a modern bias toward collaboration which has led them to denigrate individual efforts and in turn fueled their sense of entitlement to the fruits of other people's labors. More importantly, their selfish desire to 'stick it' to the greedy corporate interests who control the production and distribution of intellectual property leads them to seek to overturn the vital legal protections built up over centuries. Offering a ringing defense of the individual voice and its hard-won legal protections in the age of digital culture while attacking that culture for degrading the thought and language of an entire generation.
Digital Barbarism
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Noted novelist and journalist Helprin (Winter's Tale) wrote an op-ed in the New York Times in 2007 arguing for an extension of the term of copyright. In response, he received 750,000 caustic, often vulgar e-mails from those he calls the anticopyright movement—a mostly vague cabal led, apparently, by law professor Lawrence Lessig, and whose house organ is the œChronicle of [Supposedly] Higher Education. Now Helprin gets his revenge with a splenetic riposte that veers from a passionate defense of authors' rights and the power of the individual voice to a misanthropic attack on a debased America populated by œSlurpee-sucking geeks, œbeer-drinking dufuses and œmouth-breathing morons in backwards baseball caps and pants that fall down. We're treated to his views on everything from tax policy and airport security to the self-regard of academic literary critics. Drowning in this ocean of bile is a defense of authors' right to control their work and defend its integrity against appropriation and distortion by others, and an examination of the historical and legal basis of copyright offered in elegant prose and with a rapier-sharp wit. But Helprin's pugnacity may repel even those who agree that
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From the Back Cover
Mark Helprin anticipated thathis 2007 New York Times op-edpiece about the extension of theterm of copyright would be receivedquietly. instead, within a week, thearticle had generated 750,000angry comments. shocked by hisyoung critics’ breathtaking senseof entitlement and appalled by thebreadth, speed, and illogic of theirarguments, Helprin realized howdrastically different this generationwas from those before it. theCreative Commons movement andthe copyright abolitionists havebeen educated with a modern biastoward collaboration, which hasled them to denigrate individualefforts. Digital Barbarism is Helprin’scogent, powerful, and passionateresponse to those whose selfishdesire to “stick it” to the “greedy”corporate interests controlling thedistribution of intellectual propertyundermines not just the possibilityof an independent literary culturebut threatens the future of civilizationitself.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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More About the Author
Educated at Harvard, Princeton, and Oxford, MARK HELPRIN served in the Israeli army, Israeli Air Force, and British Merchant Navy. He is the author of, among other titles, A Dove of the East and Other Stories, Refiner's Fire, Winter's Tale, and A Soldier of the Great War. He lives in Virginia.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
49 of 58 people found the following review helpful
By J. S. Lang
Format:Hardcover
As the author of thirty-seven books, I have (obviously) a keen interest in the subject of copyright. Hence I read, and savored, this book by Mark Helprin, whom I regret not having encountered before. His writing is dense--i.e., you don't breeze through it quickly, for he has chosen his words (and thoughts) carefully, and trying to skim and skip would be like trying to gulp down a gourmet meal. He digresses often, and well, but he keeps coming back to the main subject, that in our digital age we have lost sight of what constitutes good writing, and thus many people (Helprin's critics, of whom there appear to be thousands)seem to believe it is "selfish" for writers to be well-paid (and, frankly, we aren't). I think his wisest insight is that the "cut and paste" habit that is so much a part of Internet communication has led many people to think that articles and books don't require much effort, that we writers are lazy slackers who can throw a book together in no time at all. Not so--although, heaven knows, many of the books out there do appear to have been thrown together when the authors were half-stoned. It is inspiring to see creativity and eloquence defended by a writer who has both qualities in abundance.
In case you aren't familiar with Helprin's "controversy," it concerns his defense of U.S. copyright, which extends for 70 years after the author's death. That is, if you write and publish a book, you receive royalties during your lifetime and your designated estate receives them for seventy years afterward--which differs from "public domain" books, in which no royalty is paid to anyone, and the publisher reaps all the profits. This is not exactly a radical idea, since every country has similar copyright practices, yet Helprin discovered that Internet bloggers were cursing him for upholding such a "selfish" practice. The bloggers constantly misquoted and misconstrued various authorities from the past (such as Thomas Jefferson), and Helprin carefully clarifies what these authorities said, and meant. He also makes a good case for the traditional view: good writing flows from creative individuals and is not "communal," no matter what Internet junkies may say. He cites the "wikis" as sad examples of how "communal" writing can spread errors on a wide scale.
Alas, I doubt this book will be read by his critics, because the anti-Helprin bloggers (who, it appears, would qualify as bored Internet addicts with very short attention spans), but nonetheless the book is well-thought-out and a delight to read. Even if you have no interest in the copyright issue, his observations of contemporary technology make the book worth reading.
In case you aren't familiar with Helprin's "controversy," it concerns his defense of U.S. copyright, which extends for 70 years after the author's death. That is, if you write and publish a book, you receive royalties during your lifetime and your designated estate receives them for seventy years afterward--which differs from "public domain" books, in which no royalty is paid to anyone, and the publisher reaps all the profits. This is not exactly a radical idea, since every country has similar copyright practices, yet Helprin discovered that Internet bloggers were cursing him for upholding such a "selfish" practice. The bloggers constantly misquoted and misconstrued various authorities from the past (such as Thomas Jefferson), and Helprin carefully clarifies what these authorities said, and meant. He also makes a good case for the traditional view: good writing flows from creative individuals and is not "communal," no matter what Internet junkies may say. He cites the "wikis" as sad examples of how "communal" writing can spread errors on a wide scale.
Alas, I doubt this book will be read by his critics, because the anti-Helprin bloggers (who, it appears, would qualify as bored Internet addicts with very short attention spans), but nonetheless the book is well-thought-out and a delight to read. Even if you have no interest in the copyright issue, his observations of contemporary technology make the book worth reading.
17 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I've actually never read any of Mark Helprin's fiction, but after reading this book (well, listening to the audio version) I'm planning to do so. He has such a way with words that it was a joy to listen to his arguments. Other reviewers have summed up the content of the book, and, while I used to lean on the side of the freetards, I'm now more in line with Helprin's suggestion that copyright be extended as much as possible.
Helprin writes like Mencken, with that sort of creative contempt for stupidity and vapidity that is missing in our day and age. Too often, commenters and bloggers just repeat the same, tired arguments, with vituperative language and ad hominem attacks. These "boobs" - to use Mencken's term - went rabid when Heplrin published an op-ed about copyright in the New York Times. Helprin joyously (though I have the feeling that he wasn't that happy about them) pushes aside their arguments and presents one that, while in the minority, makes a lot more sense. Some of my work is intellectual property, and why should I allow the government to say that I can't pass that on to my descendants? Interestingly, the same people who criticize this idea are often libertarians (or lean in that direction) who don't want government getting in the way of anything.
All in all, this is a brilliant book, worth reading not only for the unique voice but for the arguments in favor of copyright. Just because it's easy to steal digital content doesn't mean it's morally correct, or should be allowed by law. You may not agree with Helprin, but if you are a Reader, you'll love the way he presents his case.
Helprin writes like Mencken, with that sort of creative contempt for stupidity and vapidity that is missing in our day and age. Too often, commenters and bloggers just repeat the same, tired arguments, with vituperative language and ad hominem attacks. These "boobs" - to use Mencken's term - went rabid when Heplrin published an op-ed about copyright in the New York Times. Helprin joyously (though I have the feeling that he wasn't that happy about them) pushes aside their arguments and presents one that, while in the minority, makes a lot more sense. Some of my work is intellectual property, and why should I allow the government to say that I can't pass that on to my descendants? Interestingly, the same people who criticize this idea are often libertarians (or lean in that direction) who don't want government getting in the way of anything.
All in all, this is a brilliant book, worth reading not only for the unique voice but for the arguments in favor of copyright. Just because it's easy to steal digital content doesn't mean it's morally correct, or should be allowed by law. You may not agree with Helprin, but if you are a Reader, you'll love the way he presents his case.
14 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By Garth Snyder
Format:Hardcover
I'm an admirer of Mark Helprin's superb fiction, and I largely agree with his position on the value of copyrights. I also derive some income from copyright royalties, so presumably I have a vested interest in championing these ideas. Nevertheless, I find this book to be interesting chiefly for its peculiarity.
Helprin wrote a New York Times editorial that encouraged Congress to extend the validity of US copyrights. He was then vilified and attacked, online, by a cadre of anti-copyrightist true believers. What's worse, many of these anti-copyrightists were...wait for it...uncivil, and their grammar was approximate at best.
Digital Barbarism is the sputtering cri de coeur through which Helprin processed the psychic trauma of this event. It's also his intellectual riposte from the unassailable high ground of print. Half the book is about the value of copyright as a social institution, and half is about the debasement and coarsening of public discourse wrought by the Internets.
My basic complaint is that neither of these points is an argument that needs making. As Helprin points out, the arguments for abolishing copyright are largely specious, and only a small minority of the public cleaves to this perspective (as least, once you factor out the rabble's bleating attempts to justify their own music piracy). The combined weights of history, international conventions, and corporate financial interests are firmly aligned against the abolition of copyright, and the chance of anti-copyrightist thinking making its way into public policy is virtually nil.
Helprin only perceives it as a clear and present danger because of his painful drubbing at the hands of the Internet trolls. I'm sure the anti-copyright faction sounded quite loud and united (not to mention rude) on whichever comment threads dealt Helprin his psychological scars. However, Helprin doesn't seem to understand that those venues constitute a natural focal point in the funhouse mirror of the Internet; they aren't necessarily representative of the views of Internet citizens in general. If you don't know enough to ignore the open comment threads of a mass-market newspaper, you're going to see some pretty hair-raising stuff.
More broadly, Helprin has noticed that people on the Internet are often nasty and ignorant. Since the people Helprin knows personally don't seem nasty and ignorant, it must be the Internet that is warping and debasing the character of its inhabitants. Once again, I can't exactly disagree with Helprin that the Internet facilitates bad behavior--just wait til he discovers 4chan. On the other hand, it seems more likely that our nastiness and ignorance are things we bring to the Internet rather than things the Internet brings to us. Many Internet forums feature cordial, thoughtful, and grammatical discussion. In this respect, Digital Barbarism is 2009's "Reefer Madness."
Helprin's nonfiction prose style turns out to be rather tortured. Even from a purely stylistic perspective, it's difficult to avoid the impression that one is reading material from the 18th century. Helprin's sporadic anti-technological passages and his occasional fumbles of terminology (e.g., his references to early adopters as "early adapters") combine to create a sort of crotchety "You kids get off my lawn!" effect. Rather than reevaluating my own assumptions, I found that I was increasingly questioning Helprin's qualifications to be writing about the social context of the Internet.
Despite these various complaints, portions of the book are delicious. In particular, the chapter that skewers the Internet hoi polloi for their incoherence and slipshod grasp of English is hilarious and right on target. The book as a whole is worth reading, if only because I don't think you'll encounter anything like it elsewhere.
Helprin wrote a New York Times editorial that encouraged Congress to extend the validity of US copyrights. He was then vilified and attacked, online, by a cadre of anti-copyrightist true believers. What's worse, many of these anti-copyrightists were...wait for it...uncivil, and their grammar was approximate at best.
Digital Barbarism is the sputtering cri de coeur through which Helprin processed the psychic trauma of this event. It's also his intellectual riposte from the unassailable high ground of print. Half the book is about the value of copyright as a social institution, and half is about the debasement and coarsening of public discourse wrought by the Internets.
My basic complaint is that neither of these points is an argument that needs making. As Helprin points out, the arguments for abolishing copyright are largely specious, and only a small minority of the public cleaves to this perspective (as least, once you factor out the rabble's bleating attempts to justify their own music piracy). The combined weights of history, international conventions, and corporate financial interests are firmly aligned against the abolition of copyright, and the chance of anti-copyrightist thinking making its way into public policy is virtually nil.
Helprin only perceives it as a clear and present danger because of his painful drubbing at the hands of the Internet trolls. I'm sure the anti-copyright faction sounded quite loud and united (not to mention rude) on whichever comment threads dealt Helprin his psychological scars. However, Helprin doesn't seem to understand that those venues constitute a natural focal point in the funhouse mirror of the Internet; they aren't necessarily representative of the views of Internet citizens in general. If you don't know enough to ignore the open comment threads of a mass-market newspaper, you're going to see some pretty hair-raising stuff.
More broadly, Helprin has noticed that people on the Internet are often nasty and ignorant. Since the people Helprin knows personally don't seem nasty and ignorant, it must be the Internet that is warping and debasing the character of its inhabitants. Once again, I can't exactly disagree with Helprin that the Internet facilitates bad behavior--just wait til he discovers 4chan. On the other hand, it seems more likely that our nastiness and ignorance are things we bring to the Internet rather than things the Internet brings to us. Many Internet forums feature cordial, thoughtful, and grammatical discussion. In this respect, Digital Barbarism is 2009's "Reefer Madness."
Helprin's nonfiction prose style turns out to be rather tortured. Even from a purely stylistic perspective, it's difficult to avoid the impression that one is reading material from the 18th century. Helprin's sporadic anti-technological passages and his occasional fumbles of terminology (e.g., his references to early adopters as "early adapters") combine to create a sort of crotchety "You kids get off my lawn!" effect. Rather than reevaluating my own assumptions, I found that I was increasingly questioning Helprin's qualifications to be writing about the social context of the Internet.
Despite these various complaints, portions of the book are delicious. In particular, the chapter that skewers the Internet hoi polloi for their incoherence and slipshod grasp of English is hilarious and right on target. The book as a whole is worth reading, if only because I don't think you'll encounter anything like it elsewhere.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marvelous: learned, delightful
This book reminds me of some of Chesterton's apologetics. Not all of the arguments are water-tight. Read more
Published 3 months ago by RCH
5.0 out of 5 stars
Barbarian behavior
For those familiar with Helprin's fiction, this book will provide a fascinating insight to understanding the passions of those stories. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Christopher Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ingeniously Provocative, If Philosophically Wrong
I am personally so opposed to monopoly of any sort, that I wanted to give this book one star, instead of five, but then I noticed that others had already done this, and I realized... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mark Goodell
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Pretty Angry Man
Mark Helprin's 'Winter's Tale' is one of my favourite novels of all time. I've read it at least a dozen times. So I respect the man's abilities. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Schmadrian
5.0 out of 5 stars
Clear, concise, interesting
I love Mark Helprin! He has an amazing way with words that is both engaging and informative. He's also brilliantly humorous.
Published on April 5, 2011 by thebstt
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
Who would have thought that a book about copyright (and other things) could be so absorbing and a pleasure to read? Part of this is, of course, due to Mr. Read more
Published on January 19, 2011 by shiftingsandy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Copyright and why I should care
For some time, I have wondered what the big deal is about copyright. Even as a novelist with six books published, I didn't think there was much wrong if my work suddenly appeared... Read more
Published on March 10, 2010 by hrladyship
5.0 out of 5 stars
Marvelous
An inspired and beautifully written book. The ferocity with which its point is being missed is testament to the book's power--many realize they are being flayed, but they are not... Read more
Published on November 5, 2009 by John Daniel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Has a better polemic ever been written?
I'm no doubt setting the bar far too high. And I don't know exactly what to say about this book except that... Read more
Published on November 3, 2009 by David Light
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Winters Tale Fan, a Request ...
To: Mark Helprin
Subject: A Request to have a Winters Tale Available for my Kindle
The rating is for Winters Tale. Read more
Subject: A Request to have a Winters Tale Available for my Kindle
The rating is for Winters Tale. Read more
Published on October 18, 2009 by Robert J. Hannan Jr.
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