From Better Better Than Free:
The internet is a copy machine. At its most foundational level, it copies every action, every character, every thought we make while we ride upon it…..
When copies are super abundant, they become worthless.
When copies are super abundant, stuff which can’t be copied becomes scarce and valuable.
When copies are free, you need to sell things which can not be copied.
Well, what can’t be copied?
There are a number of qualities that can’t be copied. Consider “trust.” Trust cannot be copied. You can’t purchase it. Trust must be earned, over time. It cannot be downloaded. Or faked. Or counterfeited (at least for long). If everything else is equal, you’ll always prefer to deal with someone you can trust. So trust is an intangible that has increasing value in a copy saturated world.
He goes on to articulate the Eight Generatives Better Than Free:
Immediacy
Personalization
Interpretation
Authenticity
Accessibility
Embodiment
Patronage – people want to pay creators.
Findability
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