[FC-discuss] FreeCulture.org is now Students for Free Culture

[Gavin Baker]

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Crosbie,

Sorry that you're unhappy with our decision.

I find there are many valid strategic and logistical reasons for an
organization to organize at universities, and to organize students
specifically.

If there is a place for a grassroots free culture organization that is
organized geographically or online, I hope that someone will found it.
That organization is not Students for Free Culture, never was, and was
never intended to be.

We will continue our efforts to engage students with the important civic
questions of free culture. We also will continue to stand with the free
culture movement in all its various forms.

I hope the community will continue to support us in these endeavors.

Sincerely,
- --
Gavin Baker
Students for Free Culture
http://freeculture.org/
gavin at freeculture.org


Crosbie Fitch wrote:
> I would have thought "Artists for Free Culture" would have been better.
> 
> Or even "Free Citizens for Free Culture"
> 
> I would suspect that the popular conception of a student is a passive
> receptacles for knowledge, only expected to start doing anything
> significantly productive/creative until after they've ceased being a
> student.
> 
> The last thing a passive receptacle needs is the freedom to publish copies
> or derivatives. People will assume students are just after broader
> educational exemptions for using the library photocopier.
> 
> So 'Students for Free Culture' comes across as if it was "Couch Potatoes for
> Free Culture".
> 
> At worst "Students can't afford much, so we should get the world's culture
> free of charge. Thanks."
> 
> The best light it can be put in is "Typically militant students having the
> luxury of being able to agitate against cultural oppression of the masses"
> 
> What's so special about a student?
> 
> That's what I want to know.
> 
> If you say 'many people showed up who were not aware that we were a student
> organization', perhaps instead of concluding that you need to strengthen the
> student angle, you could have concluded that you should ditch the student
> angle (even if students do constitute the key demographic most able to
> perceive the corruption in copyright and patent).
> 
> The last thing a body that champions cultural freedom should be is
> exclusive.
> 
> If only FreeCulture.org was now 'Everyone for Free Culture'
> 
> "We found people were confused when we said it was a student organisation,
> so we've stopped saying that. We now just say it's an open and egalitarian
> organisation that welcomes everyone interested in promoting cultural
> freedom"
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss at freeculture.org
> http://freeculture.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/discuss
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