Technology and Corporate Greed

Last week I watched the sequal to Zeitgeist, called Zeitgeist Addendum. If you havent seen either, you can view them at Zeitgeistmovie.com The movie started fine, full of information about the banking crisis, economic meltdown, then towards the end it goes off on some weird tangent about Venus Project that, well, seems way too sci - fi. The guy on screen sounds intelligent, but my eyes kept looking at the pictures behind his head during the interview that was full of space ships and futuristic buildings. Was initially left with the feeling of WTF was that guy talking about.

My whole family watched it, and in the week that followed, we had our philosophical discussions about some of the ideas presented in the movie, and I began to see some truth in what they were saying. Kind of like the crazy nut on the street shouting prophocies. You kinda ignore what he is saying, but once you hear the underlying message, you see what he was yelling about. Eventually you come up with your own ideas & theories based on one or two fundamental ideas from the movie.

That's the backstory of where I am today..

We've all seen how greed is hurting this country. But the problem doesnt stop with the banking industry. Every aspect of our lives is controlled by corporate greed in one way or another. Your low wages are because the company wants to cut costs. High price at grocery store is because corporate farmers have eliminated competition and controll pricing. Utility bills, gas prices, clothes, medical care, all controlled by corporations.

Supply vs Demand right? Its better for those companies bottom line, to create scarcity, in order to receive higher prices, using less resources.

American Anti trust laws have not been effectively used in many years. When was the last time a monopoly was struck down? What is worse, is that our current patent laws allow companies to create and maintain those monopolies. Patent laws prevent free flow of information, it inhibits growth of technology and innovation.

Lets start with medical patents. Companies can patent viruses, diseases as well as the chemical compounds used to treat those diseases. Hoffmann-La Roche is a company that owns the patent Hepatitis C. Utilizing that patent, they can limit other companies research of cures by limiting other companies rights. They charge other researchers for the 'right' to use their patented virus for research. Some countries, like Brazil, have begun to ignore international patent laws in order to better care for the people of their country. Brazil was the first country to publicly ignore the patent laws surrounding Aids & Aids Cures.

It goes beyond just the drug too. Many new medical procedures now have registered 'trade secrets'. Doctors or Pratices must pay in order to learn and perform those trade secret procedures. IMO, that is probably one of the reasons you see so many speciality hospitals. Its easier to concentrate by ailment and maintain those secrets.

Colleges & Universities now have ability to claim the patents/ trade secrets created by their staff/ research departments. They have sued their students over those 'secrets' http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/215542-1.html?yahss=114-2974554-215542&siap=1

The politicians argue about how to lower medical costs, but NONE of them ever talk about why the costs are so high. Its the patent laws that allow the companies to maintain their monopoly over our lives.

Chevron and other oil companies hold patents on battery technology that inhibits the development of electric cars. http://www.ridelust.com/who-owns-the-patent-on-that-battery-in-my-electric-car/ http://www.ev1.org/chevron.htm They also hold numerous pattents in other areas of energey development such as geo-thermal and solar. http://ecosyn.us/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Cartel+Solar+Patents Its in their best interest that they control the rate at which we switch to electric cars.

Even the food in your pantry is priced higher because of patents. Seeds, pesticides, farming machinery, and production techniques all have patents associated with them. Scarcity = higher prices, so the US subsidizes farmers who DONT grow anything. (but thats a whole different argument) Food is even more crucial IMO. Because the compounds are patented trade secrets, we really dont know what it contains, or what the effects are on living tissue. We have to take the FDA at their word that its safe.

The argument in favor of patent laws has always been to encourage development. Because who would want to invest time and money into creating something, only to have it stolen and produced by someone else. While that arguement has some truths to it, most people do what they do because they LIKE doing what they do, they believe in the cause and they want to save lives. Innovations took place centuries before money existed, the system of greed the patent laws create only inhibit further development.

LINUX is a perfect example of how free information and open platforms encourage growth, innovation and technological advancement all at lower prices.

If we are to advance technology we must eliminate or begin to alter patent laws. We must have free information and return to an enviroment where ideas were exchanged, discussed and built upon others.