Or, if you don't work you don't eat. It seems we relate this concept to food. Hmm...
As I've read and discussed this idea with several people I find myself seeing a connection between our economic system and our moral ideology. Behind all the competition and self-interest, there is a set of morals that is heavily ingrained in our psyche. Capitalists believe in hard work, in earning what you get by the sweat of your own brow. They, and dare I say we, believe in using our individual talents and capabilities to compete with others. Many capitalists even claim that through this almost individualistic framework they are able to add more to society as a whole, than if they were "clones" in a different society.
So the question this brings to me- what kind of moral system does open source and our emerging ideas of openness create? Will this not create an even greater problem of "free riders"?
If merchants are giving their products away, then everybody who accepts from them will be a "free rider." From class, I've gathered some ways in which companies could make a little money with this model, but it just seems like companies as a whole will be making a lot less money. Not good for the economy, whatever kind we may be using.
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