Probing the Concept of “Free”
One of my friends sent me a link to Stuart Jeffries’s article on freeconomics (sic). I went from not intending to blog about the article to wanting to leave notes all over it the way I do with books (using stickies, of course).
It wasn’t until a few paragraphs into the article that I started to see how it was applicable to more than flying for free. During the first 1/3 or so of the article, my mind was swimming with questions on what the definition of “free” was and is. Thankfully, I was able to temporarily put those questions aside when I reached Chris Anderson’s quote that “a free lunch doesn’t necessarily mean the food is being given away or that you’ll pay for it later – it could just mean someone else is picking up the tab”. Although I don’t completely agree with that definition of free, it’s sufficient in providing a context for Anderson’s position as presented by Jeffries.
The concept of generating revenue from something which is not the primary product is still something I’m struggling to apply to artists who create unique (or limited editions of) works of art. I’ve been asking myself the question “how can we make that work” for so long that I’m starting to loose faith and wonder whether it’s even possible. The most successful non-traditional business model of which I’m aware (for visual art) is the one being used by Matthew Barney, and that doesn’t involve giving away anything for free (except for limited images online).
Distinguishing between “feels like free” and “free” is something we need to accomplish. I wonder how many of the creators who balk at “free” are unhappy not because their work is so accessible but because there is the feeling of the work being taken rather than given. Creative control is a big concern for most creators, and its most recent manifestations in copyright law litigation suggest that maybe it’s not just the money we’re worried about.
The most overwhelming thing about the article? It lead me to three or four books to add to my already long list of books to read.
Tags: business models, economics
