The Tool

Isn't the Internet a wonderful tool? It brings strangers from all over the world together, not physically though. The moment we are connected to the Internet, we are all linked up in one way or another. Knowledge is shared, either free or for a fee (it's just a difference of one letter).

What happened to the days when the only thing we need to pay for was the internet access itself? Now almost every site that provides specific information requires registration + a fee. What happened to "When we care, we share"? Shouldn't knowledge be free? Wouldn't it be beneficial to the general public if it is made free? And what's with this copyright thing? Now most people I know are no longer downloading mp3s & movies, all because of the word "copyright". Guess the only thing free left to download would be "porn"? Don't think there's any copyrights to it. If that's so, why can't the rest be made like "porn"? Now we have to resort to buying pirated versions. Why? Would you pay, for instance, $1,000 for an original software when you can get a pirated version of it for jux $10 & it works just as well. Most pirated softwares, nowadays even comes bundled with updates, add-ons & additional related softwares. All that for just 1% of the original price.

Of course I shouldn't speak for those who wrote the softwares & retailed it. If I were them, I might be selling it at that price too. But shouldn't the price be at least made affordable to the general public? We can all see how monopolizing part of the IT industry has brought fame & fortune to a selected few. But what comes next after achieving that? How much will then be enough? There's this saying in chinese "Qu Zhi Se Hui, Yong Zhi Se Hui". It's all about giving and taking. But more seems to be taking & hording than giving & reciprocating.

We all know that money is afraid of the cold. Money will only go to where there is more of it. Therefore the rich will only get richer while the poor only dreams of getting rich. But why do we want to gain more than what we need? Why do we want to pursue more of what we already have?

I remember reading from somewhere an article about being contented. It goes something like this. There's this entrepreneur having a meeting in a club by the beach. During a break, he makes his way to the pier for a breather, where there is this fisherman relaxing under the sun. The man in the suit strikes up a conversation.

Entrepreneur : Wonderful weather today, isn't it?

Fisherman : Yeah, great to just laze under the sun.

Entrepreneur : Since the weather is so good, why aren't you out catching more fish?

Fisherman : Why should I be doing so when I've already caught enough for today?

Entrepreneur : If you catch more fish, you can earn more & soon you can buy another fishing boat & hire more fishermen. As time goes by, you will have an entire fleet of fishing boats and you don't even have to go out to sea anymore.

Fisherman : And what will I be doing by then?

Entrepreneur : You can sit back & enjoy the fruits of your labour then.

Fisherman : Isn't that what I'm doing now?