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Comment by coldpie | Hacker News Reader

> Perhaps it's my jaded brand of libertarianism showing

The big catch is that it's an uneven equation because it's illegal to circumvent DRM due to the DMCA. If users could legally undo the DRM, I think you'd have a valid point: media companies are free to use whatever DRM they wish, and end-users and circumvent it if they are able. It would create an arms race which I believe the media companies would quickly lose. Instead, there's no legal weight in favor of the media companies, with no one standing up for end users' rights.

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I think you're missing my point. My freedom to not give them money isn't about being able to easily copy their media. It's about my freedom to not consume that media whatsoever.

To put it in language that's less easily interpreted as being pro-DRM: If HBO wants to use digital rights management to sink Game of Thrones into a cultural black hole, I'm more than happy to oblige them on that one.

> my freedom to not consume that media whatsoever

But this freedom is bounded in that it comes with a cost. If you don't consume their output then there is a segment of popular culture which you are excluded from... the social distance between you and friends and family are increased. It might be a black hole from your perspective, but lots and lots of the people around you are opting-in.

There are ways around this— there are many more things that its possible to have in common with others, and its possible to leverage your ignorance to create conversation— I'd rather hear a summary of a TV series from a friend than see the series. But it isn't as simple or free of a choice as you seem to be making it out to be.

Yep. That segment of the population being people who are hard-pressed to carry a conversation that doesn't revolve around a subject that I don't enjoy talking about.

Believe it or not, that prospect doesn't actually depress me.

> [ I don't like that content ]

But how will you know? You can't judge the content if you haven't seen it..

There is a crazy abundance of things to do and content to consume, and life is short. I don't avoid DRM free books because I don't like them, I avoid them because there are other books that I'll have a great time with.

I thought like that in my 20s, but as I've gotten older I've decided life is too short to give everything a chance. I'd like to be really sure I'll like something before I give it a chance. Ironically, the Internet, which has probably decreased my access to content because of its role in the creation of DRM, has also increased my ability to see what's worth spending my time on.

Perhaps I lose out on some serendipity, but it's worth it so I don't feel like I've wasted my time.

Which brings us back around to the point about DRM. There's so much I can consume where my rights as an owner are respected that I don't often feel the need to bother with anything else. Hell, I can even get Game of Thrones on DVD if its that important to my social life.

And he didn't say he wouldn't enjoy it, he said he doesn't enjoy talking about it. Probably because he hasn't seen it. But the idea that one's under some obligation to see it in order to engage in conversation probably means one needs new friends.

I believe he's referring to the following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKMbdfbpWvg

It's an interesting observation imo, you should watch the entire thing because when it starts out it doesn't seem as if it's relevant to this conversation.

having said that, I haven't watched television or cable in probably a good 15 years. If I find a show I really enjoy, I'll purchase the DVD/Blue-Ray and watch the entire thing mostly ad-free. And I prefer it that way.

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