I think I’ve done my part (and a great deal of self-service) on the Globelines P2P issue, now let me zoom out and take a look at one thing that actually concerns me as an academic and an educator -The Great Book Blockade of 2009.
MLQ3 has already written about (and aggregated) what I think are the most important points regarding this, so let me do the lazy thing and just point you to a couple of his posts –The Great Book Blockade of 2009: Timeline and Readings and We, the People: As Readers.
Now here’s my beef regarding the issue.
On a personal (financial) note, one reason why I only get to buy books a few times a year is because of their cost. Now here’s an additional five percent out of my wallet just to enjoy a good read all because these books aren’t cultural and educational by the standards of someone in the government. So fork over the 5%, Gaiman fanboy.
Such simple judgment reflects the dwindling significance of the humanities to our society. I can see it. Our college’s enrolment is down. Why even study art and literature if I can make a better profit after studying engineering and the “real” sciences?
Whoever said that these books (bestsellers, pop lit, and graphic novels) are nothing but leisure reads should be forced back to kindergarten. Mind you that the latest edition of the MLA even has entries on how to cite comics. These are books (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and graphic novels) that are already part of academe (i.e. educational)! Our department has courses tackling them and I know we can go on and on discussing them using different literary, linguistic, and social theories.
Sure, not every one of these best sellers can be considered landmark literary works but they do serve a purpose. While I am really not a fan of Rowling, I have to admit that I take comfort in students (in GE lit class) actually reading Harry Potter. While students may not have read most of the literary canon, the class can use Harry Potter as a jump off point in the discussion.
And how about that bit about Lord of the Rings. Sure it became even more popular because of the trilogy but how can you even discard a literary (and linguistic!) masterpiece by the person who worked on the the definitive Beowulf theory and the OED’s letter W.
Administrators should let this sink in – these books are making our students read again. Deprive them of that motivation and surely, we’ll find ourselves more illiterate as a society. Then again, that’s always been the plan. Dumb society down so that no one will be able to shake the status quo.
The Great Book Blockade or The Great Tax Evasion by Private Commercial Enterprises
Agreement on the Importation of Educational, Scientific and Cultural Materials, with Annexes A to E and Protocol annexed 1950
Florence, 17 June 1950
-Protocol, Nairobi, 26 November 1976
Annexes
Annex A
Books, publications and documents
(i) Printed books.
(ii) Newspapers and periodicals.
(iii) Books and documents produced by duplicating processes other than printing.
(iv) Official government publications, that is, official, parliamentary and administrative documents published in their country of origin.
(v) Travel posters and travel literature (pamphlets, guides, time-tables, leaflets and similar publications), whether illustrated or not, including those published by private commercial enterprises, whose purpose is to stimulate travel outside the country of importation.
(vi) Publications whose purpose is to stimulate study outside the country of importation.
(vii) Manuscripts, including typescripts.
(viii) Catalogues of books and publications, being books and publications offered for sale by publishers or booksellers established outside the country of importation.
(ix) Catalogues of films, recordings or other visual and auditory material of an educational, scientific or cultural character, being catalogues issued by or on behalf of the United Nations or any of its Specialized Agencies.
(x) Music in manuscript or printed form, or reproduced by duplicating processes other than printing.
(xi) Geographical, hydrographical or astronomical maps and charts.
(xii) Architectural, industrial or engineering plans- and designs, and reproductions thereof, intended for study in scientific establishments or educational institutions approved by the competent authorities of the importing country for the purpose of duty-free admission of these types of articles.
(The exemptions provided by Annex A shall not apply to:
(a) Stationery;
(b) Books, publications and documents (except catalogues, travel posters and travel literature referred to above) published by or for a private commercial enterprise, essentially for advertising purposes;
(c) Newspapers and periodicals in which the advertising matter is in excess of 70 per cent by space;
(d) All other items (except catalogues referred to above) in which the advertising matter is in excess of 25 per cent by space. In the case of travel posters and literature, this percentage shall apply only to private commercial advertising matter.)
Why it that the Exclusion of this agreement was not is discussed? Annex A(b), stated that “ The exemption SHALL NOT APPLY to a PRIVATE COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISESâ€. Then who violates this UNESCO Florence Agreement? The importers (Private Commercial Enterprises) who hides under this blanket agreement or the government who follow this?