The Free Market VS Capitalism

[arebelspy]

I'm not following why it matters that a patent exists on an obsolete product?

If the market has moved on, who cares if it's patented for a few more years?  And if the product hasn't, I think 20 years is plenty reasonable.

  I was referring to the length of the patent.  Society moves at a faster pace so why did we extend the length not shorten it?  That is what I was asking.  Maybe 20 years is the right amount of time.

Right, so if society moves faster, and the product is obsolete, does it matter if it's still patented?

I can think of cases where longer is helpful, but what benefits does only 5 years get us?

Like I said, there are issues with the patent system.  Too many obvious things are patented nowadays.  Patent trolls abound.

But the length of time I don't feel is an issue, and I think 5 years is way too short.  Businesses will still research, yes, but if something is invented by someone else (a small time inventor), they can "wait it out" and then implement it without ever having to pay any patent royalty fees.  That is bad for the small inventor, IMO.

The 100+ years of copyright is what gets me most heated about our intellectual property system.  Works that should be in the public domain (like MLK Jr's I Have a Dream speech) that aren't, decades later.  Ugh.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Just a snippet for Bakari to see what he thought and if he is aware that much of what he is thinking about has been going on for generations, with little to show for the effort put forth.  People think about designing and improving the economic system, but in reality, socialism has been in a global decline consistently throughout my lifetime.  I already pointed out the failings of a free market (laissez faire).  Also wanted to make a statement on over designed systems.  We are incredibly lucky to have pioneered modern capitalism during globalization, there are always things to want to improve, but not changing is fine with me!

Have you actually read the essay series I originally posted a link too?
I have no idea what you are referring to in terms of "designing" the economic system. 
How is socialism an example of any of my suggestions?
I'm suggesting the State do less designing. 
At the same time, I am not suggesting total anarchy either, just that the State intervene less on behalf of encouraging capitalism (such as creating corporations, which represent neither a free market nor socialism).

You're right, I haven't read the essay series, other than the one linked.  But this is the great thing about you popping up on the forum, I can find out if I even want to read the series first, my internet time is finite you know, I can't read everything bloggers write.  And now, judging from the comments, this series seems like nothing more than an interesting academic exercise, maybe even one where we figure out how to fix something, but I'd rather get better at understanding the system as it exists and how I can optimize my life within that framework.  If I have something to patent or become a landlord, maybe I'll read it.

[arebelspy]

I'd rather get better at understanding the system as it exists and how I can optimize my life within that framework.  If I have something to patent or become a landlord, maybe I'll read it.

The patenting and landlord parts were small parts of it.  I would argue it does help you understand the system as it exists.

It seriously took me maybe 20 minutes to read the whole thing.

Open your mind up a bit and give it a shot next time you have some free time.  :)