Ecstasy of influence

Lethem believes copyrights are generally bad for artists. Copyrights are supposed to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts," but they have become corrupted. What once helped the advancement of culture is now suppressing it. It is a crime to use almost any information from another author. People can no longer build off others ideas because it is illegal. Lethem does not see this "modern" copyright as good for artists. They cannot base their work off previous writings they must record their own unique conclusions. Lethem pretty much says everything is plagiarism. Mostly everything that is written or recorded has come from some other source or idea. Every single piece of information is copied from somewhere else. There is not longer any original ideas. Writing should be a gift. Every writer should be offering their ideas to the public instead of getting copyrights to ban them from being used. The use of knowledge should not be suppressed. New ideas should be able to stem off of the old ones. Lethem believes that copyrights prevent this. He compares the spread of knowledge to lighting anothers candle. You do not lose any brightness by lighting another candle with your own but you help another person experience the light.

In other words, don't keep your grea ideas and revelations to yourself, share the wealth and let your art benefit th erest of society.