Book Review: The Pirate's Dilemma

In the era of major corporations suing kids and old ladies for illegally downloading content and governments using their power to shut down torrent sharing sites Matt Mason's The Pirates Dilemma is an argument for the support of the shadowy folks behind the DIY world of sampling, remixing, and yes illegal (digital) pirating. He gives an engaging history of modern youth culture and all the ways that, what many consider, illegal behavior has actually shaped what we accept as mainstream pop culture today. The book starts with the roots of punk rock and swings through the beginnings of hip-hop ending up with modern street art and DIY 3-D printers. Ultimately he argues that the pirate's way of dealing with the market is, and always will be, the most successful and that rather than trying to stop it we should hop on board the pirate ship. True to his beliefs Mason even offers the logo for the book as a free Creative Commons licensed download which you can remix as you please as well as a pay-what-you-want digital version of the book. It's a fun read that will definitely leave you considering adding an eye-patch to your wardrobe.

The Pirate's Dilemma
by Matt Mason
Free Press
$25.00