As humans, we are creative beings. On a daily basis, people create amazing things that are products of their mind. The process of thinking and eventually making that thought come to life requires hard work. That is why, when we create or make things, those things have to be protected. That's where intellectual property rights come in. Intellectual property rights means those rights that serve to protect the things we create (our intellectual property). It could be music, movies, a technological invention, art and many more.
The importance of intellectual property rights in today's world cannot be overemphasized. Without intellectual property rights, anyone anywhere can just claim ownership over what is not theirs. It would be so easy to steal someone's work and nothing would be done about it.
Every day, ideas pop up in people's minds. But having an idea is not enough. It takes guts to bring that idea to life. It takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice to make these ideas a reality. Not everyone can or is willing to do that. Which is why it is disheartening when those who go the extra mile to create something wonderful end up with their work stolen or being claimed by another person.
That would be the norm in a world without intellectual property rights. In such a world, theft would be rampant. Without intellectual property rights, unscrupulous individuals would have the effrontery to claim ownership over what is not theirs.
Creators would no longer have the incentive to create wonderful works. Because, what's the use after all? Without the protection of intellectual property rights, creators wouldn't see the need to go through the stress of making things because their works would end up being used indiscriminately. Most of them even lose money.
Imagine you're a movie producer. Making a movie usually involves a lot of money. As a producer, you will be waiting to regain your money when the movie is released and starts grossing in profits. Without intellectual property protection, something like piracy can make you lose your money. You wouldn't get the amount of profit you were supposed to get in the first place.
Ultimately, originality will become a thing of the past because there will be no reward for it. I know that I won't be happy if someone steals or claims ownership of my work after I suffered while making it. I might even lose the vibe to make something creative again.
Furthermore, without intellectual property rights, consumers would have a difficult time trying to discern what is fake and what is original. Because the original is not protected, fakes would be everywhere. The danger in this can be seen in the pharmaceutical industry. Without intellectual property rights, fake drugs, imitating the original ones would proliferate, filling the markets. The final consumers get to consume these fake medications and suffer the consequences.
One more disadvantage that would happen in a world without intellectual property rights is the economic disadvantage. There are industries that would lose so much money without the protection intellectual property rights offer. People would even lose their jobs because revenue would drop.
So, if you look at it critically, intellectual property right doesnt just protect a particular group of people, it doesn't just protect those who create, it protects all of us, because the consequences that arise from its absence affects each of us in one way or another.
This is my entry for day 26 of April inleo writing initiative. You can learn more about it here