Because Tim Kreider's writing is the gift that keeps on giving, I’m writing a series of posts in response to several issues that he raised in his op-ed in the New York Times called “Slaves of the Internet, Unite.” In Part 1, I discussed how trading free work for exposure isn’t always a con: Sometimes it’s just how the business works. In Part 2, I discussed some of the economics … [Read more...] about Freebies, Part 3 — It’s Not All About You
No Means No: The Medical Exception
Let's talk about rapist doctors.I'm not talking about doctors who take advantage of anesthetized patients. That's a problem law enforcement can deal with. What I'm talking about is someone like Dr. Michael Parsa, who works at the University Medical Center of El Paso, and who essentially raped an unidentified woman for the police, according to a lawsuit filed by the … [Read more...] about No Means No: The Medical Exception
Freebies, Part 2 – Pricing Creative Labor
I'm writing a series of posts in response to several issues that author Tim Kreider raised in his op-ed in the New York Times called "Slaves of the Internet, Unite." In Part 1, I discussed how trading free work for exposure isn't always a con: Sometimes it's just how the business works. In this part, I'd like to discuss some of the economics of pricing mental labor.Kreider … [Read more...] about Freebies, Part 2 – Pricing Creative Labor
Freebies, Part 1 – Just Business
A while back, a lot of people were linking to author Tim Kreider's op-ed in the New York Times called "Slaves of the Internet, Unite." Despite its apparent reasonableness, it bothered me for some reason. It took me a while to figure out why (and then a while to find time to write), but I think I can explain.Kreider's complaint starts reasonably enough: Not long ago, I … [Read more...] about Freebies, Part 1 – Just Business
Maverick Ray At Large
I write a lot about laws and lawyers, but I normally avoid commenting on issues of client representation. I feel comfortable opining on civil liberties or the justice system in general because while I may not have expert knowledge, these things are of general importance to all citizens, and we all have a stake. But it's a very different matter to question a lawyer's … [Read more...] about Maverick Ray At Large