3.  The democratization of culture

What is happening in this process, I think, is nothing less than the democratization of culture, or the ongoing creative innovation of existing art and the seemingly never ending revision of current knowledge.  Computer technology has made it possible for emerging adults not only to access an unprecedented wealth of music and film.  It also enables them to utilize these ancient and contemporary art forms as material for their own artistic productions.  They listen to songs, read the lyrics and watch film clips.  But they also cut and paste these elements of existing culture, combine them innovatively into their own creative video (re)productions and post them on YouTube.

In addition and by means of twitter and blogging, they participate with other twenty-something adults in an ongoing and spirited dialogue on a vast array of topics ranging from religion to recreation, fashion styles to food preferences, exercise to environmental concerns. In this debate no one opinion is ever elevated to the level of gospel truth.  What matters most to these young people is the free exchange of ideas and the right of each individual to speak and be heard.  As with the arts, this development represents a democratization of knowledge.

This historical turn of events delivers the death knell to the notion of single authorship.  In a climate where everyone is allowed to be the author or composer of her/his own creation, the idea of an original composer or author who has the sole copyright for his/her production becomes problematic.  The debate of the so called “creative commons” about the right of anyone to download existing cultural products free of charge is an example of the current actuality of this issue.