Dystopias, clockwork societies, and the well greased machines of nightmares are all facets of some very interesting stories and philosophical discussions; arguments beginning and ending with principles of freedom and free expression.  While I can’t give the actual quote or its source I can summarize something I once heard:  leisure is the reason for and time of invention.

We create to make things easier and more efficient.  This can still be ascribed to the saying of “necessity is the mother of invention” but we create to give us more time to create again.  Free expression and the sharing of ideas facilitate a better environment for the spreading of ideas.  While it can be argued that people can be most creative under pressure; people tend to be inventive for personal gains while in a more relaxed setting.  With a goal to strive for and resources (specifically time) available people can be incredibly inventive. 

Now for why I’m saying all this:  A restricted, proprietary, society does not bode well for the advancement of mankind.  While a single mind leading can efficiently run and maintain the status quo, nothing ever remains in the same state.  If it did then there would be no need for advancement in the first place.  On the other hand, forced sharing of ideas and works helps no one.  The communistic idea of forced communal sharing leads more often to corruption.  After all, is it easier to rely upon man’s avarice or his altruism?  Just as freedom shouldn’t be removed it shouldn’t be forced.  Those who wish to rely on the security of their chains shouldn’t be thrust into the open while those who would rather die than to live confined shouldn’t be shackled with the rest.  In essence, open source is a matter of freedom.  If someone wants to share their work or ideas then allow them and vice versa.  History will work itself out and decide which method is stronger.  Those who are trying to achieve something will, more than likely, realize that by sharing their methods with others they can find an improved version.  Improvements lead to more leisure time which leads to more improvements.

As a side note for those worried about mankind reaching the point of the future society shown in H.G. Wells Time Machine¸ it is quite possible that this method works within the same principle of diminishing returns that economics does.  An exponential scale wherein for each improvement we gain less extra leisure time.

image taken from Rintawriteitall // unsure of original author

Hardin, Garret. “The Tragedy of the Commons.” N.p., 1968. Web. 12 Nov. 2010. <http://dieoff.org/page95.htm&gt;.