Art Quote by David Shields
“Copies have been dethroned; the economic model built on them is collapsing. In a regime of superabundant free copies, copies are no longer the basis of wealth. Now relationships, links, connections, and sharing are. Value has shifted away from a copy toward the many ways to recall, annotate, personalize, edit, authenticate, display, mark, transfer, and engage a work. Art is a conversation, not a patent office. The citation of sources belongs to the realms of journalism and scholarship, not art. Reality can’t be copyrighted.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Cult of Copying" by David Shields, 2009
In a world of abundant digital copies, value now comes from connections, annotations, and personalization rather than the copy itself.
In simple terms: Value shifts from copies to relationships and edits.
Key Takeaway
Focus on building networks and adding personal context.
Themes
digital culture
value
art
copyright
collaboration
Mood
reflective
critical
optimistic
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic publishing
- digital art creation
- social media content
- online education
- software development
Key Concepts
network theory
participatory culture
authorship
remix
metadata
Questions to Reflect On
- How can creators monetize relational value?
- What ethical issues arise from remix culture?
A Different Perspective
Even with abundant copies, legal and economic systems still prioritize ownership.
![“The primary objective of copyright is not to reward the labor of authors, but ‘[t]o promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts.' To this end, copyright assures authors the right to their original expression, but encourages others to build freely upon the ideas and information conveyed by a…” quote by Sandra Day O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/166/sandra-day-o-connor-3681_art_the-primary-objective-of-copyright-is-no_3201168.jpg)
