Care Quote by Jaron Lanier
“Making information free is survivable so long as only limited numbers of people are disenfranchised. As much as it pains me to say so, we can survive if we only destroy the middle classes of musicians, journalists, and photographers. What is not survivable is the additional destruction of the middle classes in transportation, manufacturing, energy, office work, education, and health care. And all that destruction will come surely enough if the dominant idea of an information economy isn't improved.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Information Economy, 2018
Free information is viable only if middle‑class creators survive; destroying them harms society.
In simple terms: Preserve middle‑class creators for a healthy information economy.
Key Takeaway
Protect creators to sustain information flow.
Themes
economy
information
social equity
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy advocacy
- support for journalists
- community media projects
Key Concepts
digital rights
media ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance free information with creator livelihoods?
- What policies protect middle‑class creators?
A Different Perspective
Economic pressures may still marginalize creators.
![“[T]he public library is where those without money, power, access, university affiliation, or advanced degrees can get information for free.” quote by Siva Vaidhyanathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e3e/siva-vaidhyanathan-55758_access_t-he-public-library-is-where-those-witho_1587168.jpg)
