--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have called this phenomenon of stealing…" description: "\"I have called this phenomenon of stealing common knowledge and indigenous science \"biopiracy\" and \"intellectual piracy.\" According to patent systems we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/vandana-shiva-2756_able_i-have-called-this-phenomenon-of-stealin_2561540.jpg" --- # I have called this phenomenon of stealing common knowledge… ![“I have called this phenomenon of stealing common knowledge and indigenous science "biopiracy" and "intellectual piracy." According to patent systems we shouldn't be able to patent what exists as "prior art." But the United States patent system is somewhat perverted. First of all, it does not treat…” quote by Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/vandana-shiva-2756_able_i-have-called-this-phenomenon-of-stealin_2561540.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/vandana-shiva-2756_able_i-have-called-this-phenomenon-of-stealin_2561540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/315/vandana-shiva-2756_able_i-have-called-this-phenomenon-of-stealin_2561540.jpg) > “I have called this phenomenon of stealing common knowledge and indigenous science "biopiracy" and "intellectual piracy." According to patent systems we shouldn't be able to patent what exists as "prior art." But the United States patent system is somewhat perverted. First of all, it does not treat the prior art of other societies as "prior art." Therefore anyone from the United States can travel to another country, find out about the use of a medicinal plant, or find a seed that farmers use, come back here, claim it as an invention or an innovation.” [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Patent systems often ignore prior knowledge from other cultures, allowing exploitation of indigenous resources as new inventions. **In simple terms:** Patents can misuse indigenous knowledge. Key Takeaway Advocate for equitable intellectual property rights. Themes biopiracy intellectual property indigenous rights Mood serious determined Type activist policy When to use this quote - policy reform - community empowerment - research ethics - fair trade Key Concepts law ethics economics Questions to Reflect On - How can traditional knowledge be protected? - What mechanisms ensure fair benefit sharing? A Different Perspective Legal reforms face strong corporate resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Biopiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biopiracy-1610314/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-knowledge/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Indigenous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indigenous/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Intellectual Piracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual-piracy-1610316/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Patent Exists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patent-exists-1610313/) [Patents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patents/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Piracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piracy/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Prior Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prior-art-1610317/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Biopiracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-biopiracy-1610315/) [Seeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeds/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Treats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treats/) [United](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [Biopiracy (is) biological theft; illegal collection of indigenous plants by corporations who patent them for their own use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/biopiracy-is-biological-theft-illegal-collection-of-indigenous-plants/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Prior art is as effective as US soldiers in Iraq: They control the ground they stand on, and nothing more. I used to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/prior-art-is-as-effective-as-us-soldiers-in-iraq-they-control-the/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Knowledge is power. It is my hope that as we continue to do what women do best-network, guide, and provide support for each other-POP…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrie-palm/knowledge-is-power-it-is-my-hope-that-as-we-continue-to-do-what-women/) [Sherrie Palm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrie-palm/) > [Common knowledge, but important nonetheless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/common-knowledge-but-important-nonetheless/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [The difference between excellence and mediocrity is usually the difference between common knowledge and consistent application.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-difference-between-excellence-and-mediocrity-is-usually-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But,' I reminded myself, 'it's common knowledge that life isn't worth living, anyhow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/but-i-reminded-myself-it-s-common-knowledge-that-life-isn-t-worth/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Of course, you don't have to have a degree to be rich. You just have to have ideas. Maybe having a degree sets you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-wilde/of-course-you-don-t-have-to-have-a-degree-to-be-rich-you-just-have-to/) [Stuart Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-wilde/) > [I knew that when I left there at the age of 18, I wouldn't be back. And it was common knowledge among all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-knew-that-when-i-left-there-at-the-age-of-18-i-wouldn-t-be-back-and/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Success is the uncommon application of common knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-misner/success-is-the-uncommon-application-of-common-knowledge/) [Ivan Misner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-misner/) > [“Never stop acquiring the commonsense, it is as good as the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/never-stop-acquiring-the-commonsense-it-is-as-good-as-the-knowledge/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“What keeps the world from reverting to the Neanderthal with each generation is the continuing, ongoing mythos... the huge body of common knowledge that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/what-keeps-the-world-from-reverting-to-the-neanderthal-with-each/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [All true knowledge contradicts common sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandell-creighton/all-true-knowledge-contradicts-common-sense/) [Mandell Creighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandell-creighton/) > [It is common knowledge to every schoolboy and even every Bachelor of Arts, That all sin is divided into two parts. One kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/it-is-common-knowledge-to-every-schoolboy-and-even-every-bachelor-of/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [“If the concept that technologies have biases were to become common knowledge, we could implement them consciously and purposefully. If we don’t bring this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-brockman/if-the-concept-that-technologies-have-biases-were-to-become-common/) [John Brockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-brockman/) > [“In spite of being complicated people choose superstitions over common sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-spite-of-being-complicated-people-choose-superstitions-over-common/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Vandana Shiva > [We share this planet, our home, with millions of species. Justice and sustainability both demand that we do not use more resources than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/we-share-this-planet-our-home-with-millions-of-species-justice-and/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The enclosure of the biological and intellectual commons in this way is a real threat to the future of people everywhere because it creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-enclosure-of-the-biological-and-intellectual-commons-in-this-way/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Ecofeminism is a good term for distinguishing a feminism that is ecological from the kind of feminisms that have become extremely technocratic. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/ecofeminism-is-a-good-term-for-distinguishing-a-feminism-that-is/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [In the seed and the soil, we find the answers to every one of the crises we face. The crises of violence and war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/in-the-seed-and-the-soil-we-find-the-answers-to-every-one-of-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [We could replace people with fossil fuels, have higher and higher levels of industrialization, of agriculture, of production, without thinking of the green-house gases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/we-could-replace-people-with-fossil-fuels-have-higher-and-higher/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Nobody defines it as something women shouldn't be doing. In a way, there are more mathematicians, more doctors, more scientists in India than there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/nobody-defines-it-as-something-women-shouldn-t-be-doing-in-a-way/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Because of these new car models there is suddenly on the streets of Delhi a new intolerance by the motorists for both the cows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/because-of-these-new-car-models-there-is-suddenly-on-the-streets-of/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Diversity creates harmony, and harmony creates beauty, balance, bounty and peace in nature and society, in agriculture and culture, in science and in politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/diversity-creates-harmony-and-harmony-creates-beauty-balance-bounty/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [For us, not cooperating in the monopoly regimes of intellectual property rights and patents and biodiversity - saying "no" to patents on life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/for-us-not-cooperating-in-the-monopoly-regimes-of-intellectual/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [I describe what is happening as 'food fascism' because this system can only survive through totalitarian control. With patents on seed, an illegitimate legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/i-describe-what-is-happening-as-food-fascism-because-this-system-can/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [My mother was a tremendous woman. I was just cleaning up old trunks and I found a book with her notes written during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/my-mother-was-a-tremendous-woman-i-was-just-cleaning-up-old-trunks/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Patriarchy is based on appropriating rights and leaving responsibility to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/patriarchy-is-based-on-appropriating-rights-and-leaving/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The poorest of families, the poorest of children, are subsidizing the growth of the largest agribusinesses in the world. I think it’s time we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-poorest-of-families-the-poorest-of-children-are-subsidizing-the/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [Water must be free for sustenance needs. Since nature gives water to us free of cost, buying and selling it for profit violates our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/water-must-be-free-for-sustenance-needs-since-nature-gives-water-to/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) > [The abuse of the Earth is the ecological crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vandana-shiva/the-abuse-of-the-earth-is-the-ecological-crisis/) [Vandana Shiva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) [Explore all 151 Vandana Shiva quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vandana-shiva/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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