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Last week attempts to introduce the Stop Online Piracy Act in the US triggered a wave of protests both on and off line - with many sites like Wikipedia deliberately imposing a blackout to demonstrate the impact on internet freedom they believe the new law will have - before plans to draft the bill were postponed on Friday (20 January) "until there is wider agreement on a solution." In a guest column, Sebastian Arnström from Simian Ghost explains why opposition to the bill and the measures it would have introduced must continue, not just because of the proposed draconian punishments (including getting internet service providers to block sites and imposing a five year prison sentence on those found guilty of streaming copyrighted material) but because of its impact on freedom, creativity and the future of the human race! "I do not consider Simian Ghost a political band, nor do I have any wish for it to become one," explains Arnström. "Simian Ghost is though the best channel I have at my disposal to convey my thoughts and ideas, and in light of recent events I feel obliged to do so."

Many of you have heard about Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) and have gathered through various sources, such as Google and Wikipedia, that many people and companies have concerns with this supposed legislation. We too strongly oppose these kind of laws, but maybe for a different or bigger reason. We all agree with them that this is important and that it may harm the internet and the freedom of expression through said channel. But there is, I think, a much bigger issue than the Internet itself at stake here.

The real danger is the way this is a threat to the humanistic and forward thinking ideals the internet represent. The Stop Online Piracy Act builds on ideas and ideals, that if they are to remain hinders the evolution of the human species.

The internet represents the first real step towards a global society, where the will to share and the freedom of expression and thought is the very foundation. As such it opposes the soon to be outdated ideas of currency and economic systems to help distribute supplies to meet the material needs over the world. It represents the first real step away from the now dominant hierarchic power structures of this world, and from the archaic idea of possession.

This may sound a bit over the top for a lot of you, I guess, but I strongly believe this to be true. We humans stand on the threshold of a technological revolution, that if it is permitted by those in charge, can obliterate hunger, disease, material needs and even natural disasters. The advancements of late in nanotechnology, biology, physics and the mapping of the functions in the human brain gives us unbelievable prospects of the possibilities of human evolution.

When, for instance, we can materialize food out of thin air, the rules of our political games will drastically change. When we can build intelligent machines, augment and improve our brain functions and when we begin to colonize space, the rules of this world must not be in effect.

The human species will merge with technology, I can say this with utmost certainty, and that process has already begun. Many fail to realize this or are frightened by the idea, but does not think twice about the use of pacemakers, cars and iPhones. The rate in which technology evolves is constantly accelerating and so is the rate in which new technology is made available for the public.

I believe the advancements in technology is the only hope for the continuation of the human species. Our presence on Earth has put tremendous strain on its nature and we have polluted it to the point where we have no other possible course of action than to put our trust in new technology.

This might sound like science fiction to most people, but it is a reality and one we must come to accept. We strongly urge you not to turn away from this question!

Let us build a global society where freedom of expression and the will to share is the norm. Let us continue to move away from the archaic idea of possession, so that when the time comes when we no longer need to concern ourselves with our material needs, the transition away from the use of currency and economic systems, as well as political and military power structures will be an easy and natural process.

If on the other hand these kinds of laws would come in effect, I believe they will not be tolerated. As you all know, on 19 January the file-sharing site Megaupload was taken down by US federal agents. As this was done with already existing laws, it might be viewed as an attempt from the powers in charge to show their strength even without SOPA and PIPA. Just hours after the take down of said site the hacker group Anonymous launched a retaliation action, taking down the websites of the Department Of Justice, RIAA, MPAA and Universal Music, (which, ironically, does publishing for us).

This gives us only a hint of the protests that I think would come if these types of laws and regulations is allowed to continue. There is no off switch to the evolution of mankind and the subsequent evolution of technology. The qualities that put us human beings on top of the food chain is our ability to use tools and to work together in groups.

These are the powers our - in relation to other animals - well developed brains have given us, this is what makes us strong. Now we are transitioning into an age, where the distinction between the tools we use and ourselves becomes increasingly blurred, and there is no going back.

In my humble opinion SOPA, PIPA and similar laws and regulations defies the natural course of human evolution and must therefore not be allowed to exist.
I wrote this text because I feel it necessary that artists, musicians and filmmakers speak out against these things, since it is how our art is handled and distributed that in many ways is the foundation upon which these laws rest. And also, I probably watch to much Star Trek.

Well there you have it, just wanted to air my opinion in the matter. And now back to the commercials!
Sebastian Arnström @simianghost

For more head to Simianghost.com

9:55 AM | 23/01/2012