# Remix Culture The Pirate's Dilemma By Bianca | Published 2008-03-21 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-pirates-dilemma References: [desedo](http://desedo.com/blog/mslm-the-pirates-dilemma/) & [thepiratesdilemma](http://thepiratesdilemma.com/) A new book on "remix culture" has just been released from Vice Magazine writer, Matt Mason. ***[The Pirate's Dilemma](http://thepiratesdilemma.com)***, "How Youth Culture Is Reinventing Capitalism," covers new media in 2009, but instead of examining the technology itself, like future music players and mobile devices, it looks at the behavior of the users. The book tries to drive home the fact that instead of trying to fight piracy, companies need to learn to embrace it and find a way to improve their product based on the consumer desire to 'steal' content. "Letting others copy and change our work can be productive," Mason explains. He examines DIY culture and looks at companies like [Nike](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crack-magazine) who have launched the customizable NikeiD shoe. He examines products like Jones Soda and the [Toyota](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miraidon) Scion. He examines information vs. property and paranoia vs. opportunity to drive home the fact that, "Piracy is a market signal." He's come up with a number of formulas including: *Democracy + Technology = Punk Capitalism* The Pirate's Dilemma is being sold on [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/Downloading-Sneakers-Reinvented-Capitalism-Innovation/dp/1416532188), but the thesis for the book can be seen in the slide show above. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.0/10 - Popularity: 8% | Activity: 75% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Remix Culture:** Embracing consumer desire to remix content as a means of improving products. - **DIY Culture:** Encouraging customization and personalization of products to meet consumer preferences. - **Piracy as a Market Signal:** Recognizing piracy as a feedback mechanism and an opportunity for innovation. ### Who This Affects Most - **Music and Entertainment:** Exploring new ways to integrate remix culture into music and entertainment industries. - **Fashion and Footwear:** Creating customizable products to cater to the demand for individuality and self-expression. - **Technology and Intellectual Property:** Developing strategies to leverage piracy as a market signal and drive innovation in technology and intellectual property sectors. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Avant-Garde Coffee Table Books](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/decentralization-please-save-culture.md) - [Nostalgic Music Piracy Merchandise](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/limewire-1.md) - [Emerging Technology Publications](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emerging-technology-publication.md) - [Viral Criminal Merchandise](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/i-can-fix-him.md) - [Nostalgic Retro Music Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/diy-mixtape-kit.md) - [Collaborative Music Curation Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jamocracy1.md) - [Millennium Technology Capsule Collections](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/drought-x-napster.md) - [Tech-Infused Analog Radios](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/retro-aesthetics-and-modern-technology.md) - [Vintage-Inspired Technology](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vintageinspired-technology-tech-brand-kickbacks-discman-is-nostalgic.md)