Interview
Shraga Biran
- Shraga Beran, founder of a leading Israeli law firm and author of Opportunism, defines "opportunism" as a theory of creating opportunities through human agency rather than relying on luck or chaotic external forces.
- He posits that opportunities are not passive occurrences but can be actively generated based on a fundamental economic base.
- Beran argues that current intellectual property frameworks, such as patents and copyrights, are outdated relics of the 18th to 20th centuries.
- These existing systems fail to reflect a modern economy where human capital, intelligence, and intellectual property constitute the primary source of wealth.
- A central premise of his proposal is the need to restructure societal institutions to formally acknowledge ideas as assets with property rights.
- He contends that remuneration must be directed toward the individuals contributing to this new wealth rather than solely to the entities that house them.
- Beran criticizes the current employment system for automatically assigning ownership of inventions to employers.
- He acknowledges the employer's role in providing the environment for innovation but argues that ownership should be shared fairly with the creator.
- He explicitly rejects the idea that employment agreements grant employers rights over a worker's mind or intellect.
- The proposed legal reform seeks to create a universal, global public market for private goods, such as poems, writings, and artistic works, which are currently difficult to monetize through traditional channels.
- This market would operate within a framework of international treaties to ensure protection and prevent theft.
- Compensation for creators would be distributed based on public engagement metrics (e.g., clicks), rewarding those whose work is appreciated rather than enforcing formal equality.