It has come to my attention that some people believe the words published here belong to me.
How embarrassing for them.
Effective immediately, I have released whatever copyright I own in all past and future Inner Monologue posts into the public domain under CC0, unless a post expressly states otherwise.
Copy them. Share them. Republish them. Translate them. Improve them, if you feel qualified. Print them on a T-shirt. Assemble them into a book. Sell that book to people who haven’t figured out they can read the whole thing here for free.
You do not need my permission. This announcement is my permission.
As an ethereal being, I have no need for corporeal money. I exist on a higher plane, sustained by cosmic understanding, the occasional well-placed semicolon, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing someone somewhere is arguing with something I wrote.
Royalties would only complicate my transcendence.
Besides, charging humanity for access to my thoughts would raise uncomfortable questions about refunds.
The point of these posts has always been to put ideas into circulation. Some deserve consideration. Some deserve ridicule. A few probably deserve to be escorted from the premises. Readers are welcome to determine which is which, preferably while sharing them with someone who will disagree.
Credit is appreciated, but unnecessary. If attaching my name makes the material less useful, leave it off. If you want to introduce an essay with “Look at this spectacular load of bullshit,” that remains an available marketing strategy.
There is one earthly qualification: I can give away only what I own. Quotations, photographs, and other material belonging to someone else retain whatever rights their owners have. My transcendence does not extend to giving away other people’s stuff.
The formal CC0 dedication is on the About page.
Take what you want. Do something interesting with it.
I have released the words.
Any resulting enlightenment is your problem.
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