My friend Paul tweeted a link to this article about unleashing a lie. Little did I know it would explain the lunacy of the Lessigites, Patryans, and their ilk, especially those poor, misguided creatives who actually think that CC or “free” can be good for their businesses and art.
Short form? A subtle lie gets great traction and is almost impossible to correct once spread.
Relatedly, why apparently reasonable people reject the truth is discussed in this article.