the argument of some hypothetical "right to burn all the books i possess" is not really the topic of discussion here. it's not a "can" argument, it's a "should" argument.

> it's not a "can" argument, it's a "should" argument.

When you take a pitchfork against all the libraries out there who either refuse donations, or destroy the donated books, then we'll talk.

As plenty of people have pointed out, no one has shown that anything of value has really been lost. Either the works are still available for you to obtain (i.e. they didn't destroy the last version), or they are things no one wanted.

And while it hasn't come up in this thread, it was the last time it was discussed: These companies are legally obligated to destroy the books. It is illegal to scan the book, keep the scanned copy, and sell/donate the physical books. If you don't like that, change copyright law.

"Shut up, we have the right to destroy cultural artifacts because we have money."

lol this is even stupider than the previous comment. Yeah golly gee, I wonder why the majority of the American electorate distrust tech companies, tech leaders, and tech workers?

Y'all need to do some mutual aid and get your humanity back.

They have no more right to destroy cultural artifacts than you do. It's a red herring, as no one has demonstrated a single loss of a cultural artifact. What was destroyed, that satisfies:

1. You cannot obtain elsewhere

2. That anyone cares about

Destroying a copy of a Harry Potter is not a loss of a cultural artifact if I can still buy the book at a store.

Go ahead and start a campaign: For all who are upset by this, list your physical address, and tell everyone to mail their unwanted books to those on the list instead of destroying them.

The catch is the recipients are not allowed to destroy them. Then we'll see how much those complaining value culture.

Someone needs to write an updated version of Fahrenheit 451, maybe titled Fahrenheit-451GB-A32.

The version where it's legal to own books...?

I'm thinking more of a future where big tech successfully moves the overton window for AI, people gradually rely on getting information/entertainment from LLM's more than books, then it can follow the regular plotline of 451 with the public voting to ban books.