Open Source, Locked Exit
The cartoon mocks the tech industry’s habit of branding controlled, monetized access as altruistic openness—treating ‘open’ less as a principle than as a marketing costume draped over patents, licensing, and lock-in.
At a glossy AI expo booth with a huge banner reading “OPEN FOR HUMANITY,” smiling founders in matching hoodies fling stickers, tote bags, and T-shirts into the crowd like carnival barkers. The stage beneath them is visibly constructed from oversized bricks labeled “PATENTS,” “EXCLUSIVE LICENSE,” “TERMS OF SERVICE,” and “ENTERPRISE CONTRACTS.” In front, a welcoming arch marked “COMMUNITY ACCESS” invites developers forward, but the doorway immediately narrows into a claustrophobic corridor packed with turnstiles labeled “API FEES,” “RATE LIMITS,” “APPROVAL REQUIRED,” and “LEGAL REVIEW.” The farther people go, the tighter the passage becomes, until they are funneled into a tiny paid gate at the end. The founders keep waving and pointing to the word “OPEN,” while none of them acknowledge the fenced maze attached to it.