Personally I think the modern hero-worshipping auteurship culture is far more harmful than anything else. You don't matter, your name doesn't matter. Culture is commons almost by definition; all works are derivative and stand on the shoulders of anonymous giants.
"All works are derivative" does not imply that just any kind of derivation is or should be OK. I can't write a Harry Potter novel and profit off of it (without being sued), for example, so clearly there are legal and ethical frameworks in place to prevent some kinds of "standing on the shoulders of giants".
Frankly, it almost seems like you're saying that since all works are derivative I shouldn't care how my own works get used -- it should all be thrown in the commons for anyone, including giant corporations, to use as they wish. Is that the case? It's not obvious to me why.
