My unpopular view on piracy

Posted on by

OK – technology is what it is, and it is very easy to make a copy of a cd from a friend, from P2P networks, etc. That said – just because it’s easy, doesn’t make it right. When I pass a supermarket after closing and I see plants sitting outside, I don’t grab one and put it in the trunk of the car. I could, but I don’t. If you walked onto a car dealer’s lot, and found no one was looking, the keys were in all the ignitions, would you drive off the lot in a car? I’m sure some would say yes, but I think most would say no. So why is the stealing of music and movies any different?

I do think that the ability to listen to a cd prior to purchasing is a great thing, so if copying is done for that reason, awesome. But too many people never purchase a cd – ever. Some are proud of this. If you chose to do this, that’s cool – but don’t fool yourself into saying you’re fighting the establishment or some other bullshit argument; it’s theft, pure and simple.

Comments?

Related posts:

  1. Cinderella Man
  2. Michael Penn’s cd out today – FINALLY!
  3. Foo Fighters – In Your Honor – Copy Protection
  • http://www.monkeyhouselounge.com/loungeact/ Todd

    Agreed. I don’t know if it’s how I was raised but I can’t bring myself to download music from P2P networks. I just buy from iTunes.

    Now…can you burn me a copy of Bob Mould’s new album?

    Kidding Spencer :)

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/1672140 Ryan

    I’ve got a lot of respect for that way of thinking.

    However, when I pay $13.99 or more for something I know costs about $.02 to make, and $2 to market it’s hard to feel too bad about it.

    When CD’s, with shipping, liner notes, artwork, packaging, shelf space, transportation and the whole nine cost about $13.99 and then Itunes comes out and still charges me $9.99 just to download, again, its hard to mind stealing.

    When I watch Cribs from my townhouse I can barely afford, its hard to mind stealing.

    When the Rolling Stones are charging $8 million for a ticket to see them in concert, I get a certain amount of Satisfaction from stealing the song.

    I still support small artists and bands I really love. But, when I get an itching for The Final Countdown by Europe like yesterday, you better believe I’m heading to Limewire and not Borders.

    The question to ask. How screwed up does the music industry have to be to make so many otherwise honest people just turn into blatant thiefs will little remourse.

    Question for you. Is it wrong to buy the CD, burn it to your Ipod, and then sell on Ebay?

    Cuz, um, I don’t do that.

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/9081238 Spencer

    First off a disclaimer – my post was really driven by one person, a casual music fan, I know that spends no money on music whatsoever – no cd’s, concerts, etc, but has a ton of music on his ipod. If you have actually bought a cd in the past 3 years – it isn’t about you.

    The whole issue of the greed of the record industry and the related parasites is a whole separate issue. It’s a fucking disgrace when I walk into Tower records or Barnes and Noble and a cd is $18.99. So I understand that the music industry is about the least sympathetic victim possible.

    But honestly I could extend the feeling of something being too high priced to a lot of things – gasoline, the hybrid car I just test drove that costs $35K or $8K more than its gasoline version, new homes, etc, etc. I think the music industry is an easy target for our general disgust with high prices.

    What I wonder is are we turning into a nation of thieves? What do you tell your kids when they ask where you got that copy of “Dukes of Hazzard”?

    Your question is interesting. I think it’s wrong – but you’ve already given your money to the studio – so I see it as less of a crime. Generally if I like something enough to keep it on my ipod, I’ll keep the cd.

  • Anonymous

    to the commenter: I too live in a house I can barely afford, but I wouldn’t use “other people are better off” as an excuse for stealing… if I was that disturbed I wouldn’t want/buy/use the product.

    to the writer: hey, I live in Conshy and work in the pharmaceutical industry, too. Was drawn to this site by another music fan on the Gomez message board. Small world!

  • http://www.blogger.com/profile/7286639 suze

    what frustrates me is i buy cds but then have to go download the music from a p2p in order to put it on my mp3 player cuz i’m not technologically inclined enough to figure out how to get past the anti-piracy software they’re installing on cds these days.

    but no, i don’t feel bad when i download music. I own well over 500 cds and when i have the money i buy the cds of the artists i love. but for introducing me to new music and for finding those tracks that i would never actually buy the whole cd for, i hit limewire. i don’t know why i don’t see it as equal to stealing a car, or anyother piece of property, but i don’t….will have to think about that…..