As anybody paying attention to my rants over the years would know, I am 100% in the camp that says "intellectual property theft is still THEFT" and can not understand how people routinely create justifications for their larcenous actions.
I mean, it's like I had read something along the lines of: "we went over to the 7-11 and ripped off a few six packs and sandwiches then swung by Borders and stuffed some real cool DVDs down our shirts, looks like it's going to be a fun time tonight" ... or maybe: "I saw that new Priscilla Presley CD in some guy's front seat, so I took a brick, smashed in his windshield, and took it home". How would you react if you read these in a Friend's journal? Would you be horrified? Would you want to intervene?
Frankly, my reaction to the former is very much the same as my reaction to the latter ... stealing music or movies just because you can does not make it NOT stealing. Using a T1 line to download an illegitimate copy of a current film is no different ethically than breaking into a car to steal a CD. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS WORLD THAT PEOPLE CAN NOT SEE THIS???
Man ... this is bumming me out tonight ... big time.
