Blogcritics: Comments on "It's more like speeding or marijuana use"

Comment by TDavid

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 10:12:57 EDT

Stealing is still stealing. As I was just remarking in comments in another article: I think if there was a way that friends could loan to other friends, that would be palatable for everybody involved -- because people have been loaning each other books, tapes, CDs for ages without conflict. However that is different than strangers filesharing with other strangers files that are not be borrowed or loaned, but outright copied; it's an entirely different kettle of fish. And no matter what the RIAA's heavy handed tactics are, and those of us who disagree with them, they are still technically in the right to pursue the enforcement of the music's copyright.

Comment by Natalie Davis

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 10:12:50 EDT

I don't recall the part of the Ten Commandments that appends Thou shalt not steal with "unless the victim is a big corporation, even if it is filthy and vile." I like "The Simpsons" as much as the next guy, but looking to Homer for moral guidance is just dumb. Stealing cable is wrong, period.

Comment by Chris Arabia

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 10:04:41 EDT

File sharing is like Stealing Cable. As Homer Simpson read from a brochure called "So You've Decided to Steal Cable," he stated the basis of the "Stealing Cable Doctrine," something along the lines of "it's not really stealing because it's a big company and nobody cares." I have no strong position on this issue, but there's the view of one of America's foremost philosophers.

Comment by Natalie Davis

Tue, 23 Sep 2003 09:57:06 EDT

File sharing is stealing. I see no excuse or justification for it (though I believe the RIAA's lawsuits are unconscionable). However, teenage rebellion notwithstanding, comparing file sharing to speeding is ludicrous; speeding can lead to loss of life. And comparing it to marijuana usage? Uh, no; that's just stupid. Perhaps one could say speeding while under the influence of marijuana or martinis, but then we get back to the previous statement -- DUI can lead to loss of life, but file sharing can not. (Unless one counts the heart attack a clueless parent could have upon discovering that his or her teenage child's activities have brought a process server to the doorstep.)