Title: Pretzel Logic

I just downloaded a bunch of digital books, movies, and music that I didn’t pay for! Woohoo!

And you feel proud of that?

Damn straight. I got something for free. So nyah, nyah, nyah.

What about the people who created those books, movies, and music?

What about ‘em?

They didn’t get paid for the copies that you just stold from them.

Screw them. It’s just a bunch of rich corporations anyway.

No it isn’t.

Yes it is. No single person can produce the content I just took for free.

But corporations are made up of the contributions of lots of individual people. Some of them are creators.

I don’t care.

Obviously.

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

You said it. You don’t care. Selfish myopia wins again.

When I buy a music CD most of the money goes to the corporations. The musicians are lucky to get a dime.

But they do get that dime. Which is important enough to them that they will keep making new music.

It’s not my fault that the system is set up to screw the artists.

Yes it is.

No it isn’t.

Yes, it is.

How so?

You don’t give a rat’s ass HOW you get your dirty little files. Just so long as you get them at the lowest possiblt cost. Or free.

Welcome to capitalism.

Yup. Welcome to capialism. Where you pay for what you get.

Or not. Content wants to be free.

You say you want content to be free. But what you really mean is that you just want to be able to steal stuff.

I can’t afford to buy everything I want.

Duh. Welcome to capitalism. I can’t afford a yacht. Does that mean I can just go steal one?

I’m oppressed. Therefore I am justified in stealing from the corporations.

I don’t think you can claim oppression just because you haven’t read the latest ebook written by some schmuck in Topeka.

But I feel oppressed and therefore righteous in my thievery.

Most of humanity’s wars have been started on sentiments that are not far from that.