Illegal Downloading is Stealing

Whichever way you look at it, downloading music, software, or movies illegally is STEALING. It doesn't matter that everybody is doing it. It doesn't matter that you can't afford to buy a certain CD or computer game. It doesn't even matter that some of the music and movie industry's successful can afford to buy houses faster than I can type. However, if I am to convince you of my position in this issue, we need to have a basic, similar, definition of stealing.

Quite simply, stealing is taking something from someone without permission, and that is exactly what people are doing downloading things from the internet. One of the greatest consequences of the Internet is that it doesn't force people to face responsibility. In the Internet, we can do whatever we want, and there's little chance of getting caught. And when we do get caught, there are ways of covering our tracks to make ourselves look innocent. We've sunk so low to twist the idea of stealing, and we can't imagine a �â'¬Å"click�â'¬ï¿½ of a mouse could constitute stealing. We find downloading things so easily accessible and tempting, so we try to justify ourselves, not wanting to face responsibility. Do you own the rights to the things you download? No? Then, according to the law, you are a THIEF.

Argument: Everybody is doing it. This has to be the most juvenile excuse. People, wake up! Just because everybody is doing it DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT. Get your morals in line, even though you aren't hurting anyone, it's still against the law.

Argument: The law is WRONG, so I'm breaking it so change can occur. I heard someone say this before. My argument against this logic is, how do you choose what you download? You just choose random stuff to download, and you download as much as you can, hoping record companies notice you and sue you? Then you have an opportunity to share your two cents? Not effective, my friend.

Argument: I download stuff, but if I like it enough, I'll go out and buy it. Let's be real, are the majority of people doing that? Of course not.

Argument: I can't afford to buy that song, movie, software. Since when did anyone have the right to take something just because they couldn't afford it? This type of logic allows the homeless to take your food and justify it by saying, �â'¬Å"I can't afford it. You still have more food at home, you can obviously afford to go out and get more, and you aren't going to die if you don't eat one meal.�â'¬ï¿½ And since when did someone NEED a movie or a song? Or even any software? You don't need any of that stuff.

Argument: Rock stars and movie stars have enough money.If I download their new song/movie, it's not like it's hurting them too much. That's true, and it's not like I enjoy seeing how rich people are these days, but it's still stealing, no matter how rich the person is you're stealing from. Is there a line that defines who you can and can't steal from? Once an artist makes it big then you can steal from them? Once again, it doesn't matter that you're stealing from a rich person, it's STILL STEALING.
I have read so many articles and opinion papers on the issue of downloading music, movies, and software, and I have NEVER heard a good argument supporting downloading music, movies, and software. If anyone out there thinks they have one, let me know. Until then, I hope reading this has somehow changed your mind about the issue of downloading.