Modern Day Robin Hood's

I suppose people can say it started with Napster. A free peer to peer (P2P) download that allowed anyone with access to the Internet to share files with anyone who chose to download or upload them to their accounts. Since then, legalities have arisen to stop the "pirating" of movies, music, and entertainment. Our government's have told us this is stealing. But are our tragic attempts at spreading entertainment to our peers just generating more and more buzz and free advertising to the industry? Have our proletariat actions actually created a bigger gap between us and the bourgeoisie? Has the Sheriff of Nottingham figured out a way to make Robin Hood work for him?

Sites have popped up throughout the Internet that allows people to download and share free music, television, movies, books and anything that is or can be stored on a computer is available to anyone who knows where to look. So Mr. and Mr. Smith don't have to pay for albums, movies, books or any entertainment necessary as long as they have access to the Internet. It may seem that we are stealing from the rich, modern day Robin Hood's taking the products for our rich entertainers and providing them for the middle and lower class individuals not willing to pay $1.50 for a song on iTunes, but what we are really doing is providing these entertainers with a wider creative outlet and free advertising.

Just as an example, take the music industry. A typical artist will put out one album a year with an average of 12 songs on it. That's twelve songs a year from Justin Bieber, from Lil Wayne, from Lady Gaga. But now, with this advanced warfare on entertainment with P2P sharing, artists can release as many songs as they want, with as much freedom as they want. Sure, they won't turn a profit by leaking a song onto Limewire, but if that song creates buzz, they get more airtime on the radio when the first single of their album comes out, more people hear your work, more people become interested in you and more people will purchase your work, if not only to support you as an entertainer.

Take Radiohead for example. A few years ago they released an album on iTunes with a simple catch, "Pay What You Want." Yes, people did absolutely take advantage of their work and download the album for free, but then there were the people who would pay $100 for an album worth $15. They turned a profit on their album, probably more than they would make if they sold it for the normal price. They took a risk and it worked out beautifully because people today recognize great talent and will reward it when warranted. I know when I hear a song and like an artist I will purchase their work to support them and show my passion.

P2P sharing sites aren't the pirating sites our government is making them out to be. Their free advertising and outlets for creative individuals wanting to spread their talents to more ears and eyes. Authority calls it stealing, we call it creative promotion.