I Love Reading Books

I see ur comment coming

Just presenting the other side of it. As an artist pirating content bothers me.

Libraries have licenses to loan content. That's different from stealing it. If you don't return the content you pay a fee. If you can't pay or don't want to pay for books then get a library card. That's legal and doesn't harm anyone's livelihood.

I'm friends with several authors, and while they appreciate good reviews and will often gift content to loyal readers they dislike piracy as much as I do. It's illegal for a reason. How would you like to work and not be paid, but oh, you get a good review so it's ok? It's not greedy to be paid for the work you do. On the contrary, it's greedy to steal and want what others have done for free.

Volunteering time is different. Most EMTs and paramedics I know get paid for their shifts. I'm not familiar with what CRTs do, but I'll look it up.

It's not about squeezing out every dime, and most e-books aren't very expensive. Life is about making a living so you can have a life. Artists should be able to pay their bills, eat, enjoy life like everyone else. Just because they chose an artist's life doesn't mean they shouldn't be compensated for their work. Do you think any other professionals would work for free other than volunteering on occasion? I volunteer as well. That's completely different from a career. Do you work for free every day all year?

I think the fact there are laws against it ought to matter for something here. A lot of people cheat on their taxes to save money because things are tight financially .. doesn't make it ok. This is the person's livelihood .. do you expect a plummer or mechanic to give you free work or at half the price when you need their services? Why would it be different for an artist or writer?

@4everman: Exactly. Thank you.

@ChampagneOnIce: if it were affecting this person's bottom line they'd have a much different take on it. It's stealing, no matter how much you try to say otherwise.

@Alien-Zipper: I think so too. Thank you.

;-)

But there is a difference. The material is stolen, taken illegally, and she is contributing to that. Borrowing from a friend or buying one at a yard sale is different because the book most likely would have been purchased first.

@OWTFWN: I respectfully disagree and think your logic is flawed. She is obtaining the material from an illegal site. Most likely that site did not pay for the content, or they would be charging for it. If you loan your friend your jacket or your car you've most likely paid for those items. If your friend loses or damages them you'd have to replace the items or go without, but you don't just walk onto a car lot or into a mall and steal something. Obtaining content through pirating is illegal because it's stealing. The key point in all of this is that it is illegal, and there are reasons for that.

I'm not going to debate this further with you. We have differing opinions about stealing, about artists' livelihood and what's right or wrong. Artists should be paid for their work just as others are paid for the work they do. Everyone deserves the right to make a living, and stealing or not paying for services you receive from others' work is wrong.

@OWTFWN: Theft doesn't give the author the choice to be philanthropic with some of his work - it robs from him the same as would someone skimming from the tips left for the waiter, busboys, etc at a restaurant.

Its a noble thing to donate your time as you do and I applaud that heartily. However, I also assume you also actually have a paying job and expect to receive the full amount you are due when your check arrives each pay day. If so - you are being an immense hypocrite to call someone else greedy for expecting the same thing for their work. You cant have it both ways, pal.

@4everman: Well stated. I completely agree, clearly. ;)

@OWTFWN:

The last time I checked, using your talents to make music, write a book or designing plans for a home to sell, etc - are all valid and legal jobs. They have a right to protect their intellectual property - just like a patent holder for an invention - and the laws are there to afford them some protection from grand scale theft by potentially millions of people.

You have no basis to say I worship greed. I work hard for the pay I receive. I choose to volunteer my time with Scouts, with my Church, the local food bank and to give money to those and other causes - to the tune of several thousand dollars a year. The musicians, authors, architects and others in such talent driven professions - also give their time and energies to help their fellow man. Some do it in a different way than you do - others do benefit concerts, donate portions of their royalties to charities or donate their skills to non-profits, etc.

While I applaud what you have done - you are using it as justification sit in judgement of others when you know nothing of them or how they use the money they earn. That makes you an incredibly arrogant, self-righteous prick on top of being a hypocrite.

@OWTFWN: Yes, I'm Christian. Which means only that I have personal beliefs. I didn't push them in your face and claim to be better than anyone else - you included. I recognized your good actions and tried to discuss something we disagreed on while you chose to label all who disagree with you with nothing to base such statements on. I'm also human, I can be provoked to say something in anger at times that is less than Christian. How typical of someone like you to go there.

It's not illegal to loan someone you know a book or to let them listen to music you bought in your car. No one said it is. It is, however, illegal according to existing laws to post or download something protected by intellectual rights laws on a website intended to provide unpaid access to unknown people. Its not my fault you cant understand the legal difference in the two actions.

There is a dictionary definition of judgemental - look it up. Few people who read that definition - and your statements labeling others who disagree with you as worshiping greed when you know nothing about them, what they do with their money or their character - would disagree you were being judgemental. My opinion was derived from your comments and responses during direct interaction with you. There is a measure of being judgemental there, I agree - they call it being a good judge of character.

You'll not likely understand, but I refuse to further attempt an intellectual discussion with someone who lacks the necessary credentials.