There are so many valid points here, but the most relevant to all of us is the problem of apathy with our issues of today.  This however is something that becomes more and more of a problem the larger the populace becomes.  Why?  Quite simply, immediate relevance.  When you live in a small community, you rather quickly see and/or feel the effects of your actions.  You lie, you see how your words hurt and trust is lost.  You fight, you see and feel the damage; sometimes irreparable.  You steal, you see the result on the person you stole from. 

The larger the group you belong to, the more distant you are from the effects of your actions.  Now that we're in a global community, we're sometimes literally half a world away from the people we're hurting. 

Then there is the simple fact of human nature that compounds any attempt to repair this; the instinct of self first-others second.  It is human nature to insure that which is directly affecting you and once that is taken care of, then you can consider others.  There are a few people (percentage wise) who's needs of self are so small that they often spend a majority of time being mindful of others and there is the other extreme (also a small percentage--fortunately) whose requirements of self are so great they have no room to consider anyone else.For the rest of the human populace, we constantly have to balance the selfish and selfless natures.

In reading this, I am reminded of the observation "In order for someone to learn the true value of something, take it away".  We often use this lesson with children to teach them not to take things for granted.  With the global internet, it's true value will probably not be fully realized until the populace is denied it as a whole. 

How does this observation pertain to the issue of online music and file sharing?  Quite simply, it goes to the heart of a bigger issue.  Is the internet a right for all or a privilege?  Is the medium (and all that is on this medium) something that should have equal access for all (no matter who contributes to the medium) or is it a privilege to be respected (as well as respecting those who contribute to the medium)?

These are my immediate thoughts?  What are yours?

 

yep, this whole piracy debate is a reflection of society.  But, people are apathetic about wars these days. They watch the news and rarely get upset enough to do anything that would truly make a difference.