I'm happy to have been born when I was. 1987. By the time I was in the early stages of puberty I could happily go on the internet and masturbate to real porno. Well it wasn't exactly happily, it was more nervously; half expecting my dad to interrupt at any moment to play DOOM. But that's besides the point. The point is that the internet changed the game right when I was becoming a sentient being.
Since then, there has been an ongoing clash of cultures. The clash is between the young modern, tech-savvy, sensible population, and money-grubbing, willfully ignorant old farts. The controversy started with music. mp3 downloading was happening for years in the early-mid 90's(I know because I did it) but it was not a big issue until CD burning became widespread. You know how things panned out there. Many sickeningly rich musicians campaigned to put an end to people enjoying their music in the form of free file transfers between private citizens. I was shocked to find out that the law actually came down on their side.
Of course, nothing changed. People who are inclined to download music and movies found more clever and efficient methods, and those who think intellectual property should come at an arbitrary price came up with silly halfway methods like selling downloads. This has continued to this day and the battlefield has turned into an embarrassing reconstruction period.
Here are the reasons why downloading music and movies free is superior:
1- It's fast, easy, and efficient. This should be obvious. You used to have to go to a play or see a musician to be entertained, now you can just dick around on the computer. There will still be those who want a hard copy of certain things, so they can buy one. But otherwise, the computer file is the smallest, most dynamic medium yet invented.
2- The artist does not suffer. This is a common myth to this day- "if you want to support this, go out and buy it, don't just download!". These people don't really understand how entertainers make money. Very little is made by actors, musicians, or filmmakers through selling actual copies of the work. The most money is made through
"the advance", advertising deals, residuals, shows(particularly in other countries), merchandise selling(pro-tip, never give up merchandising rights), finding pennies and nickles on the ground, asking to hold $10 and never giving it back, you name it. If you don't buy a CD, you are not depriving the artist of $14-18 dollars. You are depriving them of less than a dollar in the case of lesser-known artists, and a few dollars in the case of big names. Yes, it adds up, but it's not even close to primary income.
3- It levels the playing field. Particularly for music. Imagine the days before the internet. How did you find out about "underground" music? If you're my age, you probably don't even know. I imagine word of mouth, going to shows, and reading music magazines. So once you have the name and description of an artist you think you'll like, you buy a copy of his music, or if you're lucky, dub it from a friend. Then it's just a gamble If you'll like it. Through youtube and free downloads, the deepest of underground musicians has a chance. Buying an LP is a big deal, a gamble. Typing something in the youtube search bar? That ain't shit.
4- It sticks it to the man. A few unsigned emcees and plenty of punk/metal groups have just stayed DIY and produced and manufactured their own stuff, receiving ALL the profit. The internet is a new medium that's beyond even that. You don't even have to cover the cost of the CD-R to put something up on the internet. Trent Reznor, when his record company obligations were over, just released his new shit for free online. Of course, he was already rich by that point, but it's still cool. Of course most musicians want to make enough money through music alone, and they still can by selling hard copies, merchandise and playing shows. But music online is an absolutely FREE medium, and shows a lot of love for the fans.
5- Puts an end to some profiteering. I always bought used CDs if I could, because they were cheaper and worked just the same. And you know what? the artist didn't make a dime off of that. Only the record store did. Same thing with used DVDs. Between paying some chump a few bucks just to transfer a DVD from an owners hands to yours, and downloading that shit because it's 2010, which would you choose?
There are countless other reasons you might be thinking of right now, but the basic point is that those who fight the powers of the internet and file sharing are dragging their feet into the future. Whether not my reasons are good, it's a moot point- File sharing will continue anyway. Find a way to survive in the modern age.
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