More Snow Melt

Make up entry for FL 7-Day Blogging Challenge Day 4

Prompt for January 12: Creative Arts Piracy (includes authorship too!)
http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/call-of-duty-sets-record-as-most-pirated-ga...

The article didn’t say if piracy had increased the economy’s downward spin. That would be interesting to know, not that it would change the illegality of piracy, but it would suggest that a certain segment of the population felt differently about piracy during a stable or upward moving economy.

The fact that piracy appears to be gaining acceptability, as suggested in the article, reveals more about the present condition of our present culture and the moral state of humanity then anything else. Depending on a person’s point of view, we are living in either the last days of planet Earth or at the beginning of a new world embracing culture and civilization; a new humanity.

Piracy is unacceptable, illegal and immoral under any circumstances. The fact that it seems to be gaining acceptable indicates humanity is questioning the moral values of the past. It could also indicate that some people are not learning that piracy and stealing is the same thing. Alternatively, people could believe that it is “OK” to steal something they want if the cannot afford to pay for it. Similar to the question: “Is it alright to steal bread if you are starving?”

There are at least three solutions to the problem of piracy. First, is making sure people follow the laws and that means prosecuting the pirates. While this may be the most obvious solution, it may not be the best solution to the problem.

Second, education concerning the equivalency of piracy to thievery and those harmed by piracy because contrary to popular opinion, it is not always the big corporations hurt by someone stealing a computer game. Those actually hurt by the practice of piracy or stealing is one’s friends, family or neighbors, who pay a higher price for the download someone else stole. Not to mention the person who created the game and may be depending on the profits to pay next months rent, mortgage or to buy food for his or her children.

The third solution could be a download club with monthly or yearly membership dues. The dues would include the ability to download a certain amount of games or reading materials without paying a extra price. If the person wanted to down load more then the membership dues allowed, then he or she would have to pay a little extra for the privilege or in some way earn points toward extra downloads.