Can (Internet) Piracy ever be Justified?

[Hive Mind]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

 

[Hive Mind]

So you're saying that someone who was born into money and has never worked a day in his life can't morally use that money to purchase a videogame? Because if you aren't saying that, my point stands.

This post made me laugh.

Please, do show me how being entitled to something is the same as having the right to purchase something?

I'm greatly interested.

Entitlement
noun

The fact of having a right to something

http://www.google.com/search?q=percent+of+people+who+have+pirated&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a#sclient=psy&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbs=dfn:1&source=hp&q=entitlement&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=d4ad5a2257f1f432

Everyone is entitled to the right to purchase something with their own money.

Congratulations. This was never in debate.

 

[Atheist.]

Since this thread gets asked about once a week, I'll say it's valid if you buy the game, and use it get passed DRM. I also think it's acceptable if you live in a country the game cannot be purchased in.

Seriously, though. Please use the search bar.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

No, it's legitimate: we're talking morality here, I've never once said piracy was in any way legal. How is it that being lucky makes it morally right to have access to something, which being unlucky makes it morally wrong for one to have access to?

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

So you're saying that someone who was born into money and has never worked a day in his life can't morally use that money to purchase a videogame? Because if you aren't saying that, my point stands.

This post made me laugh.

Please, do show me how being entitled to something is the same as having the right to purchase something?

I'm greatly interested.

Entitlement
noun

The fact of having a right to something

http://www.google.com/search?q=percent+of+people+who+have+pirated&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a#sclient=psy&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbs=dfn:1&source=hp&q=entitlement&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=d4ad5a2257f1f432

Everyone is entitled to the right to purchase something with their own money.

Congratulations. This was never in debate.

Then congratulations, you've proven that you only have a problem with entitlement when poor people feel it. Pot, kettle, black.

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

Do people get a special badge for making these "Is piracy justifiable" threads? Seems like this is a weekly topic that ends the same way each time, yet it's constantly remade.

Sorry. Truthfully, two things caused me to make this thread.

A. I was interested in people's opinions and, honestelly, I couldn't be arsed to use the search function.
And,
B. I recently did an English Oral on the subject and I wanted to see if there were any arguements supporting piracy.

Do you have an opinion at all?

 

[Hive Mind]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

No, it's legitimate: we're talking morality here, I've never once said piracy was in any way legal. How is it that being lucky makes it morally right to have access to something, which being unlucky makes it morally wrong for one to have access to?

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

 

[Reaper195]

I buy just about everything I can. The only reason I'll pirate something is if it has next to no chance of coming out where I live (I live in New Zealand. It took nine fucking years before I found Boondock Saints on DVD ANYWHERE! But I did buy it three years after I downloaded it).

I'm not sure where I stand on piracy really. If you don't have the money, get a job, work more hours, or get a better job. If you're in a position to not be able to buy things (Bills higher, rent higher, etc), then just deal without them. But some things on the other hand are totally not worth the money. I'm glad I never paid for Twilight. I never knew anything about the series when I watched the first movie, got fourty minutes into it and told it to fuck right off. Average acting, shitty plot, shitty disgrace of an excuse for anything that drinks blood (Bring back 30 Days Of Night like vampires! They cool guys that eat your face!)

 

[Hive Mind]

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

Entitlement is a concept created by the elitists on top to keep the average man down.

If someone wants something they do not suddenly have the right to steal it because they will never have it.

The world isn't nice or fair. It just is.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

No, it's legitimate: we're talking morality here, I've never once said piracy was in any way legal. How is it that being lucky makes it morally right to have access to something, which being unlucky makes it morally wrong for one to have access to?

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

No, I perfectly understood what you were saying; it's a common argument, and one which is blatantly hypocritical for exactly the reasons I pointed out. You're basically saying that luck of birth has more bearing than anything else, which is highly suspect, morally, and something that makes you at the very least appear to be an entitled rich person acting all high and mighty because a poor person tried to do something more than lick your boots, if not actually someone who holds that opinion.

 

[carelesshx]

I watched that show Cribs on MTV once.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

Entitlement is a concept created by the elitists on top to keep the average man down.

If someone wants something they do not suddenly have the right to steal it because they will never have it.

The world isn't nice or fair. It just is.

Theft (in English Common Law)

"A person is guilty of theft, if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it". (Section 1)

Copyright infringement

Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.

Please quit conflating them.

 

[Hive Mind]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

No, it's legitimate: we're talking morality here, I've never once said piracy was in any way legal. How is it that being lucky makes it morally right to have access to something, which being unlucky makes it morally wrong for one to have access to?

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

No, I perfectly understood what you were saying; it's a common argument, and one which is blatantly hypocritical for exactly the reasons I pointed out. You're basically saying that luck of birth has more bearing than anything else, which is highly suspect, morally, and something that makes you at the very least appear to be an entitled rich person acting all high and mighty because a poor person tried to do something more than lick your boots, if not actually someone who holds that opinion.

Can you afford it?

A) Yes. Go to 1.
B) No. Go to 2.

1. Buy it.
2. Bad luck.

Why on Earth you would suddenly gain the right to steal something just because you can't afford it is beyond me.

Simple, really.

 

[Hive Mind]

If someone wants something they do not suddenly have the right to steal it because they will never have it.

On the contrary, they can steal it, not due to "rights", another ridiculous concept, but because... wait, I think someone else said it pretty well

The world isn't nice or fair. It just is.

Alright sweet

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

Entitlement is a concept created by the elitists on top to keep the average man down.

If someone wants something they do not suddenly have the right to steal it because they will never have it.

The world isn't nice or fair. It just is.

Theft (in English Common Law)

"A person is guilty of theft, if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it". (Section 1)

Copyright infringement

Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.

Please quit conflating them.

"The function of representation comes to grief when words lose their connections with things - in short, when language represents itself."
Mark Poster, The Mode Of Information

Says it all really.

Good day.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

OT: Does a kid in a poor, 3rd world nation not have the right to play any games whatsoever, because not a SINGLE game Publishing company in the world, sends a Single copy of any of it's games to his/her country's shops? He loses the right to play video games, watch Int'l movies, or hear foreign music, because s/he just so happens to have been born to a couple living in said poor country?

I'm not going to answer that ofcourse. I'm just going to leave that there....

You aren't entitled to something because you have bad luck.

Oh no, this kid was born without arms, he's not entitled to help though, he was just unluckym

What part of 'help' reads as 'is entitled to steal video games'? Am I missing something?

Dont you think that these children deserve some kind of luxury? Something that can make them feel happier if even only for a few hours?

You don't magically become entitled to steal something because you have terrible luck.

Do I have to point you to the legal definition of theft and the legal definition of copyright infringement (the legal term for what we call piracy)? Because they're two different concepts.

Would you like to imply that being unlucky gives you the right to commit a crime other than stealing, such as copyright infringement? If not, your post adds nothing to the conversation and your strawman is an abysmal failure.

No, it's legitimate: we're talking morality here, I've never once said piracy was in any way legal. How is it that being lucky makes it morally right to have access to something, which being unlucky makes it morally wrong for one to have access to?

As you have failed to understand the conversation (as you weren't involved) I will show you your mistake:

I made the claim you are not entitled to commit piracy because you have bad luck. If you have the bad luck to be born so far from something and do not have the money to get to it that you will never have it, tough.

No, I perfectly understood what you were saying; it's a common argument, and one which is blatantly hypocritical for exactly the reasons I pointed out. You're basically saying that luck of birth has more bearing than anything else, which is highly suspect, morally, and something that makes you at the very least appear to be an entitled rich person acting all high and mighty because a poor person tried to do something more than lick your boots, if not actually someone who holds that opinion.

Can you afford it?

A) Yes. Go to 1.
B) No. Go to 2.

1. Buy it.
2. Bad luck.

Why on Earth you would suddenly gain the right to steal something just because you can't afford it is beyond me.

Simple, really.

Because theft and copyright infringement are two completely different concepts, I even gave legal definitions for both one post up. The current copyright system has been rendered completely outdated by the internet, for purely practical reasons. Saying people in poor nations shouldn't pirate games is like, in a hypothetical situation where Star Trek style replicators suddenly came into existence, holding them back from ending world hunger and spreading luxury goods to the world just because they can make things that infringe on patents. Newsflash: in the world of supply and demand, an infinite supply makes the price free.