By Marilyn Brennan
How special and oh so cute! In Thursday’s article on illegal downloads (“Digital Pirates,” Aug. 23), a young man is quoted as saying that, “...if it’s there and I can’t afford it, I’ll take it.” And although he’s sorry he’s cheating the artists he admires, he just can’t not do it. Well, well. On a larger scale, isn’t this how criminals think? I want it. I can’t afford it. It’s there. I’ll take it. Where does this sense of entitlement come from in our up-and-coming adults? And sir, for the record, you are not just cheating the artists you admire (whom you may feel can afford it, thus justifying it), but the countless little people whose livelihood is involved — from the packing paper, the plastic makers, the factory workers, on and on involved in all stages of producing a CD or DVD. He is also cheating these people who may not be able to afford it.
But whether they can afford it or not is not really the issue. If you want a hot dog, you pay for it. If you want a CD or DVD, pay for it. And this young man says he is majoring in public policy. Yikes. We now know his private policy is to take it and run.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 28, 2007. Read the original PDF.