Blogs
 


  Oddworld Forums > Blogs > T-nex
Copying is not stealing!!


Rate this Entry

Copying is not stealing!!

Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:20 AM by T-nex
Yea... This may be a somewhat pointless blog.

But lately, I've been turning and twisting this issue in my head.
What are people actually 'stealing' when they copy movies or music or games or anything electronical?
I mean... Nothing physical is stolen. It's not like someone actually lost money due to someone copying. They spent money of making the product, yes, but no one took their money.

So... I think I finally put a word onto it. Peopleare stealing culture i guess. It's something more abstract. Copying is abstract. You don't take something from someone else, you actually multiply it. But the thing stolen was unjustly obtained culture. I guess.

I can relate to that a lot more. Someone made a cultural piece. Yeah, it could be shitty, crappy culture... but it's still some form of culture. Once you have seen a movie or listened to a piece of music, you actually registered that info into your brain. It'll stay with you forever, even if you forget it.

So yea. THis isn't meant as a debate or anything, even though I think there will be the obligatory OANST-comments on it.. or not.

Just thought I'd put it out there. So peeps! Don't steal culture, yo!
Comments 65 Email Blog Entry
Total Comments 65

Comments
Splat's Avatar
The thing is, if you weren't copying the film/song/whatever you might actually buy it. So in that way you're stealing the film instead of paying money for it, pretty much the same as stealing it from a shop. The aim of the film (apart from entertaining the bored masses) is to make money, so if it's not making money then there's a problem.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:29 AM by Splat

T-nex's Avatar
but--- you're not stealing. You just causing the industry to make less money. You're affecting it, but not stealing it. You're stealing the culture though, because you didn't pay for that.
It's not a physical product, it's an abstract product. So what you're stealing is abstract too.

Ha... perhaps there should be machines that delete the memory of the watched movie or something if they weren't paid for That would be weird.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:33 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
You're stealing data. Yes. That is theft.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:36 AM by OANST

Daxter King's Avatar
The flaw in Splat's argument is that buying something used also doesn't give money to the original seller. Im sure if companies could truly have their way, there would be no rental or used market. Im glad thats not the case. It also implies the person would have bought it had they not pirated it, which is not always true. Potential money is the same as fake money.

I guess OANST's argument works.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:45 AM by Daxter King

OANST's Avatar
Most companies are okay with rentals because the companies renting out the movies or games pay an exorbitant price for every copy.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 06:56 AM by OANST

Daxter King's Avatar
Tell that to the movie companies making rental DVDs with absolutely no features, and game companies leaving out content if you dont buy the game new.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 07:27 AM by Daxter King

MeechMunchie's Avatar
You're not stealing [the original], you're making a copy [then stealing that].
Posted 11-26-2010 at 07:28 AM by MeechMunchie

Bullet Magnet's Avatar
Data is information, and information is real. It's not material, so much as a quality imbued to material.

You want to talk about abstract? Money is far more abstract than data.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 07:31 AM by Bullet Magnet

OANST's Avatar
Also, the definition of theft is not "taking something that isn't yours and leaving nothing behind". It's merely "taking something that isn't yours".
Posted 11-26-2010 at 07:37 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Hmn... I guess stealing data works. But it's still more like copying. You could 'steal' the data, let it sit on your comp forever without ever sharing it or even using it yourself... what would that mean?

I really think you're only 'stealing' something of value anyway the minute you use it.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:05 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
No. You're just making things up. If I steal a banana, but don't eat the banana, I still stole the banana. Yes, you made a copy. But the two are not mutually exclusive. You both copied it, and stole it. Again, the definition of theft is taking that which doesn't belong to you. Did you do that? Does this data belong to you? No? Then you stole it. Cut and dry.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:13 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Technically yes. But I don't really care about the technicality of it. I'm trying to figure out exactly where one does wrong when he does it. And that's just from a personal point. I know what the law says, and I know the definitions.

But where one does wrong is in the fact that they take the essence from the movie, once having watched it without having given anything in return. So I just gave it my own definition.

Also, you can't compare it to stealing a banana, because you'd essentially be copying the banana.... And copying a banana irl is... well that goes beyond what we're even talking about, and includes a shit ton of science.

But I guess copying clothing from popular brands and stuff could maybe draw a parallel.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:26 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
You're too hung up on the copying part. It doesn't matter. What matters is the theft. I don't know how you can not comprehend that taking a product for free without permission that the business charges for is unethical. Are you being intentionally obtuse?
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:35 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
No, you're just not getting it.

I'm talking from a personal point of view. And from a personal point of view, I seriously don't give a shit about the law and it's definition of theft.

I'm talking about my own definition behind the moralities of copying.
I find it lawfully unethical to copy something, yes. But personally It's I think it's only unethical if you actually use that product, because stealing data, I couldn't give a crap about.

The meaningful thing that one would be stealing, would be the culture or entertainment gained from the media. That's where people do wrong. Imo.

Universally, any copying is wrong and I know that.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:39 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
I'm not talking about the law, either. I'm talking about common sense.

Let's say that I build an amusement park ride. I spend millions of dollars making this ride, but you sneak on for free. Is the ride still there? Yes? Are you taking something physically away from me? No. Is it still theft? Yes. Because I am selling a product, and you stole that product. Just because that product is an experience, and not a physical item doesn't mean that it wasn't theft. It was.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:40 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
But if I snuck on without actually riding it, technically I'd be commiting a crime, but morally it wouldn't matter(to me anyway). i'd have just snuck inside the ride and nothing more. So the same with your ride, if I truly snuck on, the essential part is that I stole the experience. Not the ticket or whatever, and I unjustly used something for free.

Which is why I use the example of downloading a media without ever listening, sharing it or even opening it. Would something be wrong in that? It'd be hella pointless, but IMO nothing unethical done there. Which still leads me to believe that the most essential part one steals is the experience or culture or whatever.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:45 AM by T-nex

T-nex's Avatar
Which is why memory-erasing machines would be an awesome tool against pirates! Naha.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:47 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
That example is utter bullshit. Downloading it, thinking better of it, and not watching it is the same as stealing something, feeling bad about it, and returning it. In that case, the person has redeemed themself. Sooooooooooooo, what's your fucking point? Who do you know that pirates movies, and then doesn't watch them? I swear to god, this is possibly the dumbest piracy conversation I've ever been involved in.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 09:57 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Then why do you get yourself involved, mr. angry

Noo.. you're the one choosing to make a big deal out of it. I just wanted to give the wrongness in piracy a definitioon, because so many do use the who copying isn't the same as stealing. And in that case, I just wanna point out exactly what they're stealing. Even if it's abstract.

Also do note that the first sentence in my blog was that it's pointless. Why do you engage in pointless blogs, hmmm?
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:01 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
Why do you make pointless blogs?

Deleting stolen data without using it is the same as returning it, but that hardly ever happens. It happens so little that it's not even worth discussing.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:07 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Why did you discuss it though.

I make pointless blogs, because sometimes they are more for me than anyone else, but I like throwing my thoughts out there sometimes as it helps me keep them in order.

Really, I'm not defending piracy or even speaking against. I just threw something out there, that I didn't really expect anyone to take much note off... So yea, it isn't worth discussing. I even said so. In my OP. srsly.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:10 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
For starters, I didn't initially realize how asinine what you were saying was. After I did, I was too appalled to allow you to continue saying it. I mean, what if you said something that stupid in an interview. It could cost you a job!
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:14 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Meh. Your world is just made out of boxes *scoff*
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:16 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
Your world is made out of nonsense, bullshit, and naivety. (scoff)
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:18 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
So? At least I'm happy

You'll probably pop a nerve if you keep letting shit get to you.

Also, what I said is not stupid cos cos it's true.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:19 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
No. It was pretty stupid.

And I'm not sure what makes you think that you're getting to me. You just said some stupid shit, and I informed you of it. I'm doing good.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:21 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
No you just think it's stupid cos you don't agree.

And you do let it get to you, cos if it didn't bug you, you wouldn't have said anything. Come on, admit that it at least tickled you a tiny bit!!
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:24 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
People only talk when they're bugged by something, eh? You know what? That's also stupid.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:25 AM by OANST

T-nex's Avatar
Ahaha see, I bugged you enough to make you respond again.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:26 AM by T-nex

OANST's Avatar
I bugged you enough to make you respond again.
Posted 11-26-2010 at 10:27 AM by OANST

 
1 23

Recent Blog Entries by T-nex





 
 
- Oddworld Forums - -