Steal

With the advent of the Internet and other forms of mass media, there are more and more possibilities for productivity and increased market share. The capabilities associated with a powerful platform like cable television or the World Wide Web attract many eager business men and women to try and get a piece of the pie, and the pieces the media industry serves are quite tempting. The enterprises that result from these new mass markets must create means to protect what they have produced.  They have a right to benefit from the products their intellectual and economic property generate without fear that hackers and file sharers will offer it for free to millions of eager downloaders. It is paramount that those creative and constructive minds feel safe that their artistry will not be misused. Without scaffolding like copyright protection and corporate backing, many artists would not pour their hearts and imaginations into their work. They need these structures in order to let their minds free into realms of abstract energy and inspiration. 


At the same time, however, they make their works for people to savor. What would art be if the audience was not encouraged to contemplate it with their whole being? For all the revenue that the industry produces for the few people who make the art, what public good does it serve? It seems lately that those who control the media are more focused on their bottom line than expanding the consciousness of the masses. Websites like ThePirateBay and BitTorrent that enable users to access songs, movies and many other types of media for free are not inherently evil, nor do they represent the collapse of the music industry. With added bandwidth capability of our networks, there are many possibilities not only for efficiency and education, but also for wastefulness and foul play. As culture connoisseurs and media lovers, it is up to us to maintain the good character of the Internet. I believe that users should have a right to access the content that others have created, but we must be mindful of our impact. Those who use media responsibly should not have to suffer for those who abuse the power it wields. Buy what you can, take what you can't, but make sure to appreciate it. Open your senses and let the rich culture around you nourish your spirit and your imagination. Let it help you grow and transform into someone more alive in this world. Share that understanding with everyone around you. Give back. People dedicated their lives to it's creation. Do not take that gift for granted, or we may loose the possibility for freedom. 

Now. What do you see?