Okay, so. Here's the deal:
Online piracy is never going to go away.
You all remember those ads on DVDs about what you wouldn't steal. Then the ad relates stealing to pirating movies online.
Well, sorry, but pirating isn't exactly stealing in my eyes. It's copying.
Also, if I could, I would so download a car. Or you know, bread.
I am well aware that pirating is illegal, but I am also aware that I am swimming in student loans, unemployed and pretty poor. If I want to try out a game without buying it, I just might. Maybe if computer games would be reasonably priced, considering most of the time you're just paying for a download, I would buy more games. Maybe if a hardcover book wasn't $20+, or the kindle version wasn't $10+ for a download, I would buy more books. As an author, I know how important book sales, and even game sales, are, but I also know that, even for music, a ton of the money goes to third-parties like producers, production crews, distributors and agents. I know this is the reason media is over-priced, but I also know that as the economy keeps going down the crapper, people will still find ways to pirate.
The fact of the matter is I'm part of a generation who weren't lectured from the start about online piracy.
I remember Napster. I remember my best friend's dad downloading the new NSYNC album for us. We all didn't think we were doing anything wrong. Why? Because it wasn't affecting sales quite yet. Because no one at that time cared. It's like prohibition. These people grew up with alcohol, then someone decided to take it away. People still drank then, and people will still pirate now. (I know the reference is quite vaguely related. So sue me. Actually, please don't.)
But there is one thing that bothers me about a certain section of the entertainment industry: actors and actresses.
Seriously, I'm paying $13+ a pop to go to a movie past 4 p.m. (Which used to be 6 p.m. Still bitter.) Then I hear about how some actors make 20 million a movie regardless if it's good or not. I hear about how much that psycho Charlie Sheen made an episode. It makes me sick. Teachers are grossly underpaid. People are trying to survive off of minimum wage for rather difficult jobs these days. So, when I hear about some big-shot actor making a bijillion dollars a movie, I really don't feel bad if I want to obtain said movie in some online form.
In short, some things need to change. When a company is at a loss, they lay off people or decrease pay. However, in Hollywood, when the market changes, nothing happens. Actors need to start being paid less. It's just a matter of fact. In Shakespearean times, actors were considered to be trash. Why? Because they're not contributing actual needed goods. Also, because for a living, these people essentially lie by presenting to be someone else for a few hours a day. As far as music goes, it's a pretty well-known fact that musicians usually make more money from concerts and concert merch.
Online piracy is never going to go away.
You all remember those ads on DVDs about what you wouldn't steal. Then the ad relates stealing to pirating movies online.
Well, sorry, but pirating isn't exactly stealing in my eyes. It's copying.
Also, if I could, I would so download a car. Or you know, bread.
I am well aware that pirating is illegal, but I am also aware that I am swimming in student loans, unemployed and pretty poor. If I want to try out a game without buying it, I just might. Maybe if computer games would be reasonably priced, considering most of the time you're just paying for a download, I would buy more games. Maybe if a hardcover book wasn't $20+, or the kindle version wasn't $10+ for a download, I would buy more books. As an author, I know how important book sales, and even game sales, are, but I also know that, even for music, a ton of the money goes to third-parties like producers, production crews, distributors and agents. I know this is the reason media is over-priced, but I also know that as the economy keeps going down the crapper, people will still find ways to pirate.
The fact of the matter is I'm part of a generation who weren't lectured from the start about online piracy.
I remember Napster. I remember my best friend's dad downloading the new NSYNC album for us. We all didn't think we were doing anything wrong. Why? Because it wasn't affecting sales quite yet. Because no one at that time cared. It's like prohibition. These people grew up with alcohol, then someone decided to take it away. People still drank then, and people will still pirate now. (I know the reference is quite vaguely related. So sue me. Actually, please don't.)
But there is one thing that bothers me about a certain section of the entertainment industry: actors and actresses.
Seriously, I'm paying $13+ a pop to go to a movie past 4 p.m. (Which used to be 6 p.m. Still bitter.) Then I hear about how some actors make 20 million a movie regardless if it's good or not. I hear about how much that psycho Charlie Sheen made an episode. It makes me sick. Teachers are grossly underpaid. People are trying to survive off of minimum wage for rather difficult jobs these days. So, when I hear about some big-shot actor making a bijillion dollars a movie, I really don't feel bad if I want to obtain said movie in some online form.
In short, some things need to change. When a company is at a loss, they lay off people or decrease pay. However, in Hollywood, when the market changes, nothing happens. Actors need to start being paid less. It's just a matter of fact. In Shakespearean times, actors were considered to be trash. Why? Because they're not contributing actual needed goods. Also, because for a living, these people essentially lie by presenting to be someone else for a few hours a day. As far as music goes, it's a pretty well-known fact that musicians usually make more money from concerts and concert merch.
People can take down torrent sites. Internet providers can block the Pirate Bay. The government can hide certain Web sites from Google searches, but there will still be piracy. I mean, unless we become some 1984-Communist country, this is the way it is.
It's extremely hard for a learned habit to be found illegal after a set amount of time. It's also extremely difficult to monitor the internet without breaking some sort of freedom. To this I say, well, nothing. There's no winning this argument either way. So, instead, let's all give and take. Actors make less. Production crews cost less. Downloads should cost way less. Change things. It's the only way to make anything work without feeling some communist is winning.
Love always,
Sarah
Disclaimer: I have not read up on the Communist party. I only know that which I was taught in my awesome public education. I don't necessarily hate Communists, just the ones who take it to the extreme. Also, this is written because I am annoyed with things like SOPA, and also, I have severe insomnia.
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