I won’t get on a high horse here. Rest assured I have things on my computer that I have streamed without performing the “paying money for the goods and services rendered” ablution expected by society. I’m not above the problem. I’m not below it either. It’s impossible to be above or below a metaphysical idea and I’m not sure what we mean when we say that, but the point is, yes, I have committed the digital five-finger discount.

But for God’s sake, I don’t build facades to try and make piracy look like a good thing! People are really good at defending their vices, and just as the world is full of stoners who are convinced that pot cures cancer, people on the internet will talk your ear off about how online piracy isn’t theft, how they only do it because of [x], or any other fairly unconvincing smoke screen. Let me posit that people download because they want free things, not because of any higher ethical justification. If you hear some dude say “I download mp3s to fight the music business! Down with the man!” get ready, because he is likely to try selling you Amway within the next 5-10 minutes.

The following is a thought experiment. I have no intention of doing it myself. But I think piracy would end itself if all would-be pirates were forced to spend an afternoon with one of the musicians they’re about to rip off, or one of the game developers whose work they’re about to stream. Have a barbeque with them, or watch their kid’s soccer game. Listen to their views on whether kids downloading movies in their bedrooms represents the liberation of technology. Come to the realisation that if everyone acted like them, these guys would never receive another paycheque.

With that said, there are exceptions to every rule and I fully support people who pirate Sevendust. That band sucks.