It may seem so easy for any of us to do such a thing. But when you realize that it is more expensive to buy a hotdog at the place of honeyed burgers than it is buy a silver disc of pirated material, it becomes an easier choice. But what is paramount is that buying pirated material is a crime. Whether it is easy to do or cheap to buy, the act is still criminal.
Taking aside the criminal aspect, the real reason for not buying pirated material is the economic incentive that is lost. The reason why our government affords copyright protection is to provide a security measure for a return on investment. All of us want to earn money. Most of us are earning our daily bread by doing things we don’t love. But those who write the music and make the movies are doing exactly what they love to do.
Making music and movies takes money. These artists, if you are willing to call them that, put up money up front for the costs of making their work. One album could cost easily six figures to make and that just the recording studio. Movies are a whole other ball game. It is not uncommon for an action movie from a major U.S. studio to run a figure of more than 100 million.
The only way for them to see that money come back is for us, the economic power that we are, to buy their products legitimately. When you buy pirated material, you give money to scrupulous men who don’t know how to make movies or write music. The wrong people are making money.
If the money comes back to the artists, they will in turn make more music and more movies for us to enjoy. Come on, we all love to hear our music and see our movies. But when there are no more new ones, we will be stuck with watching Conan, the Barbarian over and over again.
You might argue that these creative minds are making too much money such as J.K. Rowling who is now a billionaire. But that argument doesn’t hold water when you buy your cell phone load. Do you see anyone complaining when the Ayala’s are raking it in or when MVP is upping his monthly per diem.
If we had a choice, we wouldn’t want to buy fake burgers or fake sodas. Why should you settle for less when it comes to music or movies?
Taking aside the criminal aspect, the real reason for not buying pirated material is the economic incentive that is lost. The reason why our government affords copyright protection is to provide a security measure for a return on investment. All of us want to earn money. Most of us are earning our daily bread by doing things we don’t love. But those who write the music and make the movies are doing exactly what they love to do.
Making music and movies takes money. These artists, if you are willing to call them that, put up money up front for the costs of making their work. One album could cost easily six figures to make and that just the recording studio. Movies are a whole other ball game. It is not uncommon for an action movie from a major U.S. studio to run a figure of more than 100 million.
The only way for them to see that money come back is for us, the economic power that we are, to buy their products legitimately. When you buy pirated material, you give money to scrupulous men who don’t know how to make movies or write music. The wrong people are making money.
If the money comes back to the artists, they will in turn make more music and more movies for us to enjoy. Come on, we all love to hear our music and see our movies. But when there are no more new ones, we will be stuck with watching Conan, the Barbarian over and over again.
You might argue that these creative minds are making too much money such as J.K. Rowling who is now a billionaire. But that argument doesn’t hold water when you buy your cell phone load. Do you see anyone complaining when the Ayala’s are raking it in or when MVP is upping his monthly per diem.
If we had a choice, we wouldn’t want to buy fake burgers or fake sodas. Why should you settle for less when it comes to music or movies?
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