Antonio,
I find it very interesting how you mention that getting rid of piracy is about as hard as getting rid of racism. I would have never thought of it this way without you mentioning it, but the more I think about it, the more true I find this statement to be. Although both would be considered "morally wrong," it doesn't stop people from saying racist remarks or downloading music illegally. It is sad to see what our world has come to, knowing that what we are doing is wrong, but not really caring. We are so focused on what we want and how we feel to realize that what we are doing is wrong.
You mention that we shouldn't have to pay for music "over and over again to get that typical 3 minutes of enjoyment." I however feel the exact opposite of you on this one. Although I do understand that it's an inconvenience to always have to buy music, imagine how you would feel if you were a song artist. How would you feel if you weren't getting paid for your music anymore because arrogant teenagers figured out that they could get it for free?
Honestly, if I was a song artist, I wouldn't be happy, and I don't think you would be either. I may be wrong, but I bet it really frustrates Katy Perry every time her sales go down because her songs are being stolen online. Like I said though, this all goes back to the self-centered thought of us only thinking of ourselves and not ever imagining what it would be like to be the song artist who we are stealing music from.
My favorite part of your post though is that "music should be free" because it is a way of life for some people. Music is one of my ways of relaxing, so I can very much so relate to this part of your comment. However to counteract your thought, music is free. Maybe it isn't free for us to put onto our iPods, but we have access to free music at our fingertips thanks to the radio (including online radios such as Pandora) and YouTube.
Credit for picture: stuntmanbrandon
First of all, I am honored that you directly addressed me in your blog! And I also agree with you that artists nowadays would be frustrated with downward spiral of sales for their CDs. But as an artists, I am much into the phrase 'art for art's sake.' If I were in the shoes of the popular artists of today, I would still be happy knowing that people are still after my music. Making money off of music is a luxury and people sometimes forget that.
ReplyDeleteAs for music on the radio, whether it be an actual radio or online, I think that this quite what we want. Pandora gives you artists that you may like. The radio gives you music that either radio stations choose or listeners choose. Me personally, I strongly dislike the radio because of this. Hearing songs replayed over and over again because other people didn't have the opportunity to hear them. I want to hear the songs I want. This addresses the selfishness that you referred to. This is a valid point, however I think that with music, it should be about what the listener wants to hear. Music is for the audience.
I really enjoy this topic and I think that others should jump into this conversation as well. We've both shared some really valid points and more people should give input or their experiences. This is the kind of topic that no conclusion can really be drawn, but there are plenty of things to take in and reflect upon.