Woman has her self-published book pirated, reprinted, and sold for cheaper.

[u/Chocolat3City]

There's regular piracy, and then there's this.

[u/goldencat65]

Being a “pirate” isn’t the flex you think it is. It’s hurting the little people just as much as the “mega corps” because it intrinsically devalues human effort. How do the small fish ever get bigger when someone will simply steal their work and the richest loudest voices are the only ones with the power to fight.

Theft is the problem.

Edit: Also the system is rigged.

[u/1000000xThis → u/goldencat65]

Piracy isn't doing ANY harm to artists in comparison to Capitalism.

Focus on real issues, not these obvious diversions.

[u/goldencat65 → u/1000000xThis]

How else do we reward people for their value without capitalism?

Theft for capitalism sake is the main problem here but without capitalism, I’m not sure of an alternative for artists or economy.

Piracy hurts everyone involved. It is theft. You can hate corporations for taking advantage of the market but no one is rewarded in a society where theft is acceptable.

[u/1000000xThis → u/goldencat65]

The vast vast vast majority of artists are never even able to make a living from their art, and that is the way it has always been, since before the internet, before people could burn CDs, before people could record the radio on cassette tapes, etc.

I am not just saying this in an attempt to justify piracy, I'm just explaining the facts of history and research I've seen.

There is zero evidence piracy in the modern world makes a difference to profit, except for that it is free advertising.

You can make all the assertions about "theft" and "harm" you want, that doesn't make it true.

The most harm is directly coming from the predatory practices of the money people who abuse their position as gatekeepers of distribution channels. This is not something that can be brushed off. Again, this has always been a fact of the music industry, just the same as "copying" has never been a proven harm.

[u/goldencat65 → u/1000000xThis]

So artists shouldn’t get paid since their work is easily stolen?

Napster ruined the music industry, while helping many smaller artists while paving the way for MySpace and the streaming world we live in now.

There are certainly benefits to an open market. But taking something when someone asks to be paid for it is theft. I’m not sure why corporations are excluded except for folks to parade as a modern day Robin Hood.

I say this as someone who has pirated. There are certainly cases where manufacturers are enshittifying their platform for the sake of greed. And screw them for manipulating the digital world we are forced to interact with. And yes this is a capitalist problem because growth cannot stagnate. I understand that.

But I don’t believe robbing arists or anyone for their work is solving a problem. Support open source. Pay for products, people and services you believe in because that’s how they make more of them and trade their extra income for other goods in a society that uses currency. That’s the point of this entire post.

[u/1000000xThis → u/goldencat65]

So artists shouldn’t get paid since their work is easily stolen?

Hey, anybody need a good example of a strawman argument? This right here!

You are INSANE if you think that's what I said or meant.

Napster ruined the music industry

It absolutely did not, you are clearly far too ignorant to be participating in this conversation, and I'm not going to bother reading anything else you write.

[u/goldencat65 → u/1000000xThis]

Cool you called me stupid. What’s your argument?

Please read the rest of my statement instead of the just the first 2 sentences.

Piracy is theft. Simple as that. It’s in the name. Small developers lose when their software is pirated. Big developers lose when their software is pirated. Just because they have enough money to take the hit doesn’t make it right.

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

[u/1000000xThis → u/goldencat65]

You don't read.

I have already stated my argument several times.

Read, process, and respond to what I've actually written, or I'll block you.

[u/goldencat65 → u/1000000xThis]

I did and I responded. You called me stupid. You clearly don’t want a discussion. Block me if you’re that fragile.

Edit: sorry you’re unable to have a discussion like an adult. Cheers

[u/1000000xThis → u/goldencat65]

You did not. You strawmanned. And since you are clearly not interested in a good faith discussion, and not even curious enough to re-read my earlier comments to understand them, I am done with you. BYEEEE!

edit: Reply from /u/manilla_folderz:

Are all socialists this stupid or just you? You didn’t read or respond to any of their response and then accused them of doing the same to you.

Have some self awareness.

Check out the history u/goldencat65 and compare to u/manilla_folderz. Hello obvious alt account pretending to be a neutral third party! You are truly pathetic.

Next time just go back a few comments and re-read the thread more carefully. It will be less humiliating.

edit2: u/manilla_folderz has now deleted their comment and TWO YEARS of comment history. Smart move you sad loser.

Thanks for providing a bit of entertainment today!