Quote:
Originally Posted by nekokami
 You don't have to agree with me. I'm thinking of a specific author who has 19 books in print, including some on bestseller lists, who really did have to file bankruptcy and lose his house due to medical bills. He did have a full-time job, up to the point that he got laid off, wrote a book, and started pulling in enough money to make it worthwhile to write full-time instead. Until the medical bills rolled in. Writers don't get health insurance through their publishers.
Again, I don't think piracy has anything to do with this author's troubles. The system is broken (in a number of ways). My point was simply that "fighting the system" by taking copies of books without paying for them, if it has any effect whatsoever, is likely to hurt people who are already being hurt by the system-- the content creators themselves.
You can rail on all you like about how no one "deserves" to be paid for work completed, and I agree. But I also think no one "deserves" to receive copies of work someone else has done, without giving something back. I'm not talking about the economy now. I'm talking about being part of a community of artists and people who appreciate art.
This is a more general question, not just directed toward Hidari. If you think the arts should be free, that they're just part of making the world a better place, are you also contributing some form of art to the community (for free)? If art's not your contribution to the community, what is? |
good answer Neko. sorry for your friend. I wish you had attributed that problem to a specific writer..then I would have understood. I guess you meant to..but it looked general to me....
I just find 'too many artists' expecting to be a professional in an artistic field. My 7 years in Russia may not help my views.I have friends who are doctors making only 100 dollars a month and then I hear about "writers" being without money and how they deserve to be paid for their art...So..the irony is a bit too much ..... no offense intended above. I hope your friend recovers well...
suffice to say...I am a socialism fan myself..