[MrBlueSky]

Originally Posted by cmdahler

It's truly pitiful to see how people who grew up with the internet paradigm of file sharing have become so amoral about theft. This post from MrBlueSky is a perfect example of the attitude so many younger, internet-oriented people take: if it's not a tangible object, then it must not really be stealing. When there is no inner sense of right and wrong taught by parents who actually give a crap about their kids' moral development, the attitude of MrBlueSky is basically what you get as a result: "if I can't get caught, it must not be wrong." Or the old standby: "Everyone else is doing it, so it must be ok."

If MrBlueSky had spent a couple of years or more writing his own book only to see it linked around on various illegal torrent or Usenet groups, I'll bet he'd have a bit of a different attitude...

Y'know, I’ve dipped in and out of these forums for a couple of months now, because of the variety of views that get expressed here on the topic of books, book-reading, e-readers — yes, and book writing, publishing and marketing too.

Most of the debates are interesting, some are stimulating and the technical forums tend to be of excellent and knowledgeable quality. Having said that, this latest brouhaha between Macmillan et. al. and Amazon appears to have brought out an element of intellectual dishonesty in some quarters.

On a forum such as this, in which the subject matter implicitly encompasses the manipulation of the written word and how it is manifest in the expression of ideas, accuracy of thought projection should have a greater emphasis, more so than in many other forums. I would have expected that WHICH descriptive words are used, HOW they are contextualised and in having due regard to their literal MEANING when deployed would carry more weight than is currently being evidenced here. Apparently not.

I have been careful not to use antagonistic language myself (mostly?), nor to disparage others expressing well-entrenched beliefs. But I cant’t let it pass unchallenged when such words such as ’thief, theft, steal and stolen’ are (seemingly) used in an innocuous fashion when it is apparent that they must quite categorically be seen as being used as an element of propaganda. I know too, that the free opinion of a bar-room lawyers is worth exactly what you pay for it, but really folks, if you don’t know even the basics of how copyright legislation works in real life, your really should not attempt to write you own book before you find out. You’ll save yourself a world of heartache and anguish.

If I had been told on more than one occasion, by more than one person, in more than one thread, that the word(s) I had been using were being used in the wrong context for the subject under discussion, I would always try to educate myself as to the correct terminology before continuing. Simply shifting a legal narrative into a moral setting while arguing the same legal point of view is being rather disingenuous to say the least. There again, If I'm presuming too much intelligence, I do apologise for suspecting a hidden agenda.

And btw, while the monopoly hoarders are trying to bring the whole weight of the LAW down on my sorry little head for my minor infringements, I don’t particularly want then trying to save my SOUL at the same time, thank you very much

Haven’t we always been at war with Eastasia?


Oh, and cmdahler, you presume far too much. Most people ARE taught right from wrong at an early age. Most children, as the develop ARE taught the ethics and morality of the culture they are brought up in. But sooner or later, each and every person uses the greatest gift they are born with for themselves — their brains. Once you learn to think for yourself, your whole world knows no boundaries.

I don’t give a damn what everybody else may or may not be doing. I plough my own furrow.

My ‘attitude’ therefore, is not based on the ASSUMPTION that I can’t get caught, but rather that my actions are solidly grounded in the indisputable FACT that if I do, I cannot be prosecuted for THEFT. That, I am sure you will find if you look hard enough, is the salient point.

Thank you for for expressing your concern anyway, but I assure you that there is nothing wrong with my morals or my ethics at all; if you really must criticise me for something — try my values instead.