Re: Meet the new boss
Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:14 am
Man, my generation (Millenials/Generation Y) is responsible for a lot of the illegal downloading that threatens the music industry (and other creative industries as well)...and I hate that fact.
It's understandable though, if in a sad way: we've grown up right as the Internet has exploded in mass consumer use, and the companies that have been part of that (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Youtube, Facebook, and many others) are viewed as visionaries and hip pioneers by our generation, if not outright heroes. Mark Zuckerberg has more credibility with many in my generation than other businesses, the U.S. government, and even our own parents.
Part of the issue, though, is that illegal downloading is popular with my generation. And it's popular, because it's easy. And it's easy, because governments in general do not enforce already on their books in regards to piracy. Combine that with the moral justifications of piracy offered by the IT industry (which many in my generation look to for wisdom), and the ease of using the Internet for piracy, and you have a mass culture that glorifies illegal and immoral activities (like piracy).
I think for too many in my generation, the IT propaganda has become gospel. Therefore, for piracy to end (or to be cut down drastically, at least), IT companies should be subject to greater regulation and criminal penalties for distributing illegal content. Make it harder and costlier to steal, and the stealing will go down.
My $0.02.
It's understandable though, if in a sad way: we've grown up right as the Internet has exploded in mass consumer use, and the companies that have been part of that (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Youtube, Facebook, and many others) are viewed as visionaries and hip pioneers by our generation, if not outright heroes. Mark Zuckerberg has more credibility with many in my generation than other businesses, the U.S. government, and even our own parents.
Part of the issue, though, is that illegal downloading is popular with my generation. And it's popular, because it's easy. And it's easy, because governments in general do not enforce already on their books in regards to piracy. Combine that with the moral justifications of piracy offered by the IT industry (which many in my generation look to for wisdom), and the ease of using the Internet for piracy, and you have a mass culture that glorifies illegal and immoral activities (like piracy).
I think for too many in my generation, the IT propaganda has become gospel. Therefore, for piracy to end (or to be cut down drastically, at least), IT companies should be subject to greater regulation and criminal penalties for distributing illegal content. Make it harder and costlier to steal, and the stealing will go down.
My $0.02.
