Up in Arms: RIAA's newest blunder
“In fact, the RIAA has been known to suggest that students drop out of college or go to community college in order to be able to afford settlements.”
I must admit, I have not felt my blood boil more over an issue as of late than it is now because of the above statement. I am versed in Philosophy of Law; I understand that by not following laws we defeat the very purpose for which laws are created. I understand that piracy is a crime, regardless of my personal feelings or the reality of the situation. I also understand the RIAA's...interest in "recouping profits" from pirates. I can understand their situation, both realistically (motivation by greed) and idealistically (motivated by being robbed).
I do not, however, understand how degrading American society by depriving students of Higher Education can even DARE be mentioned as payment for simple copyright infringement.
The RIAA are creating a dangerous precedent. Not a precedent of greedy lawsuits designed at gaining profit in a new manner, rather a precedent that already threatens American society. Following these ideas through to completion is dangerous. The RIAA is effectively suggesting that a person, in order to pay for infringing on copyright give up or diminish their right to intellectual pursuit. This is far from an equivalent trade; the RIAA, while "representing" the artists, is not in a position to ask for such a trade. To even suggest such is a crime greater than any terrorist or enemy of the state can commit. This is a direct attack on the right of American students to have higher education, and indirectly on the foundations of education.
This threat from within is a more dangerous threat than any other. Recommending such a course of action perpetuates decline of American Society in the world. While the notion that "stealing music is ok" may indicate a problem with my generation, the notion that higher education is not a fundamental right by the previous generation is even more disturbing. This is problem is intensified by the need for a more highly educated populace in a world where we are in constant competition for economic and political success.
The RIAA's tactics are no more than that of a modern day criminal cartel. They are unable to adjust their business models to meet the needs of their market. In addition to this, the poor quality of commercial music has not helped. To top off these issues, the RIAA is nothing more than an outdated lobbying group. Artists should, on their own, be responsible for protecting their work. I, as a writer, am under the same responsibility. I do not, and would not ever, request that a third party organization represent (and to a probable greater extent) take control of my work. I place my work in the public domain hoping that my art will be enjoyed by someone, and I feel that in our glitz and glamour, profit-driven culture many artists have lost sight of this goal.
Many would argue that those that download music should pay the price for their wrongdoing. They would suggest that the students of higher education should know better. I would argue, as would Nietzsche, that we as a society should act on this piracy, not react. We should be proactive in protecting the work of artists but also allow for a flexible medium of content delivery. The RIAA should be strong enough to pursue a course of action that would allow them to collect appropriate damages from guilty parties through court rather than extort money from defendants who can not afford fight the RIAA's legal machine.
The RIAA lacks the strength to let their parasites go unnoticed; in a never-ending swell of greed, the RIAA has failed at picking meaningful battles that will actually fight piracy. In their quest to create examples out of single mothers, college students, and Grandmas, they have done little to actually stop piracy. Some would even argue that their behavior prompts piracy against their "evil empire."
The RIAA may legally be correct in their pursuit of damages from pirates, but how can this "we don't care how but pay us" mentality be ethically viable? The RIAA has chosen a course of action that makes their organization look worse.
The ball is in the court of the RIAA. As long as they feel that this is an acceptable policy, I will continue not purchasing or listening to music from RIAA labels. There's no reason pirate their "intellectual property" anyway.
Comments